WAKEFIELD.

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12680, 27 October 1909, Page 4

WAKEFIELD.

TJie technical classes here are coming to an end one by one, the cooking class under Miss Sutherland Smith terminating a month ago. Miss Pitt's classes terminates in a fortmight. Mr A. G. Thompson's has about three weeks to run, but it is more particularly abolit Mr W. T. Hambly's wool sorting class that 1 wish to write. Tho Government are most anxious that sheepfarmcrs should receive tho highest prices for tiheir wool. Thousauds of pounds arr> lost- annually to the Dominion through ignorance, and many growers think dt does not greatly* concern them personally as to whether the sorting is done in their wool sheds or !.;•• Government sorters hi the shipping port, or by graders at Home. Ask those who have been under Mr Hambly, and lot them tell what they know about it. Mr Hambly, who comes From the Gtoristdiurch Tecluiical College, .and who is without doubt an export in wool classing and sorting, held three separata classes, one each in Wakefield, Nelson nnd Tap.iwara. There is a lot to learn, and great advantage to be 'gained by attending such classes, both by* farmers ar.d by sorters. It is in fact quite a science, and every sensible sheep farmer should know how to class wool and what wool to grow. ] It is all very well for the old hands ;

to think they know all about it, but do they Are. they keeping in lino with the larmiers of Australia, America, Europe, or the Argentine? Why should not A T ow Zealand wool top the list? Wo have the country, we have the climate, we have the shoep, we have the brains, then let all sheepfarmers use what they possess. The days of "ride of tliunib" have gone, now it is brains and skilled men that conic out on top. Mr Humbly may return next year; if ho does doubtless the Education Department will notify by advertisement wlu»n his wool sorting classes will commence. The usual monthly Gleaners' meeting was hdd in the Sunday school tomght, when Miss UauUlnue read a paper, on Bishop Sehvyn aud his great work in evangelising the isles of tho Pacific and New Zealand. Wakefield, October 25.