HALF-BREDS AND CROSSBREDS

Wairarapa Age, 16 March 1922, Page 7

HALF-BREDS AND CROSSBREDS

what are they? An interesting decision to sheepowners has been given in the New Zealand courts, which lays down that a halfbred sheep is not a crossbred. The term halfbred in New Zealand is understood to be applied to the progeny of a longwool and merino, either as a first cross or inbred. The owner of a South Canterbury sheep station, a fiock of 2246 crossbred and 11,251 halfbred sheep, w-ts piosecuted for failing to dip his sheep between January .1 and April 20 1920, i'Ot having dipped the crossbreds. The Magistrate held that the inthc half--1 reds, and fined the owners for not having dipped the crossbreds. Tic stock inspector appealed against this decision, and the ease was heard before Mr Justice Sim at Dunedin. A large amount of evidence had been heard from sheep-farmers, woolclasscrs, and stock agents, who were 11 agreed that the term crossbred hac always been used with regard to a distinct class of. sheep with a coarse, fairly long wool, and included sheep exclusive of the distinctive breeds o± sheep. On the other hand, a halfbred was a distinctive breed, with definite characteristics, and a firm, short wool. It wtis recognised as a separate for show purposes, and for wool-elassing. A sale of halfbreds •vould not be ratified by the delivery ef crossbreds, nor conversely would a sale of crossbreds be completed by the delivery of halfbreds. For the appellant it was contended that the term crossbred included any cases of crossbreeding. His Honour said that the terms had to be construed in th> way in which they were understood by those engaged in the industry, and the Legislature must be taken to have used the term crossbred in that sense. The Magistrate had come to that conclusion, and it seemed to him (the Judge; that it was impossible'to say that the Magistrate was wrong. The appeal was therefore dismissed with costs. As the law now stands, a halfbred sheep, in New Zealand at least, is not r. crossbred.