The Station.

Otago Witness, Issue 1461, 15 November 1879, Page 5

The Station.

STATION MANAGEMENT.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, — In my last I drew attention to the action taken by the New South Wales Govern, menfc in getting rid of scab, and the value and advantage New Zealand would be likely to gain and derive from similar wise legislation. It would remove the only bar that exists to the opening up of a trade that would be mutually advantageous to the interests of New Zealand and Australian sheep -farmers. The sale of stud sheep that took place at the Sydney Exhibition in a measure endorses my estimate of the high value Australians place on fresh blood — stock reared on different soil to their own. I see that while New South Wales and South Australian stud sheep were unsaleable, Tasmanian sold readily at from 9 to 35 guineas. I don't know how New Zealand wool will show at the Exhibition, but regret to find that no stud sheep were exhihibited. If I had nothing else to endorse my opinion, I would remind those of your readers who understand human nature that even in pastoral affairs " distance lends enchantment to the view." The 'action taken by the people and Government of New South Wales in getting rid of scab shows the high value they set upon their pastoral estate, and in their determination, having got rid of it, to prevent its again appearing they went to fvirther expense and established a sheep department, thereby showing their appreciation of the principle and wisdom embodied in the saga advice of — " In time of peace be prepared for war." How very different the action of the defunct Provincial Council of Otago, for upon the officers of the stock department, under their very able Chief luspector, Mr Logic.a thorough judge of stock and first-class executive officer, returning the stock of the province free from disease, they, under the plea of retrenchment, allowed themselves to bo deluded into the committal of an act that was both dishonouring to the men who so ably and faithfully served the country, and dishonourable to them. The decision of the sage and appreciative body was that all the officers were to get twelve months' notice of dismissal, but the men who showed extra ability and zeal were to be retained, being advised to that effect. Indistinct opposition to this order the men who were advised that they were to be retained were at three days' notice dismissed, making the dismissal more cruel and unjustifiable from their being first told they would not be removed. In this way the services of as able men as could have been got in tbe Colonieß have been lost to the province for some years, men who, had Jthey been retained in riding up and down the country and visiting the different parts of their districts, would have seen the mistakes new beginners in pastoral life were making, and by advice and proper explanation shown them how to go properly about their work, so as to bring out & valuable result. Further, when it was found necessary to fill up those appointments again, instead of giving

the men who serred the country bo faithfully the preference, strangers were appointed, leaving those who had served the province loyally for years, and spent every penny of their salaries in effecting a most difficulty service actually wanting employment. J think it Byron who tells us Wore things but called by their right name, Ce93ar himielf would be ashamed of fame, I would not have introduced this, the most dis agreeable of my reminiscences and experience 1 of pastoral life, into these letters, but| for the necessity of showing how little either private individuals or governments seem to know the value of having a well-organised and ablyconducted stock department, and how necessary it is that the officers of such should have more ia them than the mere getting rid of one particular form of disease. It is not the gettirg rid of disease wherein the ability lies, but the preventing its appearance by judicious advice and suggestions to the inexperienced. There is another ability, and a very pernicious one, that is to be able to work an Ordinance without reducing the Customs revenue, but, to prevent this, I have ehown from my own past experieice how once and for ever this particular form of disease can be most effectually wiped out. In writing upon so important a subject as the pastoral estate of the Außtralasian Colonies, one of such enormous value as to represent nearly forty millions sterling— that is the sheep stock portion of it — I do so with pride, but still with diffidence, as the mind looses itself in thought at its vastnes3, and the great benefit it confers on trade, commerce, and the vast number of human being* that derive comfort and happiness from it. To estimate its value in this more extended way would be an impossibility ; but to add to its value is entirely within the bounds of experience, keen observation, and an unconquerable taste for the pursuit. In explaining the mistake breeders made, I mentioned sheep that had been sent out to Australia many years back for use on his son's establishment by a Sir George M'Pheraon Grant (not M'Kerron.) I am well aware that Eogland has no merino sheep, but the sheep that I allude to were the outcome of an attempt on the part of an eminent English breeder, Lord Western, to improve the English breeds, and were called the improved Leicester or English merino. Your readers will understand how utterly impossible it would be in a country, where meat, not wool, wan the chief consideration, for art attempt of the kind to become general It could only be done to a limited extent, and by men of wealth, able from position and surroundings to farm more for experiment and pleasure than actual profit. The cross was the merino upon the English Leicester, and brought out a most satisfactory result. At the time I allude to, th« most prominent breeders in New South Wales were the M'Aithurs, of Camben, the original f sunders of the great industry, and the Ryries, of Baby, both possessing vainable flocks of merino sheep, but differing in type. The Baby in particular, were almost too light and fine in fleece. It was to inoreasa the quantity of wool on the sheep of an establishment that had been for some time using rams of this remarkably fine class of stook, while retaining, as far as possible, quality that the sheep that I allude to were imported by my friends. I saw a plate of this wellknown old breed (the Raby merino) in the Australasian some time back, sp that if any of your readers are in the habit of filing the above paper they would see at once the drift of my remarks. And now from a judicious amalgamation of two such types — Leicester and merino— another might be brought out nearly equal in some but superior in other good qualities — that is, nearly equal in weight of carcase to the Leicester, but from mixture of long and short, fine and coarse wool, the result should be a fleece for general utility superior to both, medium length and strength from the Leicester, density and fineness from the merino. This was the result brought out by the eminent breeder I allude to, and although the bar I mention would be inseparable in England, there is nothing to prevent the general adoption in New Zealand, particularly tha Middle Island (whose superior wool, not meat, is the desideratum) of a system of breeding that must have cost a considerable amount of care, judgment, and money by so prominent a breeder, and was proved a thorough success ; indeed, the road appears to me to be made ready for its adoption here from the extraordinary number of crossbred sheep now in the country, and should breeders make their minds to leave the " I canna be fashed " school and adopt the suggestions emanating from thorough experience, and built upon the solid foundation of success already attained, I guarantee in a little over four years from this we will hear no more of shoddy wool. Breeders should remember that it ia not numbers, but quality of stock kept they should aim at. To supplant the heavy mutton-producing breeds in a country where meat, not wool, is the desideratum, would be asking the English f aimer to adopt a silver for a golden coinage — hence the failure *.oi general adoption. The experiment, no matter how successful, would be confined to those who could afford to please themselves. Still this by no means detracts from the value of the result attained. To take up the running where [Lord Western had to stop, in a country bo entirely suitable from climate, soil, rich pasture, &c, would be a wise step on the part of sheep farmers here. It would be a stepping at once into a rich inheritance, won by the skill and superior knowledge of one of the prominent breeders, and at once be the means of giving such a character to the wool of the country as a whole as would entitle us some of these days to hear it spoken of as a grand success attained in sheep farming, a new feature in the annual wool sales, not cross-bred or shoddy, but from its character ah ighly prized wool, and designated the New Zealand Merino. While giving my experience through the columns of the Witness, I do co without begging the question, and from having seen the result. There are two classes of men that can afford to speak out plainly, the possessor of wealth on the one hand, of knowledge on the other. Being entirely denuded of every vestige of the former — (it i no joke to get sat upon by 17 or 18 stone weight of Buperintendental humanity ; a cock couped for the pit, all superfluous feathers removed, and steel spurs on, would be an apt illustration of th« position) — but having any amount of the latter, I give it for the benefit of others who may not have had similar opportunities, and in the nope that it may, in some measure, be the means of as effectually removing the leprosy that now attaches to the chief export of the country as my exertions and experience as an inspector did scab from its flocks some years since ; and although there should be some, like Naanaan the Syrian, who may from the very simplicity of my suggestions be inclined doubtfully to exclaim, " Are not Abann and Pharpar rivers of Damascus." &c, yet I sincerely trust that, as in his, so in this, wise counsel will prevail, and a fair trial be given to what I am confident will prove a thorough success. It is, in fact, asking ownera of croasbreds to accept a ticket in a sweep where a 1 are sure to win, and, by iti acceptance, do what we are told is considered honourable by the noblemen of other lands, and that is to compete in growing what is termed, not shoddy, but noble wol,— I ana, &a,

John Drew Atkin.