SECOND DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 142, 17 June 1937, Page 15

SECOND DAY

PALMERSTON SHOW

WEATHER AGAIN BAD

JUDGING OF BACON

(From "The Post's" Special Reporter.) PALMERSTON N.,'This Day.

I Heavy rain marred the second day of the National Dairy Show of the Manawatu and West Coast A. and P. Association and there was a marked effect on the attendance.. Bad fortune has dogged the association for each winter show for many years, and there would appear to be something in the Maori legend that the association would never be favoured with good weather until the site of the show ground is shifted from .what the Natives regard as hallowed ground. The Cuba Street site was once a Maori burial ground, and it is recorded that the Maoris of the district placed a tabu on it. The weather on Tuesday, the opening day, resulted in a considerably decreased gate and the effect was the same yesterday. In view of the thorough organisation of those responsible for the show, it is unfortunate that bad weather has prevented the people of Palmerston North and. the Manawatu district generally from benefiting from the excellent display made. All the wealth of the Manawatu is congregated in the halls at the ; show grounds, and provides an excellent opportunity for townsfolk to appreciate what their; kinsmen on the land are doing. EXCELLENT DISPLAYS. The display of produce is one of the best that has been seen at Palmerston North for many years. In the fruit section, for instance, there are some remarkable exhibits, "which, caused the judge, Mr. P. Horton, of New Plymouth, to use the words "absolutely perfect." The judge noted a steady improvement in the quality of the fruit produced in the Manawatu and Wairarapa districts, and the standard of the display indicates thaj fruit growing has a definite place in the primary industry of the Wellington district.

The vegetables and potatoes were also of a high standard. ' Potatoes par-: ticularly came in for praise, the judges remarking that they were the best they had seen for many years, and that, considering the season, they'were unusually free from disease. The display o£ farm products was somewhat disappointing, but this is accounted for by the unfavourable season wliich has been experienced. Cereals were particularly poor. The National Dairy Show has always been noted for the excellent display of field roots, and this year has proved no exception. The display of chou mollier, now considered an excellent winter food for cattle, was regarded by the judge, Mr. J. Ballard, of Hamilton, as the best he had; seen at any show. This, coming from a representative of a district which has often boasted that it leads the rest of New Zealand in all phases of dairying work, is praise indeed. As is always the case in Palmerston North, there is an excellent display of photography, both from professionals and amateurs, and the exhibits proved one of the popular attractions of the show. A decided improvement is; shown in the amateur classes. THE BACONERS. . A photograph of the first bacon show at Palmerston North, held about ten years ago, and contrasted with the present display, is an indication of the wonderful progress made, not only in the size of the exhibits, but also, in the type of carcass brought forward. This photograph, which is the, only means of providing a contrast,, shows clearly the heavier- shoulders,' with plenty of -fat, and the shorter sides of days gone by. In those days, before the Manawatu-Oroua Pig Development Recording Club was as, soundly established as it is today, little regard was given to high-class breeding from a bacon point of view. Ten years ago the pigs were shown alive at the spring show, after which they were killed and placed in cool storage until the winter show, when they were shown as bacon. This competition was inaugurated by the present president of the A. and P. Association (Mr. J. A. Russell), and it should be gratifying, to him to see the great strides made since then. Mr. Russell was president at that time of the local branch of the New Zealand Pig Breeders' Association, and with a few enthusiasts he arranged what has now I become one of the prominent displays at the show. With the establishment of the Manawatu-Oroua Pig Development and Recording Club, it became possible to obtain a detailed history of the pigs shown, a factor which is essential from an educational point of view. Through the Recording Club, the complete history of , every pig shown is known from birth to slaughter One distinct advantage of the present exhibition is that the pigs are killed as soon as they reach the required weight. The slaughtering is carried out at the local abattoirs, the carcasses are identified by the recording officer, and put into cool store until the show. Some pigs may be in store three months or more and others only a matter of days, but this has no effect on the carcass. SCIENTIFIC JUDGING. In the early days the judging was done by' the eye; today the points are allotted for the number of pigs in the litter, the weight at eight weeks, and the growth rate from birth to slaughter. This means that prolificacy, good management, and the keeping of strains that mature quickly are encouraged. There is no need to stress the advantages of such a policy. By means of'a millimetre tape the length of the pigl is taken from hambone toj the first-rib,-and from the same bone I to the tip. of: the toe. One side of each carcass v,is cut and measurements are taken of the loin fat and eye of muscle. Points are * allotted for these by medium.pf a chart,, which is arranged so as to allow marks in relation to the weight of the carcass. All thajk is how left to the eye judgment is the allotting Of points for the ham shoulder and streakiness. The comparison of the short and long pig, as shown by the ■ sciehtlncally-worked-out charts, is self-explanatory, as is also the other 'educational material of the display. The fact'that it is possible to breed consistent and uniform types from strains of pigs is, shown from the winning carcass in the show. This is from the' same sow as produced last year's winner.

A motion of condolence with the relatives of the late Mr. H. C.,N. Watson was passed by the meeting of the Wellington Education Board yesterday afternoon." ' The chairman, Mr. W. V. Dyer, said that Mr. Watson had been an inspector for the board for a number o£ years before taking up duties as inspector for the Nelson Board. Ho was one of Nature's gentlemen.