A. AND P. SHOWS COMPARED

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

A. AND P. SHOWS COMPARED

English Farmer’s Comment

The setting of agriculture! and pastoral shows in New Zeeland is very different from that of similar shows in England, according to Mr P. Gray, a Surrey cattle farmer at present in Christchurch. Mr Gray is here for the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association’s show, at which his wife is a judge in the dog sections. Concrete and dust are the two things that Mr Gray has noticed most about New Zealand shows. In England, he said, the shows were held on a green turf surrounded by trees. It was a very picturesque scene, and was more tike a party, he said. Mr Gray has . attended shows in Auckland, Hawke's Bay. and Hamilton as well as in Melbourne, Ceylon, Sydney, and Malaya. The standard of cattle in New Zealand and Australia was very good, but some lines did not compare favourably With those reared' in England, Mr Gray said. He said that the size of the United Kingdom made It comparatively easy to transport cattle to different shows throughout the country. Mr Gray was particularly impressed with the standard <rf dairy cattle he saw in the Waikato. Another thing which has impressed him in New Zealand, he said, was the variety of trees in the country. Mr Gray.-who had just arrived in Christchurch said that Cambridge, in the North Island, was the nearest to the English style of town he had seen during his stay in the Dominion, He attributed this to the large number of hedge fences in the district