Innovative farmers to seek review of earlier decision

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 2, Issue 23, 6 November 1984, Page 6

Innovative farmers to seek review of earlier decision

Pictures taken by Bulletin reporter, Mary Anne Gill, of a purpose-bred triplet ewe have been sent to farming magazines and newspapers all around the world. . The ewe, a Coopworth, bred on the property of Mr and Mrs Gardner in Tohunga Road, Ohakune, is capable of suckling four lambs simultaneously. Ann Gardner along with her daughter Sandra Ball and her husband Tom, were recently convicted in the Ohakune Court of overstaying their permits in New Zealand and were remanded until 1 3 December while representations are made to the Minister of Immigration. Charles Gardner has been issued with a temporary permit valid until July next year during which time he is required to make every reasonable effort to dispose of their property, bought on 1 5 April 1 983 for in excess of $700,000, including lands, buildings and livestock. Mr and Mrs Gardner provided $600,000 of the purchase price from the proceeds of the sale of their United Kingdom property. The couple have met with much scepticism in New Zealand since they arrived in the country on a hunch that a four-teated ewe was a possibility. It was when they were holidaying in New Zealand in 1981 that Mr and Mrs Gardner saw a four-teated ewe in an Ohakune woolshed. Mrs Gardner returned the following year intending to stay in the country and she was joined shortly thereafter by Sandra and Tom Ball with their daughter Angela. Mrs Ball gave birth to a son, Robert Edward on 20 December at Taupo. He was subsequently found to have a heart malfunction and has

received treatment at Greenlane Hospital in Auckland. In June this year, the Gardners received confirmation in writing from George Davis, a scientist at the Invermay Agricultural Research Centre, that four teats on ewes are functional and that the centre would be interested in collaborating with the couple further. They in fact have acquired about eight ewes and a ram known to leave progeny with four teats and are endeavouring to breed sheep with four functional teats for multiple lambing ewes. MAF scientist and journalist, Dr Clive Dalton from Ruakura, said recently that whilst the work the Gardners have done is definitely useful, their work as far as MAF was concerned is not of a high priority. He suggested that the people who have shown interest in the research should get together in order to speed progress. Meanwhile solicitor Peter Hankins from Wanganui is continuing to work on behalf of his clients, the Gardners and Balls, to ensure that they can remain in New Zealand. He believes that the type of farming they are doing is within the guidelines set out in Form L70 which was given to both couples at New Zealand House, London, in 1982.