VALUABLE TESTIMONY

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 40, 1 February 1932, Page 11

VALUABLE TESTIMONY

NORTH ISLAND LAMB. Some very complimentary remarks are made on North Island lamb in the London special correspondent’s letter to the “Pastoral Review,” dated Dec. 3rd., 1931. The following is an extract from his letter:— Is the title “Canterbury Lamb” losing its “pull” with the British public? This was an interesting question which occurred to me as I listened to me grumbling criticism of an authority who buys in large quantities to meet the demands of over 450 retail shops. “So long as supplies hold out,” he said, “I never begrudge paying an extra Id. per lb. for North Island lambs; when we can get them they seem so much superior to the South Island variety. You cannot beat a Southdown ram for passing on the best of its good points to its progeny, and, by crossing with New Romney ewes, the North Islanders have forged far ahead of the Canterbury producers. Unfortunately, the North Island cannot compete with the South Island from the point of view of the production, but, from January to May, the North Island certainly leads the way.” Discreet inquiries made nt Smithfield have borne out these statements, and show that in the general opinion of buyers here, while Canterbury lambs do not show many signs of deterioration, they are being surpassed in quality each year by the North Island crossbreds.