TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1456, 11 October 1879, Page 4

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

A Lover of Clydesdales. — The reporters of horse parades find considerable difficulty in obtaining reliable information in reference to many of the horses shown, and auy little shortcomings are generally the fault of the exhibitors in not being to hand to give all necessary information to gentlemen of the press. We will be happy to inpert the information you mention if you will forward it in time for our next issue.

The proposal of the Taieri Agricultural Society to amalgamate is one that will require careful and serious consideration at the hands of the Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association. Without doubt local shows do a great deal towards furthering the object all these Societies have in view, as they bring under the notice of large numbers of farmers who cannot be reached by a central society the advantages gained by annual exhibitions. They also help to sift, as it were, the exhibits for the central society, and thus keep up its standdard. Any exhibitor who did not receive a prize at the local show would scarcely venture to exhibit again at the central one. But if he made proper use of his eyes, he would observe the points in which his exhibits were deficient, and he would probably become ambitious enough to try and improve, and thus be led to make an effort to carry away the champion prize. Taken by itself, amalgamating with the Taieri Society may be a desirable object, but should this be the forerunner of other amalgamations, we scarcely think the time has yet arrived for them. Local societies should do everything in their power to strengthen the hands of the central society, but in their own districts they can also do good work, and we commend to the notice of all the example of the Waikouaiti and Blueskin Entire Horse Company in presenting a £10 cup to be competed for. If the amalgamation is> agreed to, we sincerely hope the Taieri Society will withdraw the condition about the show being held at Mosgiel, which they have attached. The proper place for the show ground is near Dunedin, and if removed from the city, the change should be in the direction of making it an itinerant one, when Palmersfcon, Invercargill, Milton, and other centres would have equal claim to the show being held in their neighbourhood occasionally. The success of the Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Society's Shows at present depends a good deal upon the gate money, and it is only possible to make these takings assume large proportions by holding the show near Dunedin. Our Taieri friends should remember that though by holding the show at Mosgiel they would bring it nearer the southern portion of Otago, still the Society receives a large meed of support from the northern districts, and northern visitors and exhibitors would scarcely care about going past Dunedin, where they can combine other business with that of visiting the show. Under these circumstances, and till the Otago Society is more independent of gate takings, we think it would be a grave mistake to have the show grounds at Mosgiel, and we hope before consenting to it the Committee will take every point of view into its consideration.