JERSEY BREEDERS' ASSOCIATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 June 1919, Page 7

JERSEY BREEDERS' ASSOCIATION.

j 1 ' REPORT CONTINUED. GRADE BULLS. At the New Zealand Jersey? Breeders' Association on Thursday, Mr. Ranford withdrew the following remit: "That the time has come for the council to take action against the breeding and selling of grade bulls by members of the association, and that no stock be accepted for registration in the association's books from breeders known to sell such stock." Mr. Eanford explained that legal advice, had been obtained to the effect that the adoption of the remit would be illegal. He wanted to draw attention to the fact that grade bulls were being sold. The grade bull threw bapk, and was not so certain to breed to type and. production as the purebred. DEALING WITH' EECXjMMENDATIONS Mr. E. H. Linnell moved that it be a recommendation to the council that no remit, having been adopted at the annual general meeting be vetoed by the council without a reasonable excuse being given to the different branches. Mr. Linnell said the was the putcome of the council's seeming indifference to the wishes and views of members, expressed at the annual meeting. The council had autocratic powers, and could if they pleased prevent the discussion of remits. To the Stratford branch's way of thinking they were barily playing the game, and a much move drastic remit than that before the meeting had been first proposed by the branch. It was hoped that the autocrats would see the handwriting on the wall and act accordingly. As the matter stooii it was a waste of time for branches to pass remits; it was. a waste of time to forward tliem to the annual meeting, and it was a further waste of time and money to sit there and discuss them. The dgy of the autocrat had passed, and this was the day of the democrat. Should the council curry out the remit they would be content with the old order of things, and they could retain their executive power; but if not, a change of constitution would be demanded, and would have to come. . He referred to a meeting held'at Hawera, at which eight or nine remits were passed, and not one was adopted by th 9 council. They wanted courtesy Bhown them as members. If his remit was adopted H would stimulate members to further activity in the association's affairs. If it was not passed there was nothing for the branches to meet for, and he trusted that the Stratford branch would receive the support of tho meeting in the matter before them.

Mr. O'Sullivan 'Stratford) seconded. The chairman said the remit had been beaten a good many times, and he hoped it would be beaten again. He pointed out that remits that would suit Taranaki might not suit Wellington or Auckland. Their constitution was on all fours in -the constitution of the New Zealand Parliament. A deputation to the Minister did not bind the Government Taranaki had representatives on the council just as other districts hod. Mr. Ranford said that no remit had ever goHe to the waste-paper basket without being discussed by the council, though he knew that remits had been rejected and no information given directly to the branches as to the cause. What the council was row |£ked to do was quite reasonable. Mr. Griffiths congratulated the mover on the way he had presented his case. He (Mr. Griffiths) had moved two years ago* a much stronger motion along the same lines, and it had been rejected Mr. Linnell's motion merely required that the branches would be given an explanation when a remit was rejected. The president: Has air explanation ever been refused. Mr. Griffiths: We want to>provide mar chinery for obtaining explanations without asking. A member asked if it would, not be better to have the meetings- of the council reported. The president replied that they were I reported in the Journal. Mr. Linnell: The report usually says that the meeting was held and routine' business discussed, and dealt with. That was all they saw. (Laughter.) Mr. Dunn said that if the council was going to turn down remits adopted at the annual meeting he was not going to be a member of the association, and, further, he waa not going to keep Jerseys. They were there as members from the North Cape to Invercargill and they wanted the council to respect their wishes. He did not want to reflect on the council and waa contending for a principle.

I Mr. Linnell objected to a remark by the president that the remit was an old bird dressed in new feathers. The "old bird" vra.9 a curtailment of the executive's power, but in thia case all that was desired was information when a pernit was rejected, j The motion waa carried. It was decided that the nest annual meeting be held in Hamilton. Mr. Jones suggested New Zealand championships for Jefsey bulls and cows. Mr. Linnell said the Ayrshire breeders had a championship far the whole of New ZeaJand, which was competed for through the A. and P„ Societies. A condition made with the society granted the championship for any year was that all breeders of Ayrshires in the district should be circularised. Mr. Ranford, in supporting, urged that good prize money be given—say £SO. It would be one of the best advertisements they could get for the society. Mr. Jones said they could look to the A. and P. Societies to give the Becond and third prizes. The president said the council would give the proposal consideration. Mr. Jones moved that it be a recommendation to the council that they consider the advisability of awarding a New Zealand championship prize for both male and female Jerseys. This was carried. Mr. Banks moved thai a gold medal be awarded for any cow or heifer giving 250 lb of butter-fat over the required amount. Mr. Dunn said it would be better to leave the conditions to the council, otherwise it would be gold medals and they would not know what they were for The motion was carried. Mr. Griffiths read a paper on the marking and identification of animals, and urging the advantages of tatooing. In a few years, he said, owners of cattle would adopt tatooing. The fire-brand was more difficult of application and was bv no means so sure. Asked if he could srive the name of the maker of the appliance and the price, Mr. Griffiths said he had obtained his through the Jersey Bulletin, and the price was, he thought,. £2 15s. A member mentioned that tatooing had bees adopted by Konwey Marsh ■P"* "'- ;t """Id Iwl with, sheep.

it would last with cattle. He thought the necessary instrument could bo obtained at Palmexston. Passing to other business Sir. Linn 'said the council seemed to have plenty ■ of money, and he would suggest that ' | they import one of the. best bulls they i could get [ Mr.. O'Sullivan moved that all medals j given by the association be. 18-carat gold. Ho mentioned one. case in which a, medal i was won and was refused because of " its worthless ncss. >■ Mr. Linnell said that one medal awarded was supposed to be 9-cnrat, and the winner was informed by a jeweller that it did not have one carat of gold. The president said he had heard nothing about the matter before, and the council would inquire into the complfvinits. The medals cost £ 1 18s each. Mr. O'Sullivan said *foey realised that it was not the fault of the council. Mr. R. Hill said they should not part without passing a resolution about the equalisation scheme. All those engaged in tlie dairying business were not 'T)ig bugs." There were many struggling men and some widows and children too. He had seen a boy carrying a cream can and had been told that he was 41 years of age. At the same time Sir Joseph.Ward was telling them in London about the fine labor laws of New Zealand. The dairy farmer, according to Mr. Cuddie,, waa compelled to sell his butter-fat for 2%d less than it cost to produce it.' It was sheer robbery. The president said he was sure the meeting would favor such a resolution, but it was outside their business. A member: There would be no harm, in passing a resolution. The president said he would leave it to the meeting.

Mr. Hill then moved: "That tlisimeeting of Jersey cattle-breeders place on record its emphatic protest against tho action of the Government in limiting the price to til)© producers for butter produced for local consumption to a price estimated at 2Jd per lb less than; the cost of manufacture, and request that the equalisation fund be taken out of the consolidated revenue.

The motion was carried unanimously. CATTLE TICK. Mr. R. Hill said he had heard that the farmers down this way, alarmed at the reports of cattle tick in the north, were talking of compelling northern cattle-owners to establish dips and were going to make things pretty warm for' them. He would like to . hear the t opinions of some of those present on the tick. He would tell them something about it. On being invited to continue, Mr. Hill said the only way to deal with it was to treat it as they did the sheep fly when it appeared in the south. In the latter case they did not trouble themselves about it. It was not fair to make the northern fanners dip their cattle, and the only thing for it was to cover the whole question with ridicule. They did not know the worst of it here. Last year the tick started attacking human beings. That ought to make their hair stand on end. One had attacked liimj he had found a similar insect in. all particulars except size on his favorite cat. and it had been found on seagulls, and other birds. They would lintl, if they were going to deal with the cattle titfk, that they had a big job before them, especially if they were going to dip the lot. This concluded the busiuess.

VISITING MEMBERS ENTERTAINED. The visiting members to the annual meeting of the- Jersey Cattle Breeders' Association were entertained at a social by the local branch in the supper-room of the Masonic Hall, Robe Street, on Thursday evening. Mr. E. Griffiths presided. The attendance was so large that it was impossible to accommodate all at the tables. There was a short list of toasts, interspersed with songs and recitations. After the toast to had been loyally honored, "The Army, Navy, and auxiliary forces" was proposed in on able address by Mr. Harper Lepper. Colonel Weston responded. Mr. Griffiths, in proposing "The Cattle Breeders' Association," said tho visitors must be impressed with the overwhelming number of Jersey cattle in this part of the Dominion. The standard had been [established when the conditions were the 'most unfavorable and butter-flat the cheapest. The popularity of the Jerseywas spreading to those districts where other breeds were most numerous. He referred to the help branches were giving the association. In several respects good' work had been done by the Hamilton branch, which, among other things, had been resjponsible for a competition known as tho Jersey Derby, the winner of which was. awarded a very substantial prize. The conditions under which Jerseys were sold were also much improved as a result of tho branch's efforts. The Stratford branch, too, had been very active, As they would see from the number and nature of the remits to the annual meeting. He might tell them that nearly one-fifth of the members of the association were in the New Plymouth and Stratford districts. With regard to semi-official testing, he was satisfied that more encouragement should be given. The same reasons for not making these tests which hail been offered in the past could not be put forward now. As an instance of what was being done locally, he mentioned the best Stratford Jersey, which had produced something better than 900 lbs of butterfat. Ho was glad to see that the official monthly records were now being published. He hoped that the number of Jerseys tested would greatly increase next year, and that the records would improve. The best way, he was assured, to improve their herds was to import bulls, and he would suggest that farmers unable to pay the price of an. imported bull singly should club together. Tt would pay five to give £IOO each. Tho man who did the greatest amount of good to the Jersey breed was the man who imported the best stuff.

Mr. Dermer, in responding, thanked the local branch for the reception given. There was one point he wanted to make. Their average had been 404. They could make that 454, or even 474. This district could claim to be the most enthusiastic in the Dominion. Tho same cohesion was not found in other districts, prooably because the members were more scattered. The past four years had been most unfavorable to the Jersey, but they had kept on improving, and he was satisfied that they would improve even more during the next four years. "Kindred Branches" was proposed by Mr. Shaw. They were much indebted to the president of the local branch for the reception given. He regretted that there was not sufficient accommodation, but, the blame rested with those who did not reply to the invitation to attend the social. He hoped the visitors would forgive him for any little shortcoming in that respect. Mr. Clark, in responding, said the society had a big lead. They had the oldest breed in the country, and the Jerseys were very numerous, but the I breeders of other cattle were also showing activity, and were right out after

"the first place. He had been, much interested that day in the discussion- on testing, which was a great adwwriage-at any time, and particularly when, sales wese desired. Ha noticed that Hamilton was to be the next place for the annual meeting, and he hoped that all who intended to be present would let the Hamilton branch know in good time, so that, adequate accommodation could be- provided. Mr. Linnell referred to the value of friendship and good fellowship, which promoted success in all things. He ' understood that there were only three branches. Why was it that other representatives there did not have branches? At Stratford they had started with 18 members, and now they had 60. The main thing was to get members—not necessarily "big pots." At Stratford they watched the sales, and as soon as a man purchased a pedigree Jersey they nailed him, and usually he did not take much persuading. If it had not been for the Stratford branch there would have been very little before the meeting that day. They would have a social at Stratford on the 24th, at which any member would be welcomed. Mr. Lysons proposed "Our Visitors," and referred to the advantages of holding' such meetings. Mr, R, Hill (Whangaxei), responding,, said it was a great pleaisur& to a man like him, accustomed to the clay lands •and noxious weeds of the north of Auckland, to visit the beautiful town of New Plymouth. Where he came from they .had had the worst season for the past ;35 years, and suffered from a drought tasting eight months. He referred to ■the neglect the North Auckland district had Buffered and the prevailing ignorance about it. The Germans knew more twenty-five years ago than the Government knew to-day, or would know when they had the report of the Parliamentary Industries Committee now sitting. Mr. H. E. B. Watson also returned thanks for the hospitality shown. Other toasts were "The Press," proposed by Mr. J. S. Connett; "The Secretary," proposed by Mr. Eagle; and "The Caterer," proposed by the president. During the evening songs and other items were given By Messrs Norman ; DiiVv Linnell, Howlett, Hart man, and R. Hill.