The Daily Telegraph. TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 1884.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3908, 29 January 1884, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph. TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 1884.

The ram fair to-morrow reminds us of the time when tho flock owners of Hawke's Bay had no such means of acquiring a knowledge of. what was being done by others in tho way of breeding, or of secur-' ing. so easily the best blood obtainable in the colony. It was.in 1874-75 that the suicidal policy of keeping one's light under a bushel was first impressed upon our provincial landowners. Pz-eviously to that date it appeared to a runholder an advantage than otherwise to say nothing of his land for fear of exciting the " greed" of the capitalist. He was content to plod along according to his lighte, and if he thought a change of blood desirable he would probably exchange his own well-used rams for of his neighbor's that were no better than his own. Tho sudden tide of prosperity that caught up the colony aud lifted Hawke's Bay with it attracted outsiders to this district, and thoso who came to spy out the land spread the news abroad that the occupiers did not. know what a country it was, they possessed. - It. was .aboutthis time that many properties changed hands, and tho vigor displayed by the new comers infused itself into tho. old settlers. A fresh departure was consequently mado, and Hawke's Bay may be said to have commenced a now chapter in its history from that date. The rise in tho price of land consequent on the public works policy, which had attracted capital to the colony, relievod the monetary pressure that had previously paralysed the energy of sheepfarmers, and set free large, sums of money that were speedily employed in the improve-. I ment of both land and stock. Although the long-wool cross had been introduced for many years, the quality of the sheep were very inferior, and it became an!object to attract the attention of southern breeders to this market. The first ram fair was hold at Havelock, and as an experiment—for such it was looked fulfilled expectations. The quantity Of; rubbish offered- for sale if it could be reproduced to-day, would astonish the fashionable breeder, but it would also show, him, by a comparison with those to bo sold to-morrow, tho wonderful improvements that have been effected within so short a time. In tho course of less than ten years tho whole character of our provincial stock has been altered, side by side with the improvement of the P<jst«re. lhw has not been done hap-hazard, but by the application of tho results of a careful study of the art of brooding. Mimh. is still rearmed to be learned, and m time no doubt will bo learned, but wo have much to be nroud of in that which has already been accomplished. The results of what has been done are seen at our annual agncultural and pastoral shows, where it in noticeable year by year that breeders of inferior sheep drop out of the competition, and arc content to observe and buy rather than to exhibit. The samo remark applies in a great measure to the ram fair, which has now become something more than a local institution. .Wo recollect when the promoters of our annual faira predicted tfoat, wit/h tljo country we bad to work ou

tho time could not be far distant when the pick of the stud flocks in the colony would bo sent to Hawke's Bay. That prediction has most certainly been fulfilled. The fair to-morrow, will have numerous representatives from the flocks of nearly all the best known breeders in New Zealand, and it would be strange indeed if, out of so many, buyers of all descriptions could not meet with their requiremenis. We have already referred from time to time to the various lots consigned to this market, and we can do no more now than to direct attention to the long lists that are advertised by our local auctioneers."'