CHATHAM ISLAND SHEEP.

Press, Volume L, Issue 8479, 10 May 1893, Page 6

CHATHAM ISLAND SHEEP.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE PRESS.

Sir,—l have visited the Chathams, and came away with a high opinion as to tbe capabilities of those grass-favoured islands for the production' of prime sheep for the frozen mutton trade. But hitherto the Island sheep have been bred for wool alone, and consequently they are not fitted, either as to age or quality, for the Canterbury frozen mutton trade. As the Canterbury graziers—who have attained the enviable distinction of producing the best quality of mutton in the world for freezing—have done so, so must the Chatham graziers be content to do; that is, to gradually work their flocks up to mutton perfection, while not neglecting- wool, and this must take them some years to do. In the meantime, I am quite in accord with the opinions expressed by " The Stock Salesmen Referred to" in your Monday's issue. "Let all sheep other than Canterbury bear the motto of their own identity," and "We welcome the Chatham and North Island sheep farmer to Canterbury, bnt he should come nnder Canterbury rules. None but the best." I consider, Sir, that our stock salesmen will be failing in their duty to their clients and our graziers will be neglecting their own interests if they do not by all reasonable means discourage the importations, either from the North Island, the Chathams or any other place, of coarsely bred sheep to be topped up here and exported under our brands. It is not a question of competition, for the more highclass mutton sheep we can export the more likely are we to hold our supremacy. It is really a vital question of keeping np onr standard of quality, and so preserving our fair name. 'This is the more necessary now, as in the near future we have to faoe largely increased competition with onr Australian cousins. It should therefore be the aim of every sheep grazier in New Zealand to improve upon Canterbury quality rather than to do anything which will tend to injure our present prestige. I trust that onr Chatham Island and other neighbours will bear this in mind, and putting aside provincial jealousies, strive with us to keep up New Zealand's name for mutton. My advice to my Chatham friendis to boil down their culls and send us nice evenly bred four and six-tooths. We shall

be proud to graze these until they have recovered from the mal-de-mer, and send them home with the confidence that their quality will not militate against our interests. The frozen mutton trade has done more for New Zealand in later days than any other industry, and I hope that yon, Mr Editor, will carefully guard the interests of this important trade, remembering that our jealousy is not against our neighbours, but solely to preserve the high name of New Zealand mutton. — Yours, Sec, Reginald Foster, Late Chief Inspector of Stock. May 9th, 1893.