NATIONAL DAIRY SHOW.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 235, 27 June 1908, Page 3

NATIONAL DAIRY SHOW.

FINAL NOTICE. THE CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS. The attendance at the National Dairy Show was again largo yesterday, although, owing to tho wot weather, it is not expected < that tho total attendance will be so large as that of last year. Tho crowds continued to surround tho various points of groatest and to interrogate tho officials in charge. The veterinary exhibit was continuously surrounded. The Poultry Division, ' ; There was special interest also displayed in the poultry division's exhibits 1 — model ; houses, model runs, showing handy men something to initiato in- erecting their own poultry buildings and o.ther plant. The models were exceedingly well mado, and had merit even as ornaments; The useful side, however, was. pre-eminent in everything that Mr. Hyde and his staff exhibited. The chickens, ducks, etc., dressed for the table, and packed in cases ready for export, wero instances of this. The exhibit as a whole told a complete story. There wero model runs for the young chicks, houses and runs for tho flocks, cramming machine for forced feeding, and the finished article ready for the London market. Visitors had the various points of interest fully discussed by the courteous experts.. The proximity of the poultry hall with its hundreds of utility birds was a further assistance. Lighter Moments. The show-had 1 its lighter moments, and from what one hears the members of the Government staff are'not so sedato and demure as .they endeavour to appear. One expert, whoso specialty compels him to address frequent meetings of farmers' wives and daughters, was the hero of a ceremonial gathering of' Departmental officials, who in fulsome speeches complimented him on the manner in which he represented the Department among'tho fair sex .of the Dominion, and pinned to his buttonhole a medal inscribed, "Mr. ; champion ladies' man of the Department."

No Grievances. - A brief reference must; be made, to the management. A point that always strikes the Pressmen at the Manawatu shows is the entire absence of hitches. The President (Mr. Arbon) was able to stroll leisurely about the grounds with no friction to trouble him. Exhibitors were promptly attended to, the lists of awards never vanished from tho grounds in the pockets, of forgetful judges, and reporters, in spito of their heavy task,' had no grievances—a rare experience. All this attributes to tho good system of tho executive and the Show Committee, tho accurate* hard work of the secretary's staff, the splendid experience of the stewards, the courtesy of-everybody, and, above all, to the method, energy, organisation, and attention to detail of Mr. J. C. Lano, the finest show secretary in New Zealand.

CHEESE AND BUTTER CHAMPIONSHIPS. The following are the points awarded on the season's grade notes and on the classes at.the show, which jointly decided the championships:— . Butter. Cheltenham (Mr. Murray! manager) 93.44 Bell Block ... 92.286 Okato arid Puniho ' ... ... 92.13 Midhirst i ... ... 92.093 Whenuakura : ... • ... ... ... 91.63 Stratford f " .... . ... '91.57 Marea : ... ... : ... ' 91.55 Huiakama >.. ... 91.116 Cheese. . , . Edendale (Mr Sawers, manager) .03.903 Nathan and Company .... ... ... 92.023 Greytown ... ... ■ ... ... 91.75 Cardiff ... 91.15 Rongokokako ... .... .... ... 90.876 Featherst-on ... ... 90.69 Faulty Canning. - Mr. W.. Jaques, Government Canning Expert, delivered a Iccturo . to ladies, and criticised the preserved fruit exhibited. He said there wero some magnificent fruits in the bottles, but they were not perfect because there was no vacuum. If a little air was allowed to get . in through .the tiniest 'possible' pinholo tho microbes in the fruit would get a chance to live and cause fermentation. Ho had not given any awards. at the present show, because tho vacuum had not been preserved. He then demonstrated the preserving process.. ......

An Appreciation. 'A high compliment was paid to tko work that' The Dominion is doing among tho farmers- of New Zealand during the speeches at • tho annual smoko concert of tho National Dairy Show (says our Manawatu correspondent). . In proposing tho toast of "Tho Press," Mr. J. T. Lang, of tho well-known firm of Messrs) Beattie,' Lang and Co., said ho had not the pleasure of being personally acquainted with tho agricultural writers of The Dominion, but all tho farmers at the show would have had an opportunity of judging from the way in which that newspaper had reported the show, what good work it was doing. Iu addition to this; the excellent reports on dairying, and other matters which appeared, in tho columns of that paper from time to time, stamped it as tho loading paper of tho Dominion. Mr. Lang also spoke of the increasing attention paid to the shows by all the newspapers, which showed that thoy recognised the great importance of these meetings to the nation's welfare.

JERSEY BREEDERS' ASSOCIATION. ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the Jersey Breeders' Association was held at tho Manawatu Show Ground yesterday, Mr. Griffiths, New Plymouth, presiding over about twenty members. The accounts showed a credit balanco of £79. The surplus! of assets over liabilities was £15 < 4s. Id. Tho chairman stated that two years ago tho Association owed about £40, and two years' salary to tho secretary in addition. At present all this was paid off, and a balanco accumulated of practically £80. This showed that tho. Jersey breeders wero joining together and getting into full swing. When they found, however,.'that they had only about eighty members, it was apparent there was room for them to get in more members, so that every man, wlio owned a Jersey cow should join. . Officars Elected. Two vacancies on tho committee, which wero made tho subject of . a ( recent ballot, wero declared to bo filled' by tho election of Messrs. S. It. Lancaster and A. Buchanan. The following other officers were elected:— Patron (subject'to consent), His Excellency the Governor; president, Mr..,L A. M'Crae; vice-president, .Mr. Eagles, Carterton; auditors, Messrs. Rutherford and Connoll. • Mr. A. Buchanan, Mr. Lancaster, and others referred to tho increasing work which fell to the secretary, and it was resolved to increase his honorarium to £50. Herd Book Matters. In reference to the proposed illustrating of tho Herd Book, tho secretary said photographs forwarded would be subject to rejection if tho animals wero not typical of tho 'wi'od, but were only offered for insertion forth© sake 9f advertisement. .dr. Griffiths (Taranaki) proposed (on bebair of the Taranaki branch): "That official transfers', signed by the secretary, showing the pedigree four generations deep for all Jerseys sold-shall be promptly supplied by the Association; application must in all case's bo accompanied by a transfer fee, and tho applicant must be a' member of the Association." Mr. W. V. Harkness seconded. It was explained that tho proposed transfer form would be in tho nature of a guar an too to purchasers. Mr. J. G. Harkness proposed an amendment, "That tho proposal be referred for

favourable consideration to tho council to roport at tho next annual meeting." Mr. liatchelor seconded the amendment. Tho amendmont was carried, it being explained that tho council had power to act. Recognition. Mr. Watson was, on the motion of Messrs. Eagle and tho president, olccted a life member in recognition of his services as member of tho editing committee and in other capacities. Ho was also, on tho motion of Mr. liarkness, presented with an amount equal to the subscriptions ho had paid into tho Association, with a request that ho would purchase with it some memento of the Association. " SCRUB COWS-" THE STATE HERD CRITICISED. f OUTSPOKEN JERSEY MEN. Jersey breeders at tho annual meoting of their Association at tho National Dairy Show vigorously attacked tho State system of "breeding-up" the State dairy herd at Levin. It appears that though tho Jersey Brooders' Association is the. only dairy breeders' association in tho Dominion with four herd books, over, 80 members, £150 worth of assets, and 1000 registered animals, yet there are no Jersey cows on the Government farms. The question was opened, by Mr. Griffiths, who referred to a resolution passed by a meeting of another body the previous day that the Government bo asked to establish fine purebred herds at Levin—including Jerseys—in place of their present scrub cows. He moved now that tho Jersey Association urge tho Government to start a Jersey herd at Lovin. It might appear to somo at first that the establishing of a Jersey herd by, tho Government might load to a State monopoly, and injure tho breeders. But ho was convinced this would not bo tho result. If the Government showed tho real value of the Jersey breed it would liavo a good effect in every way. Tho Department's present work was absolutely useless, because it was not educative.

Mr. Exloy, of Inaha, Hawera, seconded. Mr. Ambury, Now Plymouth, said lie visited the Levin State Farm tho previous day, and ho could not quite agree with Mr. Griffiths as to tho value of tho cows there. Some of the State cows wore such as he would very much like to have on his own farm. He supported tho resolution, how-

/ Mr. J. G. Harkncss disagreed with Mr. Ambury. The work of the State at Levin was not educative from any point of view.. There were a number of cows there, and thoso cows had wonderful records reported of them. But how had it been dono? Not on any linos that were instructive to the farmers.

It might have been oducativo if tho Stato had started with a nondescript herd and had, with a pure bull, worked it up to its present position, for that would liavo afforded an object lesson to tho farmers. (Hear, hear.) But what had tho S.tato done ? They started with a nondescript herd, they had used bulls of shorthorn blood, and produced animals of varying productive abilities, and then, because they possessed the long purse of the .Exchequer, they had got rid or the useless animals, and put their hands into the public pocket and purchased from other farmers cows which 'liad been ■ be good milkers, regardless of cost. If he had a purse like that he could build up a similar herd to-morrow. (Applause.) . What was wautod was for tho State to show tho farmers, without this great expense, how it would be possible for a man of moderate means to build up a good herd.. (Hear, hear.). That was tho pojnt, but that was not what the Stato was doing. The State Farm had' a cow which gave 13,000 pounds of milk in tho season, but they did not breed this cow; they picked it out of another man's herd bccauso it was a good one. (Hear, hear.)' It was of more credit to a man-to-breed one-animal that could win a championship'at tho show than to go .through the .country ,and buy fifty animals that somebody else had bred. (Applause.) He would be prouder to bo tho breeder of one bull that could come to Palmerston or Now Plymouth and win a championship than to own a million animals bred by somebody else. (Applause.) Mr. F. E. Watson said Mr. Harkness had exactly expressed his views. It was also important for the ' Government to show, not only which cow. gave the . greatest weight of milk, but which cow. produced the greatest profit after deduction for tho cost of food. If they did that, tho Jersey, lie Was sure,' would come out on top every timo. (Applause.)

Mr. A. Buchanan (Taranaki) said ho wished tho Government would act on a suggestion previously made by him to show what tho imported dairying bulls had been ablo to do in the improvement of tho breed when mated with tho very high-class grado or crossbred cows they had obtained. . Mr. Esley referred to numerous instances of high profit returned by Jcrsoys of New Zealand breeding. Othor speakers endorsed, with moro or less emphasis, tho view expressed by Mr. Harkness, and the motion was carried unanimously. v Tho world's record price for a longwool sheep was paid in 190G by Mr. F. Millar—an Argentino flockowner—for a two-tooth Lincoln ram, bred by Mr. Henry Dudding, of Riby Grovo,. England. This valuable sheep 'was dipped in Quibell's Dip, which preparation has been in use„moro or loss extensively, on Mr. Dudding's 'celebrated flock for upwards of a quarter'of a century. 999.3