DISTRICT COMPETITIONS

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 11355, 15 June 1931, Page 7

DISTRICT COMPETITIONS

FROZEN LAMB IN LONDON

SHEEPOWNERS’ proposal

SCHEME FOR MEAT board

Evolved by Mr 'J. C. Graham, a proposal for) the inauguration of sonaraTe district competitions for frozen lambi qn the London market: was approved ’by Saturday’s .meeting of .East Coasf Sheepowners’ Union Apd yvas decided that the delogannual meeting of the N.Z. Aleut Producers’ Board should bring tip the matter Avith. a view to its adoption by the board. The de_tails of the proposal are -as follows: That the -Meat Board be asked to promote a _ competition ‘among the v . a ? l . ous agricultural and pastoral, societies throughout Nqav Zealand for frozen lambs,, the competition to be staged in London, Ayherq the. best .liidgment regarding the most suitable article for. this trade should bo available. >

The object, of s.uch a competition AVQuld be educational regarding rer quirements; and .an advertisement for the. product,, thus leading to further doyelopment of’ this trade. The board is already , supportihgya competition on these “lines 1 "through' the Royal ShoAy. The value of this competition and '.the' benefits derived are limited to the: locality where each successive R’dyal Show -is held. Outlying districts such as Poverty Bay, Whangarei, and no doubt, marly' other producing districts, never have a (.chance ■ of • .participating. . Etirthermore, adverse, conditions* m the season in the locality Avhero the Royal Show-;is held may lead to much inferior lambs than 'the best produced; in the Dominion being,-dis-played foi-i critipism-, in London, and i thus spoiling'the advertising effect; ' The proposal is to AA'iden the scope of this competition and take in either the whole ■ Dominion or have separate competition for the North and South Islands. The competition could his organised on the folloAving lineS:— - t

- “The Meat Board to offer .two sets of prizes: (1) To the .district forwarding the best display of frozen lamb /to be catalogued and tagged in individual lots -of three lambs from A r aripus exhibitors; (2)"to the best Individual lot of three Jambs in the whole competition: “It would be necessary for some controlling body to organise the A-aricjiis , exhibits from • each district. I suggest that the local agricultural and pastoral societies should be thq controlling body. As an incentive to each society to secure and organise a good exhibit, prizes should be offered for the best displays as well as prizes for the best individual lots in the whole competition. Each society would- have to attend to the collection, tagging, cataloguing and freezing of their respectWe entries, and hand over to the board to ship and organise the competition in London. I see no reason why a district competition among - their own individual entries should not take place in conjunction if desirable. “As the proposal is to stage the competition in London, a- sot date would have to be decided upon for clbsing- entries, and it is advisable that the competition should not be confused Avith the local slioav dates, but a date selected Avhich would coincide with the time' when the majority of the best lambs are ready, probably about the middle of December.

“The- advantages to be gained by. establishing a more comprehensive competition, in comparison with the board’s present scheme are very apparent. By staging the competition in London every district could participate. Producers - would get the beslT'ppmlon available regarding the class of lamb required to suit onr customers. Tho need foi; education in .this, direction is already apparent by The fact that- oiir local experts’ -opinions are nearly always reversed when the same exhibit is judged again ’ in London. Furtheromere, the request for the. ■ opinion of our customers Would be an indication of our desire 't6“supply: what jtEey want. This would tend - towards establishing our position in tliq iead in this trado ,in face of the . serious competition developing from Australia and tho -- A'rgenttinc. , “Friendly competition among the different districts and . individuals concealed in. the production of this article would surely lead Ho ah improved article generally. No doubt, some- extra trouble and expenditure by the board would be incurred, but when one considers the generally accepted truth of the axiom, ‘lt pays to advertise’, this expenditure and trouble is warranted.