THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1909. LINCOLN SHEEPBREEDERS' ASSOCIATION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9643, 8 November 1909, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1909. LINCOLN SHEEPBREEDERS' ASSOCIATION.

Breeders of Lincoln sheep in the Wairarapa will doubtless be pleased to hear of the decision arrived at in Palmerston North last week, to establish a Lincoln Sheepbreeders' Association. The movement in fact emanated very largely from the Wairarapa, and for some time past Messrs W. Perry, D. McGregor, junr., Bland Kayner and others have been interesting themselves in the matter. The decision to secede from the New Zealand Sheepbreeders' Association and form an independent one was, therefore, not altogether unexpected. To test the feeling of breeders in the matter circulars were sent out, and it was ascertained at the meeting that out of 118 inquiries sent out, 60 bad been answered in favour of a Lincoln Association, and only two were received against it. The other breeders had not returned their replies up to the date of the meeting. Those present considered that the replies easily justified the formation of an Association, and a sub-committee was elected consisting of the three Wairarapa breeders above named, and Mr W. H. Wybourne, to draft rules and submit to a meeting to be held at the next winter show. Mr G. R. Sykes, of Masterton, was appointed secretary. It might be remarked that in breaking away from the group of sheepbreeders who constitute the New Zealand Sheepbreeders' Association the Lincoln breeders have no tault whatever to find with the working of that body, which they quite recognise has achieved an immense amount of useful work. But the present is an age of specialising, and particularly in the case of breeding of stock, where the conditions warrant it, specialising should not only be weclomed but encouraged. The justification of the present step exists in the simple fact of the steady growth of Lincoln sheepbreeding in New Zealand. k The "launching out" has come about quite naturally, and this branch of the sheep family feels that it can now leave the parentwing of the Association self-reliant and full of confidence for the future. It will be remembered that some three jtt four years ago the Romney breeders in the New Zealand Ap*o nation were confronted with a swnil*

ar positio u Tr.oy cjnsidered the matter very carefully, took the leap, and have now the satisfaction of knowing thst fro.n the date of their secession the career of the Romneys has been one of very deckled progress. The new departure affect 3 the Wairarapa verv considerably, for it is admittedly one of the most successful sheepbreeding districts in the Dominion. That the Association will prove beneficial to the Lincoln bret d of sheep there is no doubt, an:l we wish it every success.