A SHOW "SMOKER."

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17608, 10 November 1922, Page 13

A SHOW "SMOKER."

OUTSPOKEN JUDGES.

For the purpose of bringing together judges and exhibitors at the Metropolitan Show, and also members of the Association, to exchange ideas regarding- the Show, a smoking concert was held last night by the Canterbury A. and P. Association, in the Association's rooms. Mr R. E. Alexander, the president, was in the chair, and amongst those present was the Hon. W. Nosworthy, Minister of Agriculture. The toast of "The King" was duly honoured. liie chairman, in proposing "The Judges»" said that first-hand criticism was about the best tuing they couid get. The position of judge was a very honoured one, and the thanks of the Association and of exhibitors wer© due to the judges who attended the Show' to judge the stock. Everyone was liable to make mistakes, but as far as judging stock was concerned, he believed any mistakes that were made were made honestly. . Mr F. Vaughan (judge of Shorthorns) in responding, 6aid that it was a great pleasure to attend, the Associations fixture. The Association was wise, he thought, in holding the Show in Carnival Week: the judges not only enjoyed the Show but also enjoyed a little bit of sport. The classes that had come before him were numerous and the entries good. As to criticism: He could hardly understand why some of the Shorthorns shown were in the rm SJ* t all amongst so many good cattle. The Canterbury Association was one of the oldest in the Dominion and breeders in Canterbury, should be educated to bring better stuff into thering than was brought before him that day. "And I'm not quite sure," he added, "that our worthy chairman was not guilty of the same offence himself. (Laughter.) Some of the animals were something like the Prohibitionists—you could not see any rib! On the other hand, he had had before him the best Shorthorns that had ever been shown in New Zealand for many years. The average was excellent and individual . cattle were extremely good. He could assure them that a made from the cattle at the Show that could travel the "North Island—be did did not know much about the South—and would win oftener than they would bo beaten. On more than one occasion he would have liked to have awarded two firsts—they were so close that it was difficult to divide them. Mr D. J. Ross said that the Comedale rams were a fine lot, especially from a wool point of view; but he felt impelled to say that some of the breeders we're g<*mg too much to wool, and were forgetting about fhe carcase. The Corriedale was supposed to be a utility —they were aiming to make it so. Quite a number of sheep had the wool, but did not have the carcase to back it up. He had been pleased to see that some exhibitors who had not been ■successful previously had come forward this year. Mr Alex. Drummond said _ that in LeicesteTß the breeders had given him some hard nuts to crack. He had been gratified- to see the amount of wool on the Border Leicesters. He commented favourably on the improvements effected on she Show Grounds. VMr.E. Taylor said that some of the Leicesters were too large in carcase, and breeders should go in for a better carcase and finer wool. W^ Mr I. Andrew said that he was very pleased with the improvements effected in connexion with the sheep pens: judging had been done more expedi-, tiously than in the past, and things had run more smoothly. As one of the sheep judges he thought that there was stilff room for improvement in the pure breeds; they were working on too fine and too light a wool. ,The more weight they could get, consistent with quality, was going to help to pay the Dominion's indebtedness. As a judge he always gave his awards on the basis of quality consistent with weight. They did not want to see wasted clip in their wools; serration should be carried out to flie end of the wool. All wools should be standardised. The Rylands that he had judged had been very true and representative of the breed. Mr W. P. Roid said that he had been pleased with the Shropshires and in some of the classetrthe competition was very close. He did not think that ho had ever seen better sheep than those he had seen that day.

The Hon. W. Nceworthy proposed "The Canterbury A, and P. Association and Kindred Associations." Hib remarks are reported elsewhere in this issue. The toee.t was responded to by Messrs Alexander (Canterbury), W. Perry (Masterton), T. O. Haycock (Wairarapa), A. Hunter (Hawera). H. A. Murray (Malborough), D. Cuthbertson (Southland, A. Johnston (Otago), J. A. Coop (Banks Peninsula), J. W. Harding (Hawkc'a Bay), and E. Haydon (Argentina). Mr R. M. D., Morten (vice-president of the Canterbury A. and P. Association) proposed "The Exhibitors," which was responded to by Messrs J. A. Johnstone, W.Perry, I.Andrew, John Nixon and Gordon. Stoddart. During the evening part son?e were given by a quartet consisting of Messrs R. J. Hobbs, F. P. Morrison, B. Rennell and H. S. Hobbs; songs were given by Messrs Rennell and H. S. Hobbs; recitations by Messrs A. Owen and A. Dey; and selections by Bailey's Banjo Band.