THE POULTRY INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1521, 17 August 1912, Page 3

THE POULTRY INDUSTRY

»—■ — ■ (By Chantecler.)

• Christchurch Show. _Tho Ckristchurcb. Show opened on Thursday, and proved ono of tho greatest successes which has so far attended tho efforts of the club. This year tho committee made a now departure. For many years past they havo held a show early in June, but owing to its clashing with the Dunediu Show, they decided to hold the exhibits at Christchurch during Grand National Week. Thero are several things against holding the show in June. It is early in'the season, and many of the fanciers' birds aro not then matured and ready for exhibition. The season of tho year also is dull, and wintry, and thero is little calculated (o attract visitors to tho city. The wisdom of holding the show during "National" Week has been denioty&'ated by the excellent attendance, quality of the exhibits. A prom at the show was the fine i ay made by the Agricultural Department. This occupied about one-quarter of the huge Drillshed, and waa much admired by farmers and others. Tho spacious accommodation lent itself to a uniform arrangement of the Department's exhibit, and this was fully availed of by the Government officers in charge. Thousands of people inspected the Department's samples, and it is not too much to say that while they were educative to all, they were a revelation to many. * The general poultry exhibits' were very large, especially in the utility classes, which formed quite a strong feature. It is evident that utility exhibits will become very popular if fanciers in charge of clubs will only cater for them.

A Judge and the Wyandottes. Mr. J. H. Hemsworth, of Australia, was judge of several classes, and hjs remarks go to show that New Zealand 08*11 put forward some excellent stock. Unlike many of tho judges in Now Zealand, ke adkered strictly to the old /.English standard. AVyandottes are his speciality,- and some of the birds were'severely cut for lacking AVyandotted type, though tho lacing was good. The lacing of Wyandottes has been regarded by "many judges as their most important feature, but Mr. Heins.worth says: "Give me the AVyandotte typo first, and I .will judge the bird and its ■ other ckaracteristics afterwards." Much, activity was stiown ,by local tradespeople in being represented. Displays of eggs,and poultry were made by tkoso interested iu tho trade, and grain and produce merckants and other classes of trade wero also represented. The weather- was ideal, for the opening event, and. it is now more than likely that Grand National AVeek will always be adhered to for this show. The Coming Deputation. Arrangements are well in hand for the deputation that is to wait on tke Prime Minister on August 26. The members of the deputation are men thoroughly, interested in the.poultry industry, and their hope is that the Government will treat their requests with consideration. In other countries the poultry industry is growing on every band, and supplies are hard to obtain. New Zealand is specially adapted for tke purpose of'poultry raising, and air that is necessary is to get a

suitable market (o encourage producers to go in tor tho business. It is nioro than possible that eggs will be cheap this summer, and were an export trade arranged, it would tend to strengthen (lie prices, and givo encouragement for the production of eggs. Thero are signs that farmers arc. taking more interest in table poultry and tho high prices obtained during tho past year certainly constitutes a strong inducement for tiiem to raise stock. It is thus that an outlet will bo required for surplus birds, and arrangements for this should be got well in hand before tho market is glutted, as was tho case two years ago. With no outside, market, tho industry is subjected to spasmodic rises and falls. Our own demands are easily catered for; but if inducement were offered to ship eggs and poultry, the industry would double itself in the course of a few years,

Poultrymen as an Aid to Business. There is no branch of rural activity that demands mora expenditure thantho poultry industry. The poultryinnn has ever got to put his hand in.his pocket for supplies. He patronises the timber merchant, the ironmonger, the produco merchant, and tho flom-roiller. In fact,. every branch of trade gets his money. If it were not for the wheat that is consumed' by poultry, farmers would no doubt be unablo to dispose of their surplus grain. There are few activities which offer such possibilities, and, at the present time, we • are simply on the fringe of what will be a great industry in New Zealand.'