DO WE JUDCE CORRECTLY?

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 25, 24 October 1907, Page 2

DO WE JUDCE CORRECTLY?

AN ENGLISH REVERSAL. . A somewhat startling indictment against New Zealand judging "standards is afforded by the experiences of certain fat cattle at tlio jast show at Hamilton, of which the Waikato corrcspondont of : the " Raglan Chronicle," writes as follows: —" At the last AYaikato A. and P. Association's/show, held at Cambridge, in 'March last;!; there was included in tlio. schedule for. fat stock a diss for : steers suitable for:freezing,, and after the show the animals were killed and frozen 'by

the Auckland Farmers' Freezing Company and sent. Home, where the carcases , were judged, 1 by experts., appointed by ..the com : pany's Ldndoni agents, the British : -No\v Zea-, laud Meat and Produco- Company. The re-i turns and awards have just come to hand, the account sales showing an ; avcrage'prico of 3Jd. per.lb. fo'r foro'quartors.and 4d. ptir

lb. -for hindquarters. f .. The'. awards made, |jn London contain for all growers an object' lesson 7fchat cannot'be too readilly ■■■ or 'too thoroughly learned; for they are a complete' and emphatic' reversal of the local' placing. Evidently we have not yet realised what the consumer requires, and until that is. done our frozon meat exports cannot bo expected ( to.

increase; indeed, .they-.cannot, do otherwise: than shrink.' It is the .consumer,,not the producer, who in,all dealings fixes on the.fashion or quality of the'commodity, and beef,raising is no exception.' For-many years the same misunderstanding of. English.,-.requirements, ruled .iii 'regard ;'to'.^miitton,;,,. but latterly " there has'. , come " .about '..a. , much 'better' condition of affairs. But' to Tβ-; turn to.' the , shipments under review; tho judges ,hore evidently could , nqt, or.. did not, divest' themselves of the idea; that what was to bo sought after was, quantity; not quality, for wo find that the, .first \ prize was awarded to a crossbred Angus' steer shown •by Mr. Richard Eeynolds/of Cambridge; and woighing 8751b5. of beef and 621bs. of fat. The English judges, on the other hand,-., found' nine otTiers ; that filled the" market , requirements better 'than'. did~ this leviathan; and they explained that "this bullock is not'so suitable for the London trade, owing to the heavy, weight." The London pick was • a bullock that in tbb'show ring was-considered tho worst of the lot, being, placed fourteen Vn and last. .'and. receiving but scant .attention from-vis!tors. But that tho exhibitor, Mr. George Alley, ai well-known keen Hikutaia dealer, .knew ,-his .business, ; was fully ;demonstrated by, the remarks of: the Jinglisli judges, who stated: "This wp, consider the best-suited for salo on.this market, not boing -wasteful,, and,.a very, handy weight— -7721b5. of meat andfislbs .of; fat " ; .lhp second choioo-was,-a-bullock exhibited by W. G Macky, weighing 7981b5., and 551bs. respectively, which, at-i,Cambndgo,, was placed tenth." ■-■:..:••>.. '■' ■' ■-■ ■■• ■ '■ -i '- f