MILKING SHORTHORN ASSOCIATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 June 1919, Page 5

MILKING SHORTHORN ASSOCIATION.

ANNUAL MEETING. (Own Reporter.) The half-yearly meeting of the N.Z. Milking Shorthorn Association was held at Palmerston North on Wednesday afternoonj when Mr. J. Hodges, (Wanganui) presided over a good attendance of members. The president expressed gratification at the steady progress the association was making. They now had 520 financial members, and the entries for volume 111 of the herd book totalled 6700, the total entries for the three volumes being 9000, and entries were now being received for volume IV. He urged that all precautions should be taken not to accept any animals that did not come up to standard. The association had been in existence for six years, and with the foundation stock, as well as the strong tion financially and numerically, was in the position to build up the breed with the highest ideals. Everyone -with the interests of the breed at heart should assist by not entering any cattle which would not do credit to themselves or to the association. The breeder who endeavored to do, the best for himself and the association jwould come out all right in the end. ,i-

The chairman stated that last year the association had Vqted approximately £IOO to agricultural and pastoral associations as prize money for semi-officially tested cows. ' ';; .It was reported that the breed was becoming very popular in the Blenheim district, and a large membership could be expected from that district. Considerable discussion took place on o proposal from the Waikato branch re amending the rules so as to provide for voting by proxy at the annual meeting, and it was finally resolved to permit voting by proxies on all remits, but not for the election of officers. Several members expressed the opinion that the conditions under which special prizes donated to agricultural and pastoral associations by the association were awarded should be amended, and instead of awarding the prizes to individual animals, they should be awarded as points prizes. This would give breeders greater encouragement, and tend to an increased entry in Milking Shorthorn classes. Other members expressed the opinion that the little man then would be at a disadvantage as compared with the big man, who could afford to send a large number of cattle about the country. .It was,also pointed out that the present method of awarding the prizes did not appear to have anything definite as to type. Breeders did not know what the judge required, as at one show a cow would win the association prize, and at the next would not receive a card. One member 'suggested that substantial prizes should be awarded for championships of the North Island and the (south Island,

The matter was referred to the council. It waa decided to leave the revision of the judges' lißt to the council. After consdierable discussion it waa resolved to instruct judges at agricultural and pastoral shows to withhold awardtog special prizes for dehorned animals bora after Jma«, iw». —*"