President

Press, 27 February 1981, Page 7

President

The president of the Kaikoura Agricultural and Pastoral Association this year is Mr M. A. (Melville) Syme. Mr Syme lives at The Point, a farm which covers the majority of the Kaikoura peninsula. The flat and undulating countryside is suited mostly to sheep with some grazing land set aside for dairy cattle. The farm, consisting of two separate properties, was purchased 23 years ago by Mr Syme and his father R. G. Syme, an active member of the A. and P. Association. Apart from 250 hectares at The Point, the farm includes 120 hec-

tares up the Puhi Puhi Valley, a few kilometres north of the Kaikoura township. . With the help of his wife Julie and his three children, Mr Syme runs 2200 Drysdale ewes and approximately 1000 wether and ewe hoggets on the property. In addition to the Drysdales, Mr Syme fattens about 50 weaner calves annually and on a contractual basis grazes 100 dairy calves and heifers for focal dairy farmers. Mr Syme has been a membre of the Kaikoura A. and P. Association show committee for 21 years, a member of Young Farmers, Federated Farmers, the Kaikoura Lions Club, the Kaikoura primary school committee and in the administration of the Presbyterian church. His wife has held office in Piunket, worked a a liason officer and tutor at the Kaikoura playcentre and as secretary of the Kaikoura High School Parent Teacher’s Association. For the show, Mr Syme will submit an entry in the Drysdale ewe class and the fat sheep class. Mrs Syme will enter a floral display and the children, some vegetables and art entires.