THE JERSEY BREED

Taranaki Daily News, 1 September 1927, Page 10

THE JERSEY BREED

NEW PLYMOUTH dLUB MEETS. REPORT FOR THE PAST YEAR. The annual meeting of the New Plymouth Jersey Cattle Club was held in New Plymouth yesterday, when there were present: Messrs. H. C. Sampson (chairman), G. H. Bell, P. J. Petersen, J. A. Kurth, J. S. Jones, A. J. Hale, A. It. Gudopp, A. T. Moore, A. J. Luxton. F. W. Cornwall and E. Griffiths. An apology was received from Air. H. B. Lepper. The report and statement of income and expenditure for the year were as follow: The statement of income and expenditure revealed a credit balance of £2B 16s 2d. Of this amount the sum of £2 2s belonged to the Third Oaks fund, which was being kept separate from the ordinary funds of the club. The amount received during the year from members’ subscriptions was £3l 10s. This represented the subscriptions of 42 members. The present worth of the Third Oaks fund was £36 12s Gd. First acceptances were paid on 41 animals. The second, acceptance fees were due. Two sales were held under the auspices of the club during the year under review. Attempts to form a team representative of the whole province to compete at the Royal Show having failed, several members of this club took animals up to Auckland and gained a fair share of success there. CONFERENCE OF JUDGES. What appeared to be the first genuine effort to create something in the nature of an improvement among Jersey judges took place at Mr. H. C. Sampson’s farm on May 11. Au invitation was extended to all the official judges resident in Taranaki to meet together with the object of creating greater uniformity in judging. Twelve out of the fifteen judges invited assembled at Mr. Sampson’s farm. The procedure of judges in the show ring was first discussed, and this was followed by a demonstration during which the standard of perfection, as officially laid down, was read, and then two cows were used in order to further explain and demonstrate desirable characteristics. TARANAKI JERSEYS IN OTAGO. During the year nine pedigree yearling Jersey bulls and ten grade Jersey cows were shipped to Southland as a pioneering effort to create a demand for Taranaki Jerseys and to educate the southern people as to the benefits of the Jersey as a profitable dairy cow. Though the prices made when the animals were sold at auction resulted in a loss to those thirty-seven breeders who guaranteed the venture/it was considered that the expenditure was cheap advertising. The cattle were everywhere giving good accounts of themselves, and an order for thirty-five grade yearling heifers had been made as a first result.

The committee expressed its thanks to all who had assisted the club during the year. The great help given by the ladies with the catering at the club’s sales had been much appreciated. The assistance given by the auctioneers in promoting the club’s sales and the publicity given by the Press were services for which thanks were extended. ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN. The chairman said he was sorry lie could not report on a very successful season. The finances bad not been in the best position. A number of members had been lost, while several had omitted to pay their subscriptions. They had passed through a very hard year, but were looking to a brighter time in the future. With regard to demonstrations, the committee reported that they were very disappointed. They had endeavoured to get Mr. Watson to visit Taranaki but, owing to a misunderstanding with the parent body, he had refused to visit even the North Island. However, fliey hoped to get Mr. Watson in the efinuug season, for he was a man worth listening to.

Touching on the consignment of Jerseys sent to Otago, the chairman said that though it had not been much of a financial success then, the members of the club were now beginning to reap the benefit and just recently a line had been ordered for the south. In the matter of money, assistance was received from the parent body which had done good work in this respect, but the club bad a hard battle ahead. There had also been considerable controversy over the different tests. The club supported the 305 day period, but the parent body were keen for 365 days. The latter maintained that the Jersey was a long distance cow and would lose the advantage now being received. Recently support, for the shorter period had come from Auckland, and it was now being advocated in the north; This test, the chairman added, had been successful in America. Mr. .Sampson urged a greater interest in the club. The report and balance-sheet were adopted. The officers for the coming year were elected as follow: President. Mr. H. C. Sampson; vice-president, Mr. G. H. Bell; committee, Messrs. F. W. Cornwall, P. J. Petersen, A. R. Gudopp, Y. J. Luxton and H. B. Lepper; auditor, Mr. H. Baily. INQUIRY FOR JERSEYS. Mr. Griffiths stated that he thought the tide had turned and there had been more inquiry for the Jersey line in the last six months than ever before. There had been a much larger number leaving the province, and it was being realised that Taranaki was really the home of the Jersey in New Zealand. He did not think Taranaki had ever been in a -better position, for they had some fine cattle. They could pick out 15 bulls

which would improve the grade in not only Taranaki, but also in New Zealand. T,he coming bull sale, he thought, would be a great success, as 32 or 33 vendors had entered about 80 bulls. Mr. Griffiths was confident that visitors from outside Taranaki would also attend. Regarding the need for increasing the club’s membership, the speaker said that those breeders who were not members should be canvassed. Tl should have about 80 members soon. The same speaker, at another time, said that in order to stimulate interest in the club, quarterly meetings could be held, when different persons could give addresses on subjects of interest to the breeders.

Mr. Jones mentioned that this idea had been put into action some years ago but, after a few meetings, the attendance became so small that the matter was dropped. It was stated that Mr. Tuck, who had purchased Xenia’s Oxford Lass from Mr. Petersen, was confident that he would receive over 7001bs. milk from this two-year-old for a twelve months’ [Miriod to end shortly. This was above the present. New Zealand record.

Mr. E. Griffiths was congratulated upon being selected as one of the judges of pedigree Jerseys at the Roval Show, Melbourne. Messrs. J. Pettigrew and Cl. H. Bell were also congratulated for being appointed first and second choice respectively at the Christchurch Show. Votes of thanks were passed by acclamation to tlie ladies, ths Press’ and those who had helped in any wav during the season.