Praise For Quality Of Lamb From N.Z.

Chronicle (Levin), 6 May 1949, Page 5

Praise For Quality Of Lamb From N.Z.

(N.Z.P.A.—

-Reuter

, Copyright)

Received Thursdav. 7 p.m. LONDON, May 4. The two challenge shields awarded for the annual North and Sonth Island distrirt lamb competitions, which wero judged at Smith field today. were won by Waikato, whi-h was placed first among 14 distrh-ts competing in the North Island, and by Pouthland, which was first among eight Sonth Tsland districts. The judges, Alessrs G-. P. WTay and F. TI. Denniston, who were appointed by the British Tmported Aleaf Trade Association, both praised the qnalitv of the pxhibits. The* Alinister of Food (Mr Strachey), who inspected the 462 carcasses enterea in the competition, said afterwards that New Zealand maintained such consistentlv liight quality in its exported lamb that manv British butehers preferred it to English lamb. "New Zealand 's present long-term contract with this. country provides New Zealand farmers with an assured market for tlieir meat, not only for the present period. but also for as long as I, or anvone else can foresee, " he said. "We "will be glad of all the meat New Zealand can send us. ' ' Tt was pointed out during the display that thero had been an average increase of one and a half pounds ir. the average weight of each New Zea land lamb carcass during the past 12 months, which meant a total increase of 9000 tons in Ihe quantity sent to Britain. Mr. .Strachey was received at Smithfield by the Iligh Commissioner (Mr. W. .T. Jordan) and the London representative of the New Zealand Meat Board f AT r. S. A. Chishobn). Among those who accompanicd the ATinister as he inspected the carcasses were Sir Henry Turner, director of the livestock division of the Alinistrv of Food, and Lord Vestev, a principal ot Yestey's, Limiled.