JERSEY BREEDERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 December 1921, Page 7

JERSEY BREEDERS.

NEW PLYMOUTH CLUB. A SOCIAL EVENING. An enjoyable social evening was held by the New Plymouth Jersey Breeders’ Club on Wednesday night. After the usual loyal toast, which was enthusiastically honored, Mr. E. Jackson proposed “The Navy, Army and Air Force, emphasising that New Zealanders were justly proud of these .services. He specially eulogised the work of the Navy during the war as transports and protectors of our produce on its way overseas. He coupled the toast with the name of a very gallant officer, Colonel C. H. Weston. In the course of his reply, Colonel Weston, who was cordially received, said it was a long way* from the Jersey Club to the war, but it was certainly interesting while at the war to note the various forms of agriculture and the way in which farms were worked. That he was a keen observer was evident from the interesting things he related as to all three branches of the service.

Mr. R. Parkin proposed the Agricultural Society, and alluded to the progress made in obtaining show grounds at the Waiwakaiho. The association and ihe Jersey Club were so intertwined that they must inevitably be of mutual help, and in this connection he pointed out that it behoved the members of the club to take up as many debentures as possible to help in obtaining more covered accommodation, by roofing the No. 3 pavilion, also in providing prize-money. The toast was accorded musical honors.

Mr. Grant (president of the society) said it was absolutely necessary there should be the best feeling between breeders, exhibitors and the society, and it was his aim to foster that, as well as the social feeling when the members came together and talked of matters concerning the agricultural industry. He paid a warm tribute to the work of the committee, to whom the success of the society was chiefly due. In proposing the toast of “The Ladies,” Mr. G. H. Bell eulogised their services, and gave them great credit for the interest they took in the demonstrations, and other matters that helped the industry. Mr. Stonex responded, and joined in lauding the services of the Agricultural and other societies connected with farming. Mr. T. C. List (president of the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce) proposed “Prosperity to the Jersey Breed.” He referred to the statement made by Mr. Singleton last Saturday that Taranaki had the largest number of purebred stock of any part of the Dominion, and that largely accounted for the largeness of the butter-fat production, and the record exports of Taranaki. That was evidence of the good work done by the Jersey Club. No other country in the world had such good conditions for dairying as Taranaki, not even Ireland. The club was doing splendid work, for he was satisfied the future prosperity of New Zealand largely depended on purebred dairy stock, in which the Jersey played such a phenomenal part. Much had already been done, but he was confident that in a few years’ time the butterfat yield of Taranaki would be doubled, and that the prices would be favorable. The assumption was a common, one that business men and townspeople generally were parasites on the producing community. This was quite wrong, for most of them were performing a useful and profitable service in the scheme of things. He quoted figures showing that producers sold more butter in New Zealand than they exported, the figures being 36,000,000 lbs. and 29,000,000 respectively for the year 1919-20 (those for the past year not yet being available). It was really surprising how the consumption of butter in the Dominion had increased, for in 1917-18 it was only 21,000,000 lbs. So the local trade was worth cultivating, and it was the people in the towns that consumed much the greater part of the butter. Mr. Yates, in responding, referred to a conversation in the train in which he pointed out that' when a farmer obtained a Jersey or two it lead to his improving his pasture. The Jersey Club had its social as well as its practical side. He was confident Jerseys were going to do a great deal of good for Taranaki, and he hoped to see all the dairying land taken up with Jersey cattle.

Mr. Lepper considered that since farmers went in for Jerseys the butter-fat production had greatly increased. At the same time he liked to see competition with Ayrshires and Friesians, the former particularly for land over run with gorse and blackberries, but for good land there was nothing like Jerseys. He would have much liked, to have seen the pioneer of Jersey stoclq (the late Mr. Hulke) present, and he related how he (the speaker) was helped along by obtaining a young Jersey bull from Mr. Hulke that showed unexpected qualities. He stressed the importance of testing cows, but did not favor a one day tesf. One of his cows had put up a little better than 800 lbs. fat. (Applause.) There was no one who wished Jersey breeders more prosperity than he did. Mr. E. Griffiths proposed "The Press,” and in so doing said the help of the Press had been of great benefit to Jersey breeders, especially in Taranaki. He urged the breeders in North Taranaki to do more advertising, but first they must have the

goods, and then they would obtain purchasers from afar. He paid a tribute to the good reports of meetings and sales, thus helping the Jersey Club. Messrs. Moore and T. C. List responded.

“The Chairman" and "The Hosts” were also honored, and the proceedings were interspersed with songs and recitations, to which the following contributed: Mr. Goldsworthy (a recitation), Mr. Holder (a humorous dissertation on the cow), Mr. Howlett (song), Mr. North (song, insistently encored), Mr. Sturrock (song, encored), Mr. Holder (song). Mr. Sturrock played the accompaniments.