INCREASING LAMB WEIGHT

Taranaki Daily News, 7 February 1931, Page 8

INCREASING LAMB WEIGHT

EFFECT OF USING SELECTED RAMS BREEDING EXPERIMENT SUCCEEDS Correct methods of breeding play a highly important part in the subsequent profit and loss entailed in fat lamb transactions. From figures auth- z enticated by the killing sheets supplied by various freezing works in and close to Taranaki, it has been calculated that the effect of introducing first-class carefully selected Southdown rams into flocks of Central Taranaki has been to increase the weight of lambs by from Iflb. to 21b. per head. This satisfactory increase has taken place during the past five years. Towards the end of 1924 Newton King, Ltd., commissioned Mr. Rod McRae annually to select especially from stud flocks in various parts of the North Island a certain number of Southdown rams. These animals were distributed throughout flocks in the Stratford district and records of lamb weight were checked, against those of the preceding season. After ,five years operations the increase in weight mentioned above has been recorded as the average over all the flocks into which the selected rams were placed. This season’s consignment of 48 rams arrived in Stratford yesterday and experts who saw them in the yards state definitely that they are one of the finest lines that has entered the province. STRATFORD GUN CLUB. ANNUAL MEETING OF MEMBERS. The annual meeting of the Stratford Gun Club was held on Thursday night, when Mr. A. Nelson presided. The report 'stated that the year had been an active one for gunmen in the province, three new clubs having beep formed, at Eltham, Alton and Awatuna, while control of the sport now centred in the Taranaki Gun Clubs 1 Association. For' the club the year had not been exceptional, twelve field days embracing 68 competitions having been held. The Taranaki championship was won by J. Petrie, the Ballistite competition by B. Green and Western Cup competitions by A. E. Brown, G. A. Carter, J. Lombard and A. Hammond. The balance-sheet showed that, the club was in a sound financial position, having cash (£’2o) and assets amounting to £5l. The auditor’s report emphasised the need for careful finance and pointed out that there was excess expenditure over income during the year. It was resolved that the cost of clays to shooters for the future be: lor six Is 6d, nine 2s, twelve 2s 6d„ fifteen 3s, twerity-one ss, and thirty 6s 6d; all other matches at the rate of 2Jd per clay except in first miss out competitions, in which the nominations will have sixpence allocated for clays, while the shooter using more than two will pay at the rate of 3d per clay. A remit, to this effect is to be forwarded to the Taranaki association requesting that bird charges be made uniform. Office-bearers for the ensuing year were elected as follows: Patron, Mr. P. Thomson (Mayor of Stratford); president, Mr. G. A. Carter; eight vicepresidents; executive, Messrs. A. Nelson, B. Green, J. Petrie, A. R. Brown, P. Keller, H. Campbell and R. Knewstubb; secretary, Mr. C. L. Grant; treasurer, Mr. J. Petrie; auditor, Mr. G. A. Carter. . It was resolved to apply to the New Zealand Gun Clubs’ Association for the North Island clay championship to be held at Stratford ,in 1923, and for the Taranaki championship in 1932 on a date to be fixed.

The question of holding the club shoots on .Sunday, was discussed, and it was resolved that no charge be made, shoots be held on the first Thursday of the month as usual.

Condolence was expressed with Mr. J. Jackson, an old member of the club, on the death of his wife. Additional events at the shoot on Thursday were:—Twelve-bird match: J. Lombard (14) 12, J. Petrie (15) ,11, A. Nickel (16) 10, A. Nelson (19) 9, J. Winiki (17) 9, Busby (11) 9, A. Hammond (13) 8, B. Green (16) 3. First miss out: Petrie and Green divided the first competition and Nickel won the second. A box -sweep, off 22 yards, was won by Petrie. ( GENERAL ITEMS. Four cases of clothing and one of honey were sent from Stratford yesterday to the relief camp at Palmerston North. The Mayor, Mr. P. Thomson, mentioned at a special meeting of the Stratford Borough Council last night that one of the pictures in the war memorial gallery in the municipal buildingjpvcatibule had been discovered yesterday morning lying broken on the floor. As a dance had been held in the buildings on ’ the previous evening it was supposed that the damage must have been done by some person who had attended the dtpice. “Perhaps it was only an accident,” said a councillor. “In that case those responsible should offer to rectify the damage,” replied the mayor; A dance will be held in the Foresters’ Hall, Stratford, to-night, the music to be played by Les. Davison’s dance band.

The visit of the Wanganui Garrison Band to the beautiful Ngaere Gardens will take place on Sunday, but it has been mutually agreed between Mr. Lester and the band that a percentage of the takings will be devoted to the earthquake relief fund. The gardens at present are at their best and the great show of blooms in the begonia house alone is well worth a visit. The band has prepared an attractive programme. Music will filter down the shady walks and surround the lakes. It will haunt the gardens, mingling with the fragrance of flowers and the hum of bees. Given a fine day this lovely spot should be crowded with visitors. A fifteen-minute service of sedan cars will run from the Stratford post office to the gardens commencing at 1 p.m., the return fare being 2s with children half price.

The Avon Stars have again changed hands, though still retained by an Avon rink. These trophies are now held by J. Thompson, Lonsdale, Fletcher, J. Walker (s), who defeated the previous holders, Clark, Hill, J. Weston, F. Weston (s) by one point, the scorea being 27 to 26.