FAREWELL DINNER

Southland Times, Issue 21000, 5 February 1930, Page 2

FAREWELL DINNER

MR A. M. WEIR HONOURED. ENTERTAINED BY HERD TESTING \ ASSOCIATION. The directors of the Southland and Otago Herd Testing Association gave a dinner at Invercargill on Monday as a farewell to Mr A. M. Weir, who is leaving on a trip to Canada. On behalf of the directors, Mr G. R. Herron, chairman, asked Mr Weir to accept a case of Loewe pipes as a token of the respect of his co-directors. Mr Herron referred fully to the excellent services given to the herd testing movement and all farm matters in general by Mr Weir. Continuing, the chairman' wished Mr Weir a pleasant voyage and success in obtaining some pedigree Ayrshire bulls on behalf of the Ayrshire Cattle Breeders’ Association. The remarks of the chairman were supported by Messrs W. Bryant (Taieri), A. A. Jensen, H. C. Anderson (Stirling)), David Dickie (Mataura), Jas. Young (Wallacetown), Wm. Young (Otautau Group) and Thos. Muirhead (Waimatuku). The secretary (Mr 11. Oswin) also spoke and referjed to the fact that several new records had been made in November, which showed the progress being made by the association. The number of herds tested had reached 330 for the month, during which no less than six cows had produced over lOOlbs of butter-fat. The figures for any month for a single cow had been beaten by one producing 1221b5, and the milk record for two milkings had now fresh figures of 101 lbs. Finally one herd, for the November period, had put up 'the splendid standard of 69.741bs butter-fat per cow. Mr A. M. Weir made a very suitable reply and expressed his surprise and pleasure at being honoured by his brother directors. Referring to the business part of the trip, Mr Weir, who is the president of the N.Z. Ayrshire Breeders’ Association, said that his executive had selected him and also Mr Mills, of Taranaki, to proceed to Canada and purchase from four to six of the best strain of bulls on behalf of the association. Mr Weir indicated that he also intended to look thoroughly into all farm matters to sec if there was anything likely to improve conditions of the dairy farmers in New Zealand. .He was also anxious to inquire into the various methods used to combat diseases in dairy cows, and on his return he would take an opportunity of holding a meeting of farmers to report on the results of his inquiries.