FEW ENTRIES FOR FLEECE COMPETITION, BUT QUALITY GOOD

Wanganui Chronicle, 15 January 1948, Page 8

FEW ENTRIES FOR FLEECE COMPETITION, BUT QUALITY GOOD

The annual fleece competition organised by Federated Farmers was held yesterday but attracted only a small entry. This was considered disappointing by the judges, Messrs. J. Foster, C. Christensen, and T Waite of Wanganui, but the lack of entries was made up by the fact that the competition included some of the best fleeces entered in the competition. The champion fleece was exhibited by Messrs. T. and J Currie, of the Brunswick branch, and was a hogget fleece in the 48/50 class. The placings of the judges were as follow,: — Class 46/48’s: T. and J. Currie, 3S points, 1; A. D. O’Leary, 365, 2; T. H. Brown, 31, 3. Class 48/50’s: T. and J. Currie, 37 points, 1; Reid Estate 365, 2; A. D. O’Leary, 355, 3. Class 50/56’s: T. and J. Currie, 37s points, 1; A. D. O’Leary, 33, 2; T. H. Brown 315, 3. Champion fleece: Messrs. T. and J Currie’s entry in hogget 48/50 class. Black wool: T. and J. Currie, 9 points, 1; T. and J. Currie, 85, 2; A. D. O'Leary, 8. 3. Hoggets. 48/50’s: T. and J. Currie, 385 points, 1. The black wool competition, held in conjunction with that for white wool, is for wool donated by farmers to C.0.R.5.0. During the war this wool was taken over by women spinners of the Navy League and the Women’s Division for hand-spinning and making into heavy woollen dotting for use by seamen, particularly in the Arctic convoys through the North Sea. This competition is now being maintained in an endeavour to draw attention to the urgent appeals by C.0.R.5.0. for gifts of wool for distribution in distressed countries. From Wanganui the wool is dispatched to Wellington for packing in bulk and forwarding, still in the raw state, to Greece and China, where it is spun by hand and made into winter clothing suited to local requirements Anyone wishing to donate wool may obtain information from the secretary, care Smith, Beauchamp and Co

The judges classed (he fleecae according to Bradford count, each fleece being then allotted points for colour, quality, staple, and general, 10 points for each, giving a possible of 40 points. The champion fleece which, in the opinion of the judges, best illustrated the desirable characteristics of a good fleece, irrespective of its class. The black wool is judged for spinning quality only, and for this a maximum of 10 points was allotted.