Dinner To Bay Fat Lamb Shield Winners

Northern Advocate, 16 August 1947, Page 4

Dinner To Bay Fat Lamb Shield Winners

(Special) MOEREWA, This Day. SIX Bay of Islands farmers responsible for the winning by Northland, for the first time, of the North Island Shield for the best fat lambs exhibited at Smithfield Market, London, were honoured at a dinner at Moerewa. The six honoured were Mrs L. Morfette, of Kaikohe; Messrs C. F. Jones, of Palcaraka; H. H. Mountain, E. A. Cook and W. F. Nelson, of Waimate North; J. 11. Orr, of Kaikohe. They had sent the seven best pens of lambs (Mr Jones two pens) from the Bay of Islands P. and I. Spring Show at Waimate North last year to England, and these seven pens took New Zealand provincial honours when judged in London.

The shield was presented to Mrs! Morfette, as the only lady farmer in the group, by Mr F. C. Johnstone, a member of the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board. : It was a red-letter day for agriculture in the North, Mr Johnstone said. It was truly a usrpriso to the rest of New Zealand, but it had been a popular win. . i

Northland lambs, he said, coming off; rolling hilly country, were not overfat like those from Manawatu and other areas. The British people clearly did not like their lamb too fat. He was quite sure the ideal export lamb could be grown in the North. SMALL FIELD OF SELECTION The shield win had been all the more creditable since there had been only 33 pens, 99 lambs, to choose from at the show, against 500 or 600 at many southern shows. Mr Jones’ achievement in having two pens included in the winning team j was outstanding. . I Dressing* at the Moerewa works had | been expert and must have contributed largely to the victory. There was considerable criticism from London of some butchering, mainly from Wanganui. Mr Johnstone warned that competition was bound to be felt soon in world lamb markets, in which New. Zealand now had a substantial share. The Argentine was producing now | as much lamb as the whole of the rest of South America did 10 years ago. New Zealand must watch her standard if she was to hold her supremacy. The Meat Board wanted every show society to hold a hooks competition at the freezing works a day after the show. Farmers would benefit by being able to see their lambs on hoof and hooks almost immediately. QUOTA CUTS WELL BE ON LAMB Young farmers must be encouraged ! to produce only best-quality animals. He believed that if any cuts in meat exports were to come they would be on lamb. For this reason, it would pay handsomely to develop the country’s beef I export trade, of which New Zealand had only a small share in world markets. Paster shinpins' was needed. If cargoes of meat could be landed in Britain in 25 days instead of 30 or 32 days, a much better chance of competing with the Argentine would be established. Toasting the shield winners, Mr A. B. Cook recalled that the North had also, more recently, won the porker and baconer championships. It was about time the chilled beef championship came North. The sooner this trade was developed in Northland the better. In reply, Mr C. F. Jones, expressed the hope that, because the North had | produced suitable lightweight lambs, 1 it would be in the running for the ! North Island Shield next year. Also replying, Mr E. A. Cook said ■ Mr Jones’ individual performance was * remarkable since he had been only a couple of seasons on fat lambs, having ; previously bred Romneys. GREAT THING FOR NORTH Mrs Morfette said the shield was a great thing for the North. She was proud to have had a part in its winning. Mf W .D. Jones, toasting the judges, paid a tribute to Mr H. S. McCarroll, of Taipuha, who had judged the winning pens at Waimate North. Having judged the Northland Fat Lamb Championship 10 years ago, Mr McCarroll said he could definitely say that the industry had gone ahead in the district. His biggest thrill had been when a lamb he had selected from Mr C. F. Jones’ show pen as an example of the ideal export lamb was placed third in the single championship at Smithfield. He stressed the need for only pure Southdown rams and ewes, not crosses, to produce the best lambs. As a slogan he gave: The finer the wool, the finer the meat. Mr H. Kneebone appealed for 300 or 400 lambs at the next show —“and we’ll get the shield again, between us.” MEAT BOARD, FREEZING WORKS Toasting the Meat Board, Mr C. F. Jones paid tribute to its endeavours, through heavy subscriptions to show societies, to improve quality and increase interest. He urged that the members should travel more up to the North. Mr Johnstone, replying, said he had been four years on the board and would come up again for re-election this month. He had travelled from the most southerly to the most northerly freezing works. Other members would gladly come North if they were wanted. Although secrecy had had to be observed over the war years, the board was keen to publicise the meat industry now. Mr W. B. Low, honouring the AFFCO, said an immense amount of assistance had been given eagerly by the freezing works management and staff. The shield had been won by a group of farmers in a 10-mile radius, proving that Bay of Islands lambs must have been a high average quality. The works manager, Mr W. G. Griffiths, said the shield would be hung in the office at Moerewa. A frame was . being built for it and he did not want to so it empty next year. PRIZE MONEY INCREASED Mr Johnstone announced that the Meat Board had increased its prizemoney for fat lamb championships at shows by 50 per cent. Toasting the Bay show organisation, Mr McCarroll recalled associations with it for 20 years past. He mentioned stock and sheep improvement over that time. The association president (Mr E. A. Cook), replying, thanked exporting firms for their valuable donations at show-time. J Mr Low. a past-president, mentioned j the need for a chilled-beef championI ship. Fat lambs in the district must j improve in quality, he said, to ap- | proach the standard seen at the shows. I Mr W. P. Barclay toasted the meat exporters, Messrs L. Brodie and J. O'Shea responding. Mr H. H. Mountain toasted the Press, Mr F. Molcsworth responding. Mr W. M. Garland, of Whangarei, toasted the caterers, Mr A. M. Campbell rej plying. Throughout the evening, Mr J. j Cotter made an efficient and popular toastmaster. Music for items and community singing was supplied at the piano by Mr G. A. Dunlop. A vocal item, “My Ain j Folk,” wa*. given by Mr J. J. Adkins.