SHEEPOWNERS' UNION.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18364, 23 April 1925, Page 7

SHEEPOWNERS' UNION.

MEETING OF EXECUTIVE. The executive of the Canterbury Sheepowners' Unioii met yesterday. Present: Messrs E. R. Guinness (presidentl. in the chair. H. D. Aeland. G. H. Grigg, G. 0. Rutherford, R. M. Morten. W. Hanmer-Atkiuson, E. Hay. L. R. C. Macfarlane, G. Fulton. W. W. Meßae. Apologies were received from Messrs P. Aelon-Adams. T. D. Burnett. B. Tripp, Geo. Murray. H. Acton-Adams, J. F. Macfarlane, H. E. Jessep. and M. Bethel!.

The Town Clerk, Christchurch City Council, wrote asking the assistance of the Union with a view to limiting the size of mobs of sheep and cattle driven through the city and suburban streets, and suggesting that a limit of 000 should be placed on mobs of sheep and 50 head in the case of cattle. The view was expressed that mobs of 1000 sheep could be driven without seriouslv inconveniencing traffic, and the nndcsirability of handling mobs larger than this in the more frequented streets was fully recognised. It, was decided to recommend sheepowners to limit the size of mobs driven in the vicinity of the city as much as possible, and on the motion of Mr E. R. Guinness, seconded by Mr R. M. Morten, the secretary was instructed to request the City Council to set the minimum limit for sheep at 1000 head. It was agreed that a limit of 50 head of cattle was a reasonable one. The principal cause for the suggested restriction in numbers was understood to be the great inconvenience caused by the driving of large mobs of North Island sheep to Addington, in some cases numbering up to 3000 in one mob. ' _ .

The Canterbury Agricultural College wrote enclosing copy of the evidence given by the College Board of Governors before the Commission on Agricultural Education, which sat recently in Christchureh.

The letter was received, and the advisability of'extended support being given the College with a view to its providing further facilities for agricultural education was affirmed.

Debt to Seamen Pund. The Trustees of the' Sheepowners' Acknowledgment of Debt to British Seamen Fund wrote asking for support with a view to the allocation of the balance of the undistributed surplus wool profits to the trustees of the fund. The letter pointed out that the amount to be paid out to individual sheepowners would be infinitesimal, as the fractional payment covered a period of four years, and onlv actually worked out' at approximated 3d per bale, but in the aggregate "totalled £26,000. Of this amount, the share of 2600 sheepowners had already been donated. After a full discussion, it was agreed to support the transfer of the balance of this account to the trustees of the fund on the understanding that it would be especially earmarked to provide for the extension of the work of training orphan boys of British seamen now being carried out at ■■ Flock House, to a similar institution having for its object the giving to the orphan daughters of British seamen the same chances in life, on New Zealand farms as is now given to the boys. It was agreed that the money would be well spent if applied in this.direction, and would result in advantage to the girls themselves, and to New Zealand generally. The Royal Agricultural Society of New Zealand wrote asking for a donation to the Eoyal Show prize fund for the coming year. It was pointed out that. a Challenge Shield had already been given to the Society for competition in its championship classes.

• Exhibits at Exhibition. On the motion of Mr G. 0. Eutherford«, seconded by Mr E. Hay, the sum of five guineas Was authorised as a donation towards the prize fund of the Society. The question of. the exhibit of frozen meat to be shown at the Dunedin and South Seas Exhibition was discussed, and the president, stated that a suggestion had been made that no exhibit of frozen meat should be made by the Board. The undesirability of having no frozen meat exhibit at the Exhibition was stressed by several members, it being s pointed out that many overseas visitors would be in Dunedin during Exhibition time, and the opportunity for a valuable advertisement for our frozen meat would be missed.

The president pointed out that sheepowners found the money for the activities of the Meat Board, and stated that in his opinion some expenditure by the Board at the Dunedin Exhibition was fully justified. He moved: '' That the . Meat Board .be requested to take the necessary steps to provide an adequate exhibit of frozen meat and by-products at the Dunedin Exhibition to be. held next year." This was seconded by Mr W. HanmerAtkinson and carried. .

.The president drew attention to the need for a representative exhibit of Wool from Canterbury at the Exhibition, and expressed the hope that Canterbury sheepowners would send forward some of their best fleeces in order that the wool exhibit in the Canterbury Court of the Exhibition-would be creditable to the Canterbury district, and a good advertisement for its flocks. Several members present expressed their intention of presenting fleeces, and the secretary reported that arrangements were being made with a view to allowing breeders to ticket their exhibits showing the locality in which the wool was grown, and the name of the owner.

General. The secretary was instructed to write to the A. and* P. Association drawing attention to reports that had been received in connexion with the green feed supplied to vendors at the Bam Fair and exhibitors at the November Show. On several occasions Californian thistle and other noxious weeds had been noticed in the bundles of feed supplied and it was considered that there was risk of the distribution of these noxious weeds per medium of stock sent out into country- districts. The management .of the Cattle In-surance-Fund at Addiugton, and the charges made to vendors under the fund was discussed, t and the secretary of the SaJeyards Company undertook to supply information to anyone interested as to the insurance charges and the method of allocation. It was stated that the number of rejections fluctuated considerably, and if the fund was substantially in credit at any particular time, the rates were reduced as far as the margin of safety required would allow. The question of trucking charges for stock at Addington yards was referred to, and strong exception was taken to the action of the Stock Agents' Associaiton in levying this charge on stock vendors without first giving notiee of their intention to do so.

It was stated that this was a charge merely passed on by the-agent to the vendor, and it was generally agreed that before a new contract was entered into, that the sheepowners should have been consulted.