IMPLEMENT DESIGNS

Press, Volume C, Issue 29666, 9 November 1961, Page 22

IMPLEMENT DESIGNS

Few Entries In Competitions

Last year there were eight entries in the implement section at the show. This year there are only two and the judges said they were "terribly disappointed” at the poor response. Mr W. R. Oliver, ehairman of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association’s implement committee, remarked on the small number of entries, both in the section open to firms and the one for farmers who design new devices. "The association makes a feature of this section,” said Mr Oliver, “and it’s a pity that in an agricultural province like Canterbury firms have not entered in the section for new and improved implements. “I hope they will see fit to give us more entries next year, especially as it will be the Centennial show with ’ many people from overseas.” Mr Oliver said the import restrictions could have restricted the amount of new machinery available, but he felt that firms should still have had prototypes to show ' the public. A stiver medal was awarded in that section for an English potato digger which the judges considered appeared to have very good qualities in improving the digging and handling of a potato crop. The judges reserved the right to make a gold medal ' award for this entry if it . proved to be as good in practice as it appeared to be in the static display. Mr Oliver said it appeared that the potato digger would not bruise the potatoes, which was a fault with other machines in use at present Maintenance would be comparatively small, and the price appeared to be economic. He said the section for farmers who designed new equipment or modified existing equipment was one which the association wanted to foster. "There are many people on farms in Canterbury who make things that improve existing machinery,” he said, “but unfortunately very few of them bring their ideas to the show.” The judges in that section awarded a certificate of merit to S. J. Hart, of Darfleld, who designed and built a balecarrying sledge to be carried behind a hay-baler. A tripping device drops the bales in heaps of nine. “It has good possibilities and the workmanship is good,” said Mr Oliver. "It is simple, cheap, and he built it himself.”