MANAWATU EVENING STANDARD Circulation, 3.200 Copies Daily. WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 1906. TRIMMING SHEEP FOR SHOWS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8195, 23 May 1906, Page 4

MANAWATU EVENING STANDARD Circulation, 3.200 Copies Daily. WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 1906. TRIMMING SHEEP FOR SHOWS.

At last month's meeting of the Manawiitu A. and P. Association there was* considerable discission on the question whether it was advisable to permit the 4 trimming' of ihovr sheep. The mntter was gone into very fnHjy-, many livergent views being expressed by various members. .During the discussion it .seemed to be recognised that it was impossible to hope for the reaching of any definite conclusion right away. It was urged by several that the matter, if it was to be dealt with at all, must be taken up and handled by all the principal societies iu the colony. The question was really m the hands of exhibitors. It was also pointed out that at the chief shows there was an interchange of exhibits. If. therefore, a penalty for trimming were imposed by only some of the societies, it followed that sheep which were quite eligible for

ent-y at one show would be debarred from competing nt others. Tito outcome of the discussion, which wo reported fully at the time, was the following resolution That trimming be prohibited in the Hoinney classes only this year, pending a circular asking their views on the subject being sent out to all other .associations and breeders, the replies received to be submitted to the Sheep Schedule Committee for their report to the General Committee." That the terms of the resolution have been carried out may be gauged by the fact that the circular has already been discussed by some of the Societies. Huwke's Bay recently decided to take no action, but this was scarcely neces. sary. They were not asked to deal in an}' way with the practice, only to express their views on it, We learn, however, that a resolution has been tabled with the Manawatu A. and P, Association to rescind the proposal" that trimming be prohibited m Rornney classes ,oulv." The matter is, therefore, not at all sealed yet in this district, as the report of the Sheep Schedule Commince has yet to be brought down. In this connection it is interesting to note the remarks made by Mr A. Matthews—recognised as one of the foremost breeders of Jiomney sheep' in the colony—«t the meeting of jhe Wairarapa A. and l\ Society on Friday last. A copy of the circular referred to above was receded and caused an iiUcrestiog discussion. Mr Matthews

laid that the matterhftd #i**a4y discussed at a mating of Boeiety» when be w&& #urpriM v d u> Jind one speaker alleging that all jsheep inhibited were trimmed: whjl#t another •peaker stated that trimming eoufci be earned out in..*ueh a manner that no exception could be taken to tin* practice. IritriJwtag ioiglit be d-uie *.> ««*H a* to , deceive some, but, Mr MattUew# churned,; f.|nVcyilil obt l».(tew willl the 3^.®-nef,_,.j chnw*. : Some' years- ;ago; in Eagknd,'j experts vfere appointed to csatuioc sheep prior to the jwdgmg,, '&«* ■?*•, w **-j found thai in ■mi my ease?* ■ the. export* j alio wed trimmed *heep to pft*» thsm. It vm then decided. to' leave' the »j»Uer';. to the jtulge*. - .He could not- .*<*•«_. botany judge could co»j*io»t'ou*ly pa#*' one partieiilitr *h*ep; whfeh he hairimspec ted, and which had taken first prize at: the Ma#rerlo» show, a* it was practically cut into whape. The wool « u•; clipped to within lin to ~tn on the back, and wns 6in m length on the, nlw. Tli<* trimming was so effected. as to make it appear that the 'sheep had an excellent hack# Mr "Matthews then related art experience he had at Wellington a few years ago, when one of hi* ram# won a champion priie. It was then alleged by some that the am ma! had been clipped. A* a matter of fact nothing of the kind had occurred. There was a peculiarity about the tops of the wool which might uhe the impression of trimming, and when the sheep was shown m the following year and he {Mr Matthew*) pointed out this circumstance to the people who had made the accusation of trimming, they dtd not know what io say. In h>« opinion the society should take a decided stand on this matter of trimming. A few years ago he (Mr .Matthews) had moved that the trimming, housing, and c lothing of exhibits should be prohibited; but in the following year he found a champion Lincoln with a cloth on. lie thereupon framed a resolution that all restrictions should be removed. He urged the society to do »ometh»ng which would keen re unanimity amongst 'societies' m the treatment of trimmed sheep. Considerable discussion followed, several condemning the practice beeatw it had a tendency to mislead purchasers of prize stock, who might or might not be experts, and who wished to secure a good class of sheep. It was, they held, a matter tele deprecated that these people should be led to boy sheep which, when the shears went over them, turned out to be a different sort of sheep from what the buyers were led to expect at the show. Others again were against making any regulations on the grounds that if they were to prohibit trimming at their own show, they would block out many exhibits which the society might be very glad to receive. It was final k decided to postpone consideration of the nutter till a further meeting. It will thus be seen that on this question, as on many others, very divergent opinions exist. It is another < % ase of" When doctors differ, etc/* and one on which the mere layman is apt to find himself at fault in expressing an opinion. ,