CHALLENGE CUPS PRESENTED

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22445, 5 July 1938, Page 5

CHALLENGE CUPS PRESENTED

EXPORT OF CHEESE AND LAMB HARBOUR- BOARD AWARDS The silver challenge cups given by the Lyttelton Harbour Board for annual competition by exporters through Lyttelton of cheese and lamb were presented to the successful exporters at yesterday’s meeting of the board. The winners of the trophies this year are:—

Export cheese: Little Akaloa Dairy Company, Ltd. Best pen of three lambs exported through Lyttelton and judged at Smithfield, London: Mr W.- E. Walker (Dunsandel). ; „ The chairman of the board (Mr T. McMillan) congratulated the winners. The export cheese cup, he said, had been won for the third successive year by the Little Akaloa Company, and therefore won the cup outright. It had taken first place from Pigeon Bay and Okain’s Bay Companies this year by the narrowest possible margin—--92.647 points against 92.619 points by Pigeon Bay and 92.568 by Okain’s Bay. He congratulated Mr H. T. Robinson, the factory manager. The board had presented the trophy for expert lamb competition to the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association in 1934, continued Mr McMillan, and it was pleasing indeed to see the continued interest in the competition. For many years “Prime Canterbury” had been a mark of unrivalled excellence, but recently the province had met with strong competition from Southland and some districts in the North Island. The board was very keen to see an improvement in the standard of Canterbury exports. The lamb was judged in London, and the competition thus served to focus attention on the type and quality of lamb required for the : Home market. The . prosperity .of New Zealand was reflected in the prices secured by primary producers. As the revenue of the board was built up from receipts from produce passing over the wharves, it behoved it to do its utmost to promote both quantity and quality. This was the third successive year in which a farmer from Leeston had won the trophy, and it was clear that the- -district was maintaining its reputation for the excellence of its fine

lamb. Mr J. Parlane, representing the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association, and Mr A. Stanley, manager of the Lyttelton Harbour Board’s export and grading store, also congratulated the winners. Mr M, E. Lyons, who apologised for the unavoidable absence of Mr T. A. Stephens, president of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association, said that Mr Stephens wished to reiterate his remarks of the previous year. While the competition served a very useful purpose it must be realised that lamb-raising of the class necessary to win the trophy was of doubtful economic soundness from the farmer’s point of view. London, apparently, wanted .a 321b lamb, but steadfastly refused to pay more for it than for a 421b lamb. While the policy of the London trade was not to pay more, it was a considerable loss to the farmer. When his lambs were at 321b they were fattening very fast, and the extra 101b was so much profit lost to the farmer. Nevertheless, the competition served a very useful adver-

tising purpose. Mi? W. H. Nicholson, secretary to the Canterbury Sheepowners’ Union, said that New Zealand was facing a drop this year of £6,000,000 or £7,000,000 in the proceeds of the wool clip. While this state of things was possible it was Very* necessary to maintain the quality of the meat. While agreeing that at pr&-> sent the type of lamb wanted by Long, don might not be an economic proposition, it might well be considered/advisable to take a long-range view of the question and concentrate on improving quality rather than on sending heavy lambs-and, so risk burdening - the market beyond the point at Which the produce could be absorbed. The winners of the trophies briefly replied. - ■■ ■