They are still with us

Press, 24 October 1980, Page 15

They are still with us

It is sometimes said that the day of distinctive characters has passed by. But is this really the case? The passing recently of Mr P. G. W. Stevens, formerly of Lincoln College, is a case in point. In his history of Lincoln College published at the time of the college centenary Dr I. D. Blair referred to Mr Stevens as being a man who had a tremendous fund of livestock lore. This reminded someone who remembers Mr Stevens with some affection of a lecture that he gave to the Corriedale Society after he returned from a trip overseas some years ago. He showed some slides and one that stood out in this person’s memory was of an old English shepherd, which tended to highlight the difference between shepherding in the old country and in New Zealand, where a fanner has frequently to look after a large flock single handed.

This old fellow had, of course, to look after a quite small flock — the number escapes the memory. At the start of lambing his hut on wheels was pulled into the lambing paddock and there he lived until all the lambs had been dropped, and each time he went out around his flock he carried a couple of bottles with milk in them just to give that odd lamb in need of it a little extra nourishment. It was certainly the case of the good shepherd, and it is little wonder that such well cared for flocks record a high level of lamb survival. An associate of Mr Stevens. who is also remembered affectionately by many and who was also something of a character in his way, was the late Mr Hector Mclntosh. He was a great believer in watching cattle grazing to determine their preferences for feed and therefore the worth of particular plant varieties. Aid there is no doubt

that Mr Frank Callaghan, who died in Christchurch earlier in the year, was a man of great distinction. He did not retire until he was 83 years old. After he retired from the post of secretary of tha Department of Scientific and Industrial Research he worked for the Wool Board for another 18 years as its scientific adviser, and if that was not enough he then did some work for the Consumer Council. Only a few years ago the Institute of Agricultural Science held a field afternoon at one of the local forests. It was a pretty cold and miserable day, but Mr Callaghan was there in spite of his years. Few men had such a wide influence for good on New Zealand agriculture as Mr Callaghan. He will be remembered next week when the New Zealand Grassland Association holds its 50th jubilee conference in Greymouth. He was a former president of the association.