WOOL AWARDS AT THE FRANCOBRITISH EXHIBITION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2855, 2 December 1908, Page 8

WOOL AWARDS AT THE FRANCOBRITISH EXHIBITION.

GREAT DISTINCTION FOR AUSTRALASIA. (Fbom Ocr Special Coheespondext.) Australian pastoralists are once more bo be congratulated, for it has again been demonstrated beyond doubt that no other country in the world can grow wool like the Commonwealth and New Zealand. Those who have had tho privilege of paying a visit to the Franco-British Exhibition have seen, a show of wooJ the like of wthieh Ijas never been seen under any one rcof, and it is a pity that such a collection cannot find a permanent homo in ."ome leading centre where it would bo open for inspection in the future. The wool show 4 n all the courts has been much inspected and admired, and well it might. One hundred years ago no man ever thought Australia capable of producing such splendid fieooes, and it is really difficult to see where thexo is any room, left for further advance in the art and 1 science of sheep-breedinsj and .wool-growing.

Being down* this week at the wool sales, I paid yesterday a special visit to the Exhibition to get the awards, and to make a final inspection of the fleeces from the different States of the Commonwealth and New Zealand. The results of the judging were not made public ; in fact, I had the wool awards before several of the court commissioners themselves, and had the honour of conveying the news o them. The fleeces from New South Wales, Queensland, and Sou-th Australia had been put in and shown as a collective exhibit, the official in charge deciding upon this course, rather than put breeder's fleeces into competition with each other. Much can be said both for and 1 against this proceeding, and perhaps when so many fleeces were shown from, these big States it was tho best. Victoria let each breeders' vrt>ol stand on it 3 own bottom, and so did West Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand. The following are the -results, and it will be seen the collective exhibits of New South Wales and Queensland take the highest honours: — AWARD OR WOOL AND FLEECES. — Grand Prix.— Commissioners for New South Wales. Government of Queensland. — Diploma, of Honour.— Government of South Australia. Department of Agriculture for Soulh Australia. . Seeing Victoria, West Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand let the juroTS handle each grower's fleece on its merits, it is only fair to v give these separately. The following are the awards for Victorian stations and their distinction: — —Diploma of Honour. — Carngham, Langi Willi, Trawalla, Mount Elephant, Kal Kal, Dobell, Gerrison. —Gold Medal.— Barunah Plains, Narada, Wongan, Fairgrass, Elvonik, Chatticum, Cromer, Bolac Plains, Manvajlock,- Noolerick, North Station, and Wurrock. —Silver Medal. — Springvale, Ellenganin, Foxton Park, Charlton, and Cherry brae. WSSI AUSTBAiIAN WpOLg. The following are the awards for West Australia : — — Diploma of Honour. — Government of West Australia, Anderson Bros., A. W. Hassell, Albany, State Farm, Himel. —Gold Medal.— T. Wilding, Hon. Sept. Burt, S. R. N. Elliot, W. Mackenzie Grant, C. H. Davidson, and Witnell Bros. Tasmania*- Wool Awards. Tasmania has every 1 reason f -r congratulation on its remarkable success. I have always said that the tight little island 1 need play second fiddle to no other wool-produc-ing State in the Commonwealth, for if it can do nothing else it can grow wool (merino) to perfection. Those who have seen the fleeces at the Franco-British could not help but admire them, and if the- show was not of the imposing potentialities of New South Wales it certainly lacked nothing in point of quality, handle, and condition. The commissioner in charge very wisely decided to let each grower's fleece stand on its merits, and not to show them, as a collective exhibit. I honestly think some of the growers should have had the highest honour of all — namely, the GrariQ Prix, — but several come in for the next highest position. The following is the order of merit: — —Diploma of Honour.— T. W. H. Clarke, Quorn. J. W. Downie, Clenelg. K,each Bros., Chiswick. —Gold Medal.— W. H. Bennet, M.H.A., Bloomfield. Col. W. V. Legge. S. Bendall and Sons, Montpellier. J. Taylor, Winton. O. W. Allen, M H.A. — Silver Medal.— * R. G. Heazlewood. Only one Tasmanian breeder failed to secure a mark of honour, the wool shown under ihis name being a Shropshire fwe fleece somewhat dirty and earthy, and not at all an attractive fleece. New Zealand Wools. The wool show from the Dominion is not a large one, but what there is is very good. A special word of praise is due to the splendid ease of fleeces from Maraekakaho Station, containing one each of pure merino, halfbred, fine Leicester, ordinary Leicester, three-quarterbred Lincoln, medium Lincoln, and coarse Lincoln. The Gear Freezing Company, of Wellington, is well to the front with its slipes, and so are Messrs Pyne .aii<J Co., Jam-es Fay ami Co., H. J. Bourke and Co., and all the rest. The following are the awards: — — Diploma of Honour. — James Fay and Co., Wellington. R. D. D. "M'Lean, Maraekakaho. —Gold Medal.— Pyne and Co., Christchurch. Gear Meat Preserving and Freezing Company (Ltd.), Wellington. —Silver Medal— H. J. Bourke and Co. Taking- the results as a whole, they oto not 'to be grumbled at, but all breeders alike are to be complimented on their defcerved success.