TBE AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 



711 



reasons in regard to how their verdicts 

 may be arrived at. 



The Muswellbrook Society — through 

 the commendable persistance of their 

 worthy president, Mr. R. T. Keys— has 

 instituted a system that solicits reasons 

 from the judges. These explanations of 

 the judges are boldly displayed on the 

 show ground beside the exhibits for the 

 perusal of the public, and though this 

 method of exposing the faults of exhibits 

 naturally arouses the oppositioa of the 

 owners of faulty animals, it is at least 

 calculated to do credit-to the principle 

 Avhich gave birth to the institution of 

 agricultural shows. There is, of course, 

 one big danger that menaces the pei-- 

 manent and general observance of the 

 Muswellbrook method- and that is the 

 selection of incompetent judges. Another 

 possible impediment is the likelihood of 

 small faults being exaggerated by stud- 

 masters in decrying ihe infirmities of a 

 beaten horse to the advertisement of 

 victorious or non-exhibited animals. In 

 spite of these opposing influences, the 

 best means of imparting education should 

 be consistently embraced if agricultural 

 shows are to be raised to the pedestal that 

 the architects of these institutions con- 

 ceived. 



To admit of this means of educating 

 the producer beibg pi'operly followed, 

 there shuu d be as few judges as possible 

 appointed in each eection. While I per- 

 sonally favour single judges, I do not 

 presume to advance any contention in 

 this particular, but it must be patent to 

 all that one good judge might be easily 

 secured, where it would be almost im- 

 possible to get three experts together at a 

 country show. So that the influence of 

 precedent might be guarded against, it 

 would, perhaps, be wise to have fresh 

 judges every year. 



Whatever may be devised for the 

 education of the producer the giving of 

 instruction must devolve upon the 

 judges. 



Mr. John Lanagan writes : — I am of 

 opinion that the time has .arrived for all 

 P. and A. Asgociations to move in the 

 matter of obtaining paid expert judges; 

 particularly in all stock classes. 



Speaking from many years' experience, 

 the present system of depending on 



judges who are asked to act, from various 

 parts of the district, is unsatisfactory. 

 And my reasons are as follows : — 



1 1) That the intention of shows is to 

 educate the people. Under the present 

 system of local or pick-up judges this has 

 proved a failure. Many of the people 

 accepting the position are incompetent, 

 and when an award is made by them they 

 cannot give their reasons for so doing. 

 So that the public are left to decide why 

 Smith's horse beat Brown's. 



(2) If experts were employed they 

 could give their reasons, in writing, or by 

 word of mouth ; wliicli would assist the 

 unsuccessful exhibitor in the breeding of 

 his stock. 



(3) Regarding the selection of judges, 

 T think they should pass a careful ex- 

 amination before a board, consisting of 

 three members, two of which should be 

 practical stock-breeders, and the third 

 should be the Government Veterinary 

 Surgeon. 



(4) I am a believer in single judges, 

 and think that under this system com- 

 petent men could be got — one taking all 

 classes of horses on the ground ; the same 

 would apply for cattle, and 1 think would 

 possibly work with sheep 



If this plan were adopted, it would 

 assist in keeping down expenses ; and I 

 would suggest that judges be paid by the 

 societies, say 5gs each, and 30s allowance 

 for hotel accommodation, and in addition 

 to this to pay coach fares. 



The Government should give all judges 

 a free railway pass when out on duty. 



(5) Show dates should be fixed and 

 shows so arranged that judges may group 

 a considerable number in one trip. For 

 instance, make Armidale the starting 

 point ; from thence to Glen Innes, 7^en- 

 terfield, Inverell, Warialda, Moree, 

 Narrabri, and Gunnedah, which would 

 complete a number of the country shows 

 up north. 



(Gj I am also of opinion that the Gov- 

 ernment should subsidise all shows using 

 expert judges, to the extent of £ for £. 

 Associations who refuse to a\u\l them- 

 selves of experts should not be sub- 

 sidised, to that extent. 



During the siege of Paris upwards of 80 000 

 hcrses were taten by the inhabitants of the 

 city. 



