ALLEGED "SHEEP-FAKING"

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10182, 7 March 1911, Page 5

ALLEGED "SHEEP-FAKING"

.AMJIrUVtt WJVI iLMI UN J. iiilt-. MEWED. surruKis MK WILLIAMS. Mr John Bid will, of. Piliautea, in an interview yesterday with a representativel of tlie Age, had something interesting to say on the question of alleged show "faking." Mr Bichvill stated t'liat he thoroughly jigreed with the opinions expressed by Mr Williams. "Faking"' was certainly becoming a'very serious tiling. Personally he gave donations to shows, on. the understanding that no "faked" sliesp should be allowed to compete. At a recent show 'lie took a rule with him, '.and on measuring a first prize sheep found that the wool ,varied from 5 inches to 2A inches. The same remark applied to other sheep shown. Mr Bidwill disapproved very strongly of oiling, which had) now reaciied sucli proportions tiiat he considered Societies ishould provide a wash basin and towel' for the use of those who had to handle them. If it was necessary to oil certain sheep, then the logical conclusion whs that those sheep could not be as good as those which did not require oiling. He looked upon "trimming" ap the worst of all evils in Romneys, because the /"liairy tip" Romnev was the very worst sheep one con Id breed from.- Experts were probably not deceived by "faking," but it was* hardly fair to tile farmer visiting a, show for the purpose of being educated. Personally lie would pass over every pen which he considered contained

"takpct" siieep. lliose that - were not V'faked" lie' noticed did not get ' any prizes. At the Carterton show a few years. ago" Mr Bidwill • stated that lie saw what he .considered I was an ideal Romiiey ewe, which I had been passed over and was not! ; even commended or mentioned in J any shape or form. In his opinion | this sheep, was far superior to ariy- ! thing else in the yards. • 'Not knowing the judge, he questioned the steward of . the Romneys as to tho reason of this particular sheep being overlooked. The reply was that the siieep was ltot "got up" for show, which indicated that if - a . sheep was not "faked" it would' stand no ciiance. Mr JtJidwill considered that sheep. should be shorn in the proper season and. in the usual way, and the date of such shearing should be given. He understood that there was a rule to this g>fEect, tut in a great many s cases it was ignored. ; He held that' J it was. a •cowardlything for the Asj sociations to throw the onus of dealI ing with "faked" sheep on to the I judges-. ' j.xie .associations snouia deal with the matter themselves, make a hard and .fast rule, ana j abide by it. There was a . strong feeling against this practise, and it was in the interest of the Societies themlselves to take a definite stand'. Air Bidwill also spoke strongly against "colouring," which was only another form of "faking." The cliiflat'c conditions in New Zealand vfei-e favourable to sheep being shorn ur der true natural conditio is, and this method of exhibiting should b<? irsiste? on by Societies.