MEETING OF JERSEY BREEDERS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 19 July 1920, Page 5

MEETING OF JERSEY BREEDERS.

ASSOCIATION FORMED

The proposal to form a Jeresy Breeders' Association for South Taranaki was taken up very heartily by the Jersey breeders, and the meeting convened for Saturday was so largely attended that it was necessary before commencing the business to change the place of the deliberations from the A. and P. rooms to the Hawera County Chambers. Even then there was hardly sufficient space to accommodate all, and many had to stand throughout the meeting. Those present numbered about 40.

Mr R. J. Linn, who was elected chairman of the meeting on the motion of Mr J. R. Corrigan, said he hoped they would be able to get a real good branch going in South Taranaki. With the assistance of those present he had no doubt that they would. Their district \va s the beat part of Taranaki. Their Jersey breeders were not afraid to spend money on good stock, and if they kept on buying and breeding good Jerseys they were bound to get to the top of the tree.

Mr Stannard was appointed secretary. Mr H. H. Buxton, in moving that a branch of the N.Z. Jer.«~y Breeders' Association, to be known i« the South Taranaki Hawera BraneL, be formed, said they were a little late in organising and should have moved in the matter earlier, but with the material they had to work on they would, he felt sure, soon catch up to New Plymouth and Stratford. Many benefits were to be derived from forming a branch. At present they were all working individually and had no one to look after their interests. The Council was too far away to be of great benefit to them, and it would be found, as it was in Stratford and New Plymouth that by forming an association the breeders would be brought together in many ways and could be helpful to each other. They could meet socially and also for the discussion of matters of importance to them as Jersey breeders. They would have fellowship with each other and would be able to further the interests of the breed they were so deeply interested in. As far as Jerseys were concerned at the present time, they were in South Taranaki holding a box seat, and the only way to continue holding it was by breeding the best stuff and introducing what was best in tho breed into the district. The members, of the Association would work together, helping one another, especially the younger members.

Mr Corrigan mentioned that for some years they had a branch in Hawera, and it had been fairly active till the war started. Who, he asked, was the last president?

The chairman: You, Mr Cbrrigan. Mr Corrigan: Yes, I was president, but gave it up when I went Home. The chairman: You resumed the duties ©n your return.

Mr Corrigan said he was not aware of that. Mr Corrigan then seconded the motion. - :

The secretary explained that the first branch was formed in 1910. There were only about five members. The last minutes were signed by Mr Corrigan. Mr Linn acted as president while Mr Corrigan went to the Old Country. As far as he could see from the minute book the branch only held four or five meetings during the whole time of its existence. .

The motion was unanimously carried: A letter was received from Mr W. Tapp, secretary to the Council, in answer to an inquiry from Mr Stannard, for information that would be helpful in starting a branch. Mr Tapp stated that he knew of no rules framed by the Council for the guidance of branches, and as far as he was aware, members simply got together and framed their own rules, which must not conflict with the constitution of the association, and fixed their annual subscription, which he thought in most cases was from 5s to 10s per annum. A subsidy of £ for £ up to £10, on the basis of subscriptions received, was payable to branches on approval by the Council on their properly audited balance-sheets. In his opinion, the functions of branches were principally to promote and further the interests of the breed in .their own particular districts, and not contmualiy giving cheap advice, which in the past had very often been impracticable to the Council, who were elected as the representatives of members, and who must have the last word in connection with the guidance of the association. Valuable propaganda- work could be done by the branches. The secretary read a draft of rules, practically the same as those in use with the Stratford branch and tlies? rules were adopted on the motion of Mr Carpentier, seconded by Mr Short. Mr L. 0. Hooker wrote, stating thatMessi* Clinton and Copeland had. called-at his office and had expressed a desire to become naem'bers.

All present, and a few others w,ho were, unable to attend, but had intimated their willingness to join, were elected members, the names being: Messrs It. J. Linn, W. H. Buxton, W. A. Guy, Jas. Meuli, A. E. Weston, G. Cowling, T. H. Hickland, J. Pill, W. H Reynolds, J. E. Young, H. Mullions, T. S. Broomfield, F. Stark, D. E. Scott, F. Hoskin, A. E. Linn, "W. Mortloek, H. Hodge, W. Butler, H. Sutherland, A. J. Haseltine R. Wren, W. V. Parker, A. Sneevellie" J. Magill, S. Bennett, J. Pettigrew, R. J. Ballantine, J, K. Richards, J. E. Campbell, R. Hicks, A. H. Guy R. Campbell, H. Wells, J. J. Carpentier, J. S. Short, J. R. Corrigan, E. Long, Alex Robinson, A. J. Corrigan, James Nicolson C. Jones, J. McCallum, T. H. Belton, Harold George, C. E. Honeyfield, J. E. Mortimer, A. Pettigrew, F Muggeridge, A. D. Turner. Victor Knowle, C. E. Barleyman, W. A. Clinton, W. A. Copeland, G. H. Buckeridge and Stannardv

The following officers were elected: President, Mr R. J. Linn; vice-presi-dent, Mr John Pettigrew (Pihama); committee, Messrs H. Hodee, H. H. Buxton, A. H. Guy, F. Hoskin and S Bennett.

On the motion of Mr Corrigan, it was decided that the executive meet monthly, and that general meetings of members be held once every three months.

The subscription was fixed at £1. The president invited as man^ as possible to .pay their subscriptions before leaving the meeting, and in a few min_ utes thirty-seven members had paid.

Mr Long said that, seeing all present were interested in Jersey cattle, it was an opportune time for- offering their congratulations to one Jersey breeder in the room, Mr J. Nicoison, whose two-year-old Jersey heifer had, he believed, put up a record for a heifer of the age for the British Empire. This heifer had given 6871b of butter-fat in one year. A motion, along the lines of Mr Long's remarks was passed.

__ It was stated, by one member that the fine record put up by this heifer was partly due to lucerne. He advised

all to go in tor lucerne. It was impossible to get sood returns from a cow unless she wa.s well looked after.

Mr Corrigan referred to the value or semi-official tests, and mentioned a recent eale of three cows for 1100 guineas.

- Mr Nicolson, in thanking members for the resolution, said he claimed little credit for the results, and he was.sure the heifer could have done better with more attention. She had bo special feeding before starting the "test, and only four or live handfuls of bran daily till November. After that he commenced to feed her. Ten days before sue completed her test she suffered ivom indigestion, and the quantity of milk dropped considerably.

It was stated that Mr Nicolsen had purchased the heifer at a sale at lihama tor £15, and that this was the omj bid. This showed that cows not &emi-offacially tested were sometimes almost given away by their owners, who had no means of knowing their value. , ■ ■

. The president said he had asked Mr Watson to give a demonstration about February, and he had promised to do so.

The secretary's salary was fixed at £26 per annum. x Mr Guy mentioned that some time ago he. had issued a circular in regard to an annual Jersey sale. During the past five years Jerseys had increased in the district 100 per cent, and bo thought the sale would be of advantage to them. After he had circularised the Jersey breeders of South Taranaki a meeting was held at. Kaponga, and as a result it was decided to hold a sale of pedigree Jersey, stock at Kaponga on September 20. The entries were fixed to. close on July 1, but it had been decided to extend the time till Tuesday next. Next year the association could take the matter up, and the sale could be-held at some other place. He believed that better prices would be obtained by breeders in the open market than by selling on the* farm.

Mr Corrigan: This shows. that the Jersey breeders at' Kaponga are real live men. Next year he thought they should have the sale at Hawera, where they would derive advantage from the people attending the show.

It- was stated by Mr Guy that the auctioneers would. » see any cattle bought at the sale to the railway and attend to the trucking.

On the motion of Mr Buckeridge, a vote of thanks was passed to the chairman for calling the meeting and *to the Hawera County Council for the use of their room.

At a meeting of the executive held. later Mr Stanna'rd was appointed treasurer, and it was decided that the executive meet on the third Saturday in each month at the secretary's office.

The secretary intimated that he had the whole of the Jersey Herd Books up to 1917 with the exception of vol. 2 ; which he would-be glad of the assistance of. members m procuring.

It was urged by Mr Bennett that.all should do their utmost to interest Jersey breeders in the Associaton and 66----cure new members. \lt was pointed out that many had joined the Stratford branch because there* was no branch at Hawera. .

The question of boundaries was considered, and the secretary said they could take those between the A. and P. districts.

The secretary said he hoped members would, forward to him any information that would be useful to th© Association in any way.

A member stirt^lfoat the Hawera Star would be very willing to publish any notes. The representative of the paper spent a a;ood deal of time seeking information that would be of interest to the dairying community, and they should, ass^tr him by forwarding any inforVmatioa'v suitable for publication. "

In moving a vote of thanks to the press, the president said they had been treated very well by the Hawera Star. The motion was carried.

The secretary was asked to write to the Director of the Dairy Division informing him that a branch had been formed and thanking him for past assistance. It was also decided to inform Mr Singleton of the date of the meetings.

Some complimentary remarks were made about Mr Singleton, and it was stated that he never failed to look up the owner of any cow which put up a record. .