ROMNEY MARSH SHEEP BREEDERS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 524, 3 June 1909, Page 8

ROMNEY MARSH SHEEP BREEDERS.

; FOURTH ANNUAL' REPORT. •'• Jhe fourth".!-annual.!.;; meeting •of . the New: Zealand •' ritomney. Marsh Sheep 1 Breeders'. Association is to bo held at ;I'ainierston on Juno 22. !;,The annual• report; to bo submitted at . tile meeting, states ■' as follows:— •' •• • "It is : . gratifying!jta'Tecord.: tho continued •'.prosperity of the. association.; .The balance. ; jit' bunk, stands at .£220 Is. 10d., and on fixed f '.deposit. £206 ~15.;;9d.j: making; a total -of £426 35.'.7 d; -: .The number! of-' flocks,. iioy ; registered, l : stiiuds': a't; ; l7o,'; while'll; applica--have;, ! ;been,, : received, •! and are being' considered by tho council. Tho championship shields, awarded . last /year, ■ wgre. pre-' sented to, the Hawke's Bay and O'tago A. and _P. Aasociationsj tho' largo number of, entries .{received ■; at. both shows' proving' the. popularity .of. these trophies with- Romney breeders.:- vllr! :l)ayid was!-"appointed-'i-to. !fill.'.'the vacancy on tho council,. caused by tho death 1 of Mr. J. Holms.. . Our vice-president, Mr. .Bealoy,- is England, and will represent '■ this "association at tho annual gathering of tho National Sheep Breeders'; Associaion, with which wo aro afhhated. This gathering will take placo as usual during the Royal Agricultural Show, whiclr this yoarisbeing hold at;;, Gloucester The council-desire: to espe-' cially draw, the attention of members to : the: following/rules - .43. "All registered ewes' sold-must , be■ ■•'.inspected,''.reported! upon.■: and <• approved,'i.hefore' transfers arp:recorded in -.the' Flack-llaok/ arid the !cu >tot / such inspection'! be '-borne matter- should have the' attention of inein-. bor's; who are requested '■■fto.-v.:communicate with..;the ; secretary 'before " the- 'ewes leave their.', property;,. .-in order ' that satisfactory arrangpmonts -(janVbe -made for . iflspection.No. 51.'.""After .; January . :!., 1909, no single '.entries,jwill;':be! made! of stud - ranis, unless tho name or number (silicic entry), of-.the registered .'sire -bo : given. ■ Members', aro urged; to '' seo\thdt ..vendors! supply;.this.. information'.with 'air sales-of .rams. Special .transfer /certificates, 'giving spaces .for the dosired details, are now. available. The question,.of,a minimum flock was-before tho cbuncil; it was decided to refer this to tho annual - meeting. A motion : will.then: bo presented .for!, consideration; requiring: the transfer of not, less\than twenty Flock .Book ewes (single' pedigree ewes excepted) before the!foundation !of, a! riew flock is! registered: In: accordance with the "rules,.:, tho.fqllowing { members of tho council retire by rotation: Messrs. T. I'. Allen, R. Gray, F. Hutchinson, jun., and 12... Short. . .. I '.

HARDINESS OF ROMNEYS.

Niew, Zealand Roimiey breeders are always proud of tho'hardiness of their pot breed of Bheetj,''and .'this hardiness is appreciated - in .England as well as here. A. proniiricnt breeder of Itomney Marsh sheep writes in tho London "Times" of March 8 as fpllows;— "The sheep have wintered well, but at this moment are; met with a most extraordinary and unexpected condition of things. • Tho wholo country is under Gin. of snow,. which in many places has drifted to'tho depth of many feet.. Under, theso' conditions, it may well -bo Understood that 110 other.breed of sheep, could survivo.'. It is_ absolutely impossible.to foed oven if material woro availablo, and it is only tho strength-and constitution of tho animals which. will carry tliem through." V . '.'./ '. 1 ' ,