BATTLE OF SITES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 20, 5 November 1935, Page 9

BATTLE OF SITES

TINWALD OR NORTH BELT?

AN EARLY RECOLLECTION.

NATIONAL SHOW, ADVOCATED. This site was on the south side of the river in South Ashburton —what is now Timvald. Strengthened financially by the generosity of Mr* Bullock, and by a grant of £IOO from the County Council, the Association decided to have this section fenced, planted with trees, and provided with yards. At the annual meeting, held on September 10, the following officials were elected for the year :—President, Mr John Grigg; vice-president, Mr J. Clark; secretary, Mr B. Metcalfe; treasurer, Mr A. H. Shury • working committee, Messrs Carter, Clark, Atkinson, Beswick, A. Dawson, J. Hunt, Jeffs, H. T. Smith; E. Thomas, W. H. Zoueh.

The notable features of the year were the holding of a ploughing match, a show, a reaper and binder contest, ,a horse parade, and an interesting discussion (assisted by at least one newspaper leading article) on the motion “That steps should be taken to establish a National Agricultural and Pastoral Association, holding periodical exhibitions in all the principal agricultural centres, on the plan of the Itoya Society of England, and the Highland Society of Scotland.”

The Ploughing Match. The ploughing match was managed by a committee consisting of Messrs J. Campbell, H. T. Smith, AV. H. Zoueh, T. Atkinson, G. M. Robinson, J. Bell, G. Gilmour, T. Taylor, Joseph Hunt, J. B. Bruce, and John Grigg (chairman). It was held on July 17, about two miles from Ashburton, in a paddock lent by Mr Hay T. Smith. Previous ploughing matches had been held in Ashburton, notably one on August 17, 1877, but the match of 1878 was the first held under the auspices of the Association.

The principal results were as follow: Champion class, single furrow, John TiOchhead; champion class, double furrow, Samuel Millar; first class, triplefurrow, James Marshall ; first class, double-furrow, Walter Soal ; first class, single-furrow, Samuel Foreman; second class, single-furrow, John Gudsell; hoys’ class, single-furrow, W. Hayman. The horse parade was held on September 24, 1878, in a section known as ' Mrs McLean’s paddock, at,the corner of East Street and North-East Belt. Of the 15 horses paraded, the “Echo” reporter selected “Bluelight” as undoubtedly the best mare of any description on the ground.”

The Sites controversy. On September ,20, 1870, the annual meeting of the Association was held, the following officers being selected:— President, Mr John Grigg; vice-presi-dent, Mr W. C. Walker; treasurer, Mr A. H. Shury; secretary, Mr G. Jameson. V It was at this meeting that the “battle of the sites” commenced. It arose through the offer of showground sites from Messrs J. Carter, Joseph Hunt and S. Saunders. The Southenders favoured Mr Clark’s Tinwald site, as it was already provided with sheds, yards and pens, of which the owner offered the use. The Northenders pressed for the acceptance of Mr Saunders’ offer of a six-acre paddock on the North Town Belt, and in the first skirmish the Southenders carried the day. . , ~ The horse parade in 1879 was heiu in a paddock lent by Mr Geo. Kffid, and situated at the corner of the Domain. The annual show was held on November 18, 1879, at Tinwald, entries that year totalling 396, compared with 288 on the occasion of the first show held the previous year. Reviewing a “choice and good” show of dogs, the “Herald” remarked that “Mrs George Jameson’s £ Loo’ was there in all her St. Bernard glory, and was much admired. A decision that the next annual show be held in Ashburton was made at the annual meeting held on April 13 1880, the annual report showing that in addition to the reserve of 26 acres at Tinwald, another reserve of 20 acres on the north side of the Ashburton River, being part of the old police reserve, ne'aF J S>aunders’ mill, had been granted.