TRIFLING WITH AN EVIL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3011, 7 October 1908, Page 3

TRIFLING WITH AN EVIL.

In connection with the flooding . of the markets with inferior rams unfit for breeding, the secretary for Agriculture (Mr J. D. Ritchie) in his annual report, says:—"The position is one which calls for serious attention. A great many of these inferior rams are from flocks registered by one or another of the sheep-breeders' associations. There have cases during the year in which sVep from tome of the most highly reputed stud flocks have come under this adverse criticism. A number of these inferior sheep have been exported to Australia, with the result that the reputation of New Zealand sheep as a whole is injured. . . . The remedy is in a rigid inspection, before shearing, of every registered flock, and a drastic culling of every sheep, which does net conform to the type of the * breed of which the flock consists. • The Sheep-beeders' Association (South Island branch) has during the year recognised the necessity of this step, but has done no more towards ■ the principle into practice "than to inspect the registered flocks of one breed in the past season, and resolve upon the inspection of the flocks of one other breed during the ensuing year. The North Island branch will go no further than to inspect sheep upon transfer. These , decisions are trifling with the evil, which at such a rate will require a generation to eradicate. . . . The initiation of inspection of stud flocks in the South Island has brought about a voluminous controversy regarding the system. It is significant that the antagonism does not proceed from owners of flocks of the breed (Border Leicester) which has been inspected this year. The principal objection, that different breeders have different ideas of type, might be overcome by the appointment, for each breed, oi judges holding different views (where such exist) as to type, and the flockowner to have the * option of selecting any one from the V .list of judges of his breed to inspect his flock. All sheep passdd_ by the inspectors should receive a distinctive mark." In this connection the report reters to the flock ram classed at shows as a direct encouragement of t!ie degenerate, winch should at once be abandoned.