MARLBOROUGH WOOLS.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume II, Issue 156, 17 September 1880, Page 3

MARLBOROUGH WOOLS.

To the Editor. ,Srr>, In your local of the 14th instant, in which you inform your readers that it is the intention of tlieN.Z. Loan and Mercantile Agency Company to place at the disposal of the Marlborough Agricultural and Pastoral Association a silver cup, to be handed to the successful competitor in Merino sheep, at the show of the ensuing season ; you again refer to thf competition of last year, and go out of your way to compare’my wool with Mi Ward’s to my disadvantage, for what purpose I fail to see. In doing this you have made some misstatements, and have not given a clear statements of facts. Let me ask you the meaning of the follow ing statement made by you : “The clip of wool sent home confirmed the opinion of the local judges ; Mr Ward’s wool fetching a hi "her figure than Mr Coulter’s. Mr Coulter’s wool was hoggets, and Mr Ward’s old rams.” , . Do you mean to say that my wool last year was all hoggets, or that Mr Ward’s was all old rams ? Perhaps you refer to the wool sent to the Sydney Exhibition ; if so, your statement's incorrect as to pries. I sent the best wool I had, and I have no doubt but what Mr Ward did the same, or else we must assume want of judgment on his part. Now when put up to auction at the close of the Exhibition, mine realised Is 4d per lb, and Mr Ward’s Is 3fd. W hicli is the higher price ? I will now give you a (.notation from a report in the Sydney Morning Herald, on the merits of these rival wools. This report was made by the staff of the paper assisted by experts, and was made for transmission to Europe : “ Joseph Ward, of New Zealand, placed a bale of wool of excellent quality, good length, free from burr, and thoroughly sound. This exhibit afforded a contrast to wool breed in Australia, and deserves special notice.” , , “ Cyrus Coulter, of New Zealand, placed two bales of wool, which, in point of quality, may be classed highei than those of Mr Ward. It is a very good, sound, marketable wool, upon which Mr Coulter may be congratulated. ” There is not only a description of each, but a comparative statement is made by experts that my wool may be classed higher than Mr Ward’s. Perhaps, Mr Editor, you will say that you did not refer to the wool sent to Sydney, but to “ the clip of wool sent home ” if so, how about my flock all juveniles and Mr Ward’s wonderful flock of all old rams ? On referring to the priced catalogue of wool sold on the 7th May, I find Mr Ward’s wool sold at Is 3id, the same price as the wool of ordinary Wairau sheep from the adjoining statious had sold in the sales from April 20th to that date, viz., Messrs Seymour’s, Dillon’s. Ingles’, &c. Between the 7th and the 14th the sales had receded 2d to 3d, Mr Seymour’s wool on the latterday only reaching Is lid, a difference in price in his clip of 2d. ' My wool was sold on the 10th after this fall had taken place, the highest price being Is 2kl. Had it been sold on the same day as Mr Ward’s we might fairly assume that it would have realised at least 2d more, that is Is or upwards, or Id or more in advance of Mr Ward’s.

I think I have entirely refuted your statement that the sales confirmed the opinion of the local judges. The facts are to the contrary. Owing to the prominence you have given the local judges in youp

i disparagement of my wool, W" forcc ino to ! take notice of their opinion, though I doso ! with reluctance. Whilat entertaifliß| for ! them the greatest respect and «««*«« I them wiih the utmost honesty of intent ioR I I cannot endorse their judgment. may be excellent judges as to fineness of staple, aild no doubt but what til 2J jpicked out the finest wool and Bavf8 av f the cordingly, but fineness is only one eonsidfer ation. The main question is, which w the? most profitable sheep to the s and tins they certainly ignored. sheepfarmers do not care so much foi pretty samples as for well tilled bales and large returns. Mr AYard’s ewes would piobaldy cut about Gibs, mine that competed i them had that season cut an averse of lOifibs and young rams bred by me ha XA.,cl.Gl7il». Mr Ml, Valiev, who bought some gives me that weight in corroboration of my own. 1 mi sorry to trouble you and your readers with this’loi.g letter, But you It if* in self defence to your attack.—Y out s, fcc, > Cyrus Coulter.

NEWS BY THE SUEZ MAIL. A great shock was caused by the -' c - the defeat of General Burrows bngadc It was communicated by the Mmq ■ ‘ limrtmi to the House of Commons on the 28th July. The Government Diimedmtejy took most energetic measures foi Jg* “Jg patch of reinforcements. I * , it - on the 30th August and the Imlihrg Malabar, and Himalaya were tosta.tabout the 12th August, each taking » and a half. The troops from Luglaiul m - -First Battalion 23rd boot and iig* Regiment of Foot Ist Battalion K Brigade fram Gibraltar, and -iu • *^ 24th, from Malta; also, 61st and JSth Regiments. The reinforcements amount to Tlm S E.mlisl, journals and all parties unite in recommending the most vigorous action in order to re-establish British - The Liberals regard the l ,r f cl,fc a * C ; , 1 as the natural heritage of the positio taken up by the Beaconsfield Government in Afghanistan, while the ConsMvabve* retort that the disaster proceeds from the weak policy inaugurated by the l? 145 ®® Government. The foreign papers comment at considerable length on the disastci. anc the news created immense sensation m Paris. Many of the French papers blame the policy of the Liberal Government, The National Zeitung of Berlin, attributes the repetition of such disasterss to the vacillating policy of the British Government, and the faulty strategy of the British military commander. , A r esuvius is in active eruption. An earthquake occurred at Smyona and neighborhood, causing the loss of several lives, and throwing down many houses.