A SNAP OF THE FINGERS

Waikato Times, Volume 87, Issue 13271, 29 August 1916, Page 4

A SNAP OF THE FINGERS

WORTH OF EXPOSITION AWARDS. IX KOR.MATIOX OF EXPERTEXCE. QUALITY ENTIRELY PASSED OVER. Durum the course oi the conference lield ;;j Hamilton on Monday between honey providers and Mr Norton, the managing director ot the Bristol and Dominions Producers' Association, some information was available as to [lie value of eriKl medal awards on the occasion oi Expositions, such as the record one at Panama, on which occasion New Zealand gained quite a number of these successes. The matter' arose out of a remark made by one speaker thai the fact that New Zealand while clover honey had gained a gold medal at Panama, entitled it to respect as a high-grade article and capble of bringing a price commensurate with its quality, which t*his particular gentleman argued had not been the case. Mr Norton w;is of the opinion that our white clover honey was as good as any that came on the English market. However, he thought that his experience warranted him in saying thing in regard to the awards handej out at Expositions. On the occasion of the Franco-British Exposition he was ilie Commissioner representing the Australian Court, and ho was there able to gauge of the methods adopted in making awards. These matters were the concern of committees, and he knew that not a single member of a committee tasted or sampled the articles in the Conn. They were offering the Court a silver medal for flour when Mr Norton pointed out to the committee that he wanted nothing less than a Grand Prix. "And." added Mr Norton emphatically,

"I got it.'' (Laughter.) Later on Mr Norton remarked, another committee called to view the South Australian apples, and the same casual observation passed, hut no award appeared forthcoming. On Mr Norton pointing out the high fame attained hy this of fruit a gold medal was shortly credited to it.

"In a big general exhibition of that sort prizes aren't worth much.'' said Mr Norton, with a loud snap of his fingers. "In big dairy exhibitions the entries are judged on ipiality, but no tradesman at flome takes that much notice (another vivid of the digits)