EARMARKING SHEEP.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2054, 15 April 1907, Page 2

EARMARKING SHEEP.

NEW SYSTEM WANTED. The Southern farmers are renewing the agitation for a new system of ear-marking, on account of the frequent duplication of marks and the prevalence of sheep stealing.

At the last meeting of the Canterbury A. and P. Association it was advocated that Mr. Ritchie’s scheme be adopted,- and, as that scheme only embraced 1,000 marks in a district, it meant that only those owning over 500 sheep should be allowed an earmark. Some 18 months ago Mr. Ritchie’s scheme was presented to the Canterbury Slieep Farmers’ Industrial Union, when it was promptly condemned as being complicated, cumbersome and entirely impracticable; yet so hard pressed are the Canterbury farmers for a system that they would take up the condemned system rather than have none at all. and they would deprive the small farmer and the beginner of any right to an ear-mark, in order that they might have even a complicated, cumbersome system amongst the rest of them. It is rather selfish to deprive 11,000 of their rights in order to benefit 7,000 others; but the Canterbury A. and P. Association is a strong body, and unless the farmers generally wake up and put some life into tlio question they will find themselves saddled with a scliome that they will only regret once, and that will he always. Of the local farmers who have seen into Ritchie’s scheme,, there are none who have a good word to say for it.,

UNIVERSITY HONORS.

Sill JOSEPH WARD AS DOCTOR ’ . OF LAWS. Received 5 p.m., April 14. LONDON, April 13. Edinburgh University has conferred an honorary degree of Doctorsliip of Laws on Sir Joseph Ward, Doctor Jameson, and Mr. F. R. Moore, Piemicr of Natal. Dean Gray, in conferring the degrees, remarked that Sir Joseph Ward’s dominant characteristics were perseverance, energy, and rare business capacity. Received 5.13 p.m., April 14. Three thousand at McEwan Hall witnessed the conferring of the degrees There was great enthusiasm. At the University Union’s banquet Sir Joseph Ward declared that personally he was very hopeful the historical conference would prove resultiul. It’ was almost an insult to expect anything else. If nothing were achieved there would soon be no i ecossity for conferences. Referring to the creation of an Advicory Imperial Council, he urged that some body was necessary to assist in settling great matters of Imperial and colonial concern during intervals between the conferences. Sir Joseph Ward, continuing, said that unless the Motherland and colonies woke up, stood shoulder to shoulder, and acted simultaneously and vigorously, they would be unable to obtain an increase of the present trade in face of the persistent efforts of subsidised foreign competitors. He admitted that great delicacy was necessary, and naval defence probable, but the necessities of the Empire demanded united practical action in orde rto prepare in times ol peace for an absolutely effective organisation for war. (Great applause.)