RAETIHI

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 110, 12 May 1938, Page 10

RAETIHI

I WAIMARINO A.P.A. AND T. ASSOCIATION. Considerable discussion concerning ; the live stock classes at the Walmarino Show took place at the association’s annual meeting held on ; Friday last. When the chairman invited discussion on the matter, Mr. H. E. Frederick advocated the inclusion of a > class for outside stud breeders’ rams. This would encourage competition : among outside breeders who would c?chibi|. some of their best sheep for advertisement reasons. The rams could be judged and the ram fair could be held the day after or the i Monday following the show. By this means Waimarino farmers would have a reasonable certainty that firstclass rams would be available at the : Rc.otihi fair and this was not only de- ■ sirable but was necessary having regard to the fact that the Waimarino i was now one of the foremost ewe ! breeding centres in the North Island. Mr. Frederick conceded that the date of the show—at the end of February —might present a difficulty. Mr M. Geraghty commended the suggest ion. Mr. D. F. Scarrow agreed that, an ■ outside breeders’ class would attract the best rams for the district. But i the show date was too late to permit of the ram fair being successfully held ■ after the show. Local farmers needed their rams by the middle of February. It was essential that the Waimarino Show follow the Taihape fixture, which was usually at the end of February. For the last two years the 1 show had immediately followed both 1 the Taihape and Ohura shows. This accounted for the sideshows, without which the show would lose a great deal of its attraction. Mr. H. J. Donnelly agreed that the ' show date was too late, otherwise. Mr. ? Frederick’s suggestion was an excellent one. The good rams would be gone by the end of February and farmers would not patronise the Raetihi fair if held after the show. It 5 would be unwise to alter the show 1 date. Concerning the livestock classes 5 generally, Mr. Donnelly believed that the association should concentrate on ’ local and purely farmers’ classes such L ’ as Romney sheep and steers for chilling. The fat lambs were certainly in the district but the date of the show ' was too late as most of the lambs had been sent away when the show was held. » Mr. A. E. Scarrow, in agreeing with Mr. Donnelly’s remarks, said that the “ remedy lay in a complete revision of J the schedule eliminating breeders and concentrating on farmers’ classes, fol- ’ lowed by a thorough personal canvass of local farmers. Mr. W. C. Warner said the reason b for the failure of the livestock sec- . tion lay largely in lack of interest among farmers. They were too lazy ’ to exhibit their stock, which entailed too much work. Farmers preferred an easy and pleasant day at the show t with no effort or responsibility. Mr. Donnelly was of the opinion “ that a large part of the reason was 1 lack of competition. He advocated strong competition amongst the members of the association and the livestock section would gradually become -i worthy of the district. After further discussion, the suggestions made were recorded with a y view to their being considered by the incoming committee at an early date.