A NOTABLE SHEEP BREEDER.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13710, 18 April 1910, Page 2

A NOTABLE SHEEP BREEDER.

MR WILLIAM MARCROFT.

(By J.L.W.)

The fact! that Mr W. Marcroft, who has been connected with long wool sbeep breeding in Canterbury for upwards of thirty years, is leaving tbis Province to take up a permanent home in the North Island, serves as a reminder of what he has done towards tho progress of the Dominion. It is alleged that the pig in Ireland pays the farmer's rent, and it may bo truly, said of the New Zealand sheep that that animal pays the interest on the public and private capital. In wool and mutton £11,000,000 to £12,000,000 is annually raised. The export of wool about doubled itself in 1872, and the export is sevenfold more than when mea like Mr Marcroft began to take an interest in the flocks. Again, the mutton export commenced with a value for lbS2ol £19,339, but last year it reached £3,500,000, being in excess of the wtnderful harvest of gold which the country reaped in 1806, principally from the West Coast, equal to £2,844,000. 1 only give these figures as a, few words oi appreciation for tho men who have chiefly assisted to make them. Having retained a complete file of the Canterbury A. and P. Show Catalogue since November yth, 1869. it is interesting to note in what manner Mr Marcroft has served his country. Until about 1005 the- majority of the sheep on the Canttrbury hills and plains were merinos— short woolled sheep. At the Show oi 186S the Leicester flocks represented were oulv those ot Messrs P. C. Threlkeld, White Bros., E. Mitchell, W. Boag, and W. Marcroft, who had respectively only nine entries for the whole section. At this show Mr Threlkeld was the largest prize-taker, and Mr Marcroft took first for five- ewe neggets. hi the Lincoln section there were but five exhibitors, and here was shewn tho first of Mr Marcroft's imported rams which took first prize. It was bred by Mr R. E. Kirkham, Audl?v Villa, Lincolnshire. Mr T. *v. Fisher was second, and the first prizetaker's next exhibit was highly commended. Mr A. Whincop took both first and second for ram hoggets. Prior to this tho writer had personally known Mr Marcroft when he was manager of Mr John Grigg's cattle run-on Kaiapoi Island, but soon he camo out very strongly as a Leicester and Lincoln breeder, and in proof the Show Catalogues on to 1875 give most pronounced et idence as to the keenness which was shown by—if I may use the term—a school of long-wool sheep breeders, who finally brought about tho cross-breed-ing which has made Prime Canterbury famous throughout the world. My catalogue for 1870 has been temporarily mislaid, but at the 1871 Show the Leicester breeders were J.-Macfarlane, vV. | Boag. Walter La wry, E. Mitchell and | Co., R. Wilkin, J. Cracroft Wilson, Daniel Mavdwell, Hay Bros., James Johns, A. Whincop, Hon. Ernest Gray, W. R. Maddison, David Lewis,' P- C. Threlkheld, H. W". Peryman, and W. Marcroft. Here tho latter won the prize for rams over 18 months,, his exhibit being bred by Duke of Hamilton, and Threlkeld won in ram hoggets, with a sheep from the same family, while Marcroft was first for. five ewes and took other prizes. In the Lincoln classes, we find Messrs Peryman, Tluelkekl, H. J. Hall, Geo. Gould, Jjewis, Whincooe, J. C Boys, S.Bcaiey, Mitchell and Co., F. M.' Rickman, and Marcroft competing. The 1872 catalogue gives, the firm of Marcroft 'jnhd Aye/m as exhibitor* and prize takers, and introduces us to Gv Pope, Hen. 11. B. Gresson, D. Paehetfc, Wright and Pyne, Geo. Nixon, as new exhibitors in Leicesters; and Hon. H. B. Gresson, Sir J. Oraeroft Wilson, J. It. 'Hill, G. Nixon, and Hon. E. Gray arc hew names in the Lincoln section. The •ong-woolled section of the 1873 show will bo long remembered by those- who were present for the excitement which took place. In aged Leicester rams there were.fourteen entries: John Grigg 5, Mitchell and' Co. 3, \SV T . Marcroft 3, H. Fl Gray, E. Grey, and Threlkeld single sheep. There Mr Marcroft, was first-and h,c, and Mr Threlkeld second, and jn the ram hoggets, with twentyfour exhibits, he was also first, as well as for five ewes and ewo hogget. The show wp.s notable for the large** entry mad© by Mr John Grigg, of Longbeach. The other, new men compating included Messrs It. H. Campbell, J. Hureo, Sutton Bros.. W. G. Bluett, and G. Hunter, of Wellington. The Lincoln sheep that year were a stronger class than previously. In 1874 the first silver medals were awarded for sheep; and. Mr Marcroft won tho medal in Leicester rams with Standard Bearer, bred by the exhibitor from an named Scotland. Mr Threlkeld, who was in' partnership with Mr Marcroft, also took the first silver medai for a Leicester ewe. In the Lincoln classes, Sutton Bros, took tho medal for the rams and Threlkeld and Marcroft for the ewes. The new names coming cut with Leicesters were:—James Gregg, P. B. Luxmore from Timaru,. J. T. Matson, and in the Lincolns, James R. Lysaght, Bon. W. Robinson, and Threlkeld and Marcroft as a firm; Mr Thos. Rowe also competed. Then coming finally to 1875, I find it noted in my catalogue that Mr Marcroft gained the silver medal for Leicester rams with Standard Bearer, and the new exhibitors who came forward in Leicesters were Messrs" W. Fhilpctt, John Carter, J. T. Matson, John Toon, Corlett Bros., and H. F. Gray, and the new exhibitors in Lincolns were Messrs Ohas. Withell, F, Sutton, S. Cox, R. M. Morten, R. H. Campbell, and R. Wilkins. As I am enly dealing with Mr Marcroft, I have not referred to other large prize takers. On some otiier occasion the opportunity may serve to refer to their large share in breeding. In fact, they, many of them, put more capital into the enterprise than Mr Marcroft did, but ho has shown them the* bost type to improve from. . Tho possibilities of sheep breeding in this Dominion are still unlimited, and capable of. expansion to an extent of, perhaps, double the millions in value that we now receive, thanks to tbe assistance of many of the notable men, amongst whose names that of Mr W. Marcroft is not the least.