CANTERBURY A. AND P. ASSOCIATION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5871, 13 May 1897, Page 3

CANTERBURY A. AND P. ASSOCIATION.

• MEETING OF COMMITTEE. An ordinary meeting of the General Committee of the Canterbury A. and P. Association was held : this afternoon. Present: — Messrs D. M'Millan, president, (in the chair), .W. Henderson, H. P. . Murray- Aynsley, >v. Reece, W. Boag, J. G. Murray, G. Gould, J. Deans, H. Overton, S. Garforth, J. Anderson, jun., J, B. Andrew, C. Withell, J. T. Ford, E. G. Staveley, and Dr Levinge; Apologies were received from Messrs G. Rhodes and P. Duncan. CORRESPONDENCE. Letters were read from Messis R. Heaton Rhodes and R. M» Macdonald. applying for leave of absence for six months on account of their visiting England. !l<!r Macdonald said he hoped to be present at the Royal Show, and would do his best to pick up useful information for the Association; Leave of absence as requested was granted to Messrs Rhodes and Macdonald. Mr Gilbert Anderson, managing . director of the Christchurch Meat Company, wrote requesting the Association to investigate, in the interests of ■ the Canterbury growers, the statement that meat frozen at Dunedin works had been branded as "Canterbury," and stating that the following private cable dated April 30 had been received : " The s.s. Perthshire has delivered 630 carcases Otago muttop, and 3340 carcases Ofcago lamb branded prime Canterbury ; thoroughly investigate the matter." Mr J. T. Ford said that what was complained of had been done for some considerable time ; and the excuse offered was that all the best meat frozen in New Zealand was branded "Prime Canterbury." The Chairman of the Canterbury Frozen Meat Company, Mr Grigg, was against branding altogether, and he himself thought that each factory should have its own brand. The time for general compulsory grading and branding meat had not only come, but was a long time past. All must agree that meat from Wellington and Dunedin should not be branded " Canterbury." Mr Boag thought that each factory should have its own brand. Tt was difficult to know what to do to abate the evil. Mr Staveley said that complaints had been very rife as to' the quality of meat from Canterbury, and "Prime Canterbury " at that. These were due •to the prevalence of the merino strain. Now, the reputation of Canterbury had been formed on the half-breds, which must havo contained a considerable proportion of the merino type. Of late, howevex*. the merino strain- had given place to a large extent, to the Down, and they were not producing inferior mutton, yet there were complaints of too much merino. He thought that the best thing to do would be to go back to the old half-breds. Mr Reece thought that the matter should be referred to the Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association •■ for inquiiy. He pointed out that the grading of Canterbury mutton was very stringent, and that the Otago people should be as particular and establish a reputation for prime Otago. He moved — " That' the letter be referred to th« Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association for inquiry." Mr Boag seconded the motion. Mr Murray- Aynsley thought it was unfair 'that the name " Prime Canterbury," the reputation of which Canterbury people had worked so hard to establish, should be taken by others, and used to signify merely good meat from any part of the colony. He agreed with Mr Reece's proposition. Mr Ford thought that the quality of Canterbury frozen mutton had deteriorated of late because of the large exportation of lambs, and also of the action of c.i.f. exporters in sending under and over weights. The motion wa3 put and carried unanimously. A letter from the Department of Agriculture was read, directed to the secretory, Mr M. Murphy, informing that gentleman that he had been selected as one of the delegates to attend the Intercolonial Conference of Fruit Growers at Brisbane on June 18, and stating that steamer tickets would be provided and reasonable out-of-pocket expenses refunded. It would be well for Mr Murphy to catch the 'steamer leaving for Sydney on June 5. Mr Murphy said that so far as he could see, his absence for about a month would not interfere with the work of the Association, as the finishing of the premier catalogue was now under way, and he had a very capable man to attend to the office, and was willing to pay him. He thought that he would obtain a deal of information useful to the Association at the conference. Mr Murphy having withdrawn, Mr Boag moved— "That Mr Murphy be granted leave of absence for the term required for the conference." ■ Mr Deans seconded the motion, which was carried. A letter was received from the Shropshire Sheepbreeders' Association and Flock Book Society, inquiring to whom the gold medal offered by the society had been awarded in 1896; and stating that the society had again granted a gold medal, value £5, to the. Association for the best Shropshire ram of. any age at the 1897 show. A further letter from the same society stated that the Council had decided that all prizes offered by the society m Tasmania and Australia should be for sheep to be shown with not more than four months' wool on, and the conditions would apply to the gold medal. A letter was received from Mr G. W. ; Russell, chairman of the Demonstration Committee of the Record Reign celebration, asking on what terms the Association 1 would allow the use of the show grounds on . June 22, for the demonstration, and stating that the funds raised would be devoted to the extension of the Jubilee Memorial ■ Accounts amounting to .£147 11s lid i were passed for payment. 1 The treasurer's statement for the }™>n™ I showed receipts, including balance in hand 1 at the beginning,^£l264 9s Bd;expendi- ' ture. £951 11s ; balance in hand, £oU2 l»s I Bd. ' • . _ [Left sitting.]