FRANCO-BRITISH EXHIBITION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2361, 30 November 1908, Page 7

FRANCO-BRITISH EXHIBITION.

WOOL AWARDS.

great distinction for aus-

TRALASIA.

[From Our Special Correspondent. J

* BRADFORD, Oct. 16. Australasian' pastoralists are once more to bo congratulated, for it has again been demonstrated l beyond doubt that no other country in the world can grow wool like the Commonwealth and New Zealand. Those who have had the privilege of paying a visit to the Fran co-British. Exhibition have seen a show of wool the like of which has never been seen under any one roof ,and it’s a pity that such a collection, cannot find a permanent home in some leading centre where it would be open for inspection in the future. The wool r " show in al lthe courts, has been much inspected and admired, and well it might. One hundred years ago no man ever thought Australia capable of producing such splendid fleeces, and it is really difficult to see where there is any room left for further advance in the art and science of sheep breeding and wool growing. Being down this week at the wool sales, I paid yesterday a special visit to the Exhibition to get the rewards and to make a final inspection of the fleeces from the different States of the Commonwealth and New Zealand. The results of the judging were not made public; in fact, I had the,wool awards before several of the court commissioners themselves, and had the honor of conveying the new s to them ! The fleeces from New South Wales. Queensland, and South Australia had been put in and shown as a collective exhibit, the official in charge deciding upon this course, rather than put each breeders’ fleece into competition with each other.*. Much can he'said Loth for and against this proceeding, and perhaps when so many fleeces /were shown from these big States it the best. Victoria, let each breeders 'wool stand on its own bottom, and so did West Australia, Tasmania, --and New Zealand. The following-arc the results, and it will be seen the. collective exhibits of New South Wales and Queensland take the high- | est honors:

GRAND mix. Commissioners for New South Wales.'-' Government of Queensland. ✓ DIPLOMA OP HONOR. Government, of South Australia. Department of Agriculture for South Australia. >' TASMANIAN WOOL AWARDS. Tasmania has every reason for congratulation on its remarkable success. I have always said' that the tight little island need play second fiddlo to no other wool producing State in the Commonwealth, for if it can do nothing else it can grow wool (merino) to perfection. Those who have seen the fleeces at the Franco-British could not help but admire them, and if the show was not of the imposing potentialities of New; South Wales, it certainly lacked nothing in point of quality, handle and Condition. The commissioner in charge very wisely decided to let each grower’s fleece stand on its merits, and not to show them as a collective exhibit. I honestly think some of the growers should have had the highest honorof all, namely, the Prix, but several come in for the next highest position. Only one Tasmanian breeder failed to secure a mark of honor, the wool shown under his name being a Shropshire ewe fleece somewhat dirty and earthy, and not at all an attractive r' fleece. NEW ZEALAND WOOLS. The wool show from the Dominion is not a large one, but what there is, is very good. A special word of •praise is due to the splendid case of •fleeces from Mar aekak.aiho station, containing one each of pure merino, half-bred, fine Leicester, ordinary Leicester, £-bred Lincoln, medium Lincoln, and coarse Lincoln. The Gear Freezing Co./ of Wellington, is well to the front with .its slipes, and so are both Messrs Pyne and t., James Fav and Co., H. J. turke and Co., and all the rest. The following are the .awards: DIPLOMA OF HONOR. James Fay ancl Co., AVellington. It. D. I). McLean, .Maraekakaho. GOLD- MEDAL. Pvne and Co., Christchurch. Gear Meat Preserving and Freezing Co., Ltd., AVellington. SILVER MEDAL. . H. J. Bourke and Co. ,• Taking the results as a whole they are not to be, grumbled at, but all breeders alike are to be complimented on their deserved success.. r