THE SHOW SEASON.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14659, 7 May 1913, Page 3

THE SHOW SEASON.

SOME CANTERBURY STATISTICS

The Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Show season may be said to havo ended with the holding of the recent autumn show of the Courtenay A. and P.Association. The season extends approximately from October of one year to May of the next, or about seven months altogether, and during tha-t time no less than twenty exhibitions and displays are given by the various associations and societies in tho province, not taking into account tho numerous separate horticultural, fruit and flower shows that are also held. This record compares more than favourably with that of any other province in the Dominion, and the following table which give 3, as nearly as possible, the total entries at the various displays for threo seasons, is of considerable interest. It may ho explained that the figures do not include post entries for competitions, etc., and that the letters S., W. A., in parentheses, after tho name of a show, denote n spring (or summer), winter, or autumn display: —

These figures show that the total entries tor the 1910-11 season wero approximately 15,G03; for the 1911-12 season, 10,089; and for the 1912-13 season, 17,105. It would bo somewhere near tho mark to add about oO entries to each show to make up for post entrios for competitions, etc., which means an additional 1000 entries on to tho total for each season.

Tho results then stand as followe: —

1910-11.1911-12.1912-13. Total entries 16,053 17,089 18,105

Tho entrance fees for members of an association are usually about half-a-crown per entry, and double that amount for non-members, so it iv'll be svon that, taking a fair estimate of three shillings per entry all round, the money received by the Canterbury A. and 1 , . Associations in the three seasons was as under: — 1910-11. 1911-12.1912-13. Entry fees ... £2498 £2063 £2710 W'jiiiu it is not pretended that these iigurej are uiioOiiKuiy accurate, iiioy aro oximuleiy so. unci uiiey go to snow tuat, as a wnolc, tlio aud pastoral dismays in tue province aru giauually gotiutg to bo a oi&ger tiling every season. Tue details oi Uio entries show tuat sometimes one or two associations may navo a temporary set-back (ior example, botti the totals lor the Metropolitan Shows of 1911. and 1912 were smauer than at tho 19iU show), but in tiio mass tiiero is a distinct expansion and progression

In one important point tho season just past has oeen a decided improvement 011 tlio one that preceded it, and wij;t was in tho weather. Tne spring and;summer, and autumn too, ior that iiuilur, of not at all goal ironi a show committee's poiat of view, dome "fixtures were b'leSsud with line weather, but a great many were unlucky, and bad weather ior a show is a fatal defect. • Tiiis season was much, better; a glance tarougu the show reports shows that the majority of tho displays were tnado in tue sunshine,tbouyh a lew associations were unfortunate, and as a result tho averago attendances of the public were very satisfactory, and some records were put up. It has been said that the tendency to-multiply the number of small district shows, not only in Canterbury but elsewhere, was serving no good purpose, and was inclined to bo a mere nuisance, and there arc many advocates of the policy of concentration.' Certainly it would bo a diir>eult matter to prove that a certain show had actually increased the farming or stork-raising knowledge of a district, but it would be equally difficult to prove that it had not. so the honours are easy. In any. case, there are many exhibitors in a small way who would support a local institution and work hard to mnko it a success, but whose interest would be possibly rather lukewarm in a combined affair, and in this way the total importance of Canterbury shows might easily diminish.

1910. Ambcrley (5.)... i;C4 EilesiiKM'o (o.)... 808 . llanysora ($.) ... 1039 Tiniaru (b.) ... 1105 Ashburton (S.).. 10U5 Metropolitan (6.) 2i54 CourtcJiay (8.).. 589 Wai mate (6.) ... 474 BaiiKs Peninsula (S.) 627 1911. 1119 1027 1043 2017 G01 47 ( J 722 1912. b'J6 1123 113G 1011 2U«JI3 6S3 6G9 701 1911. Cheviot (A.) ... 1020 A.shlnirton (W.) 1432 Ashburton (A.) — Aiuuri (A ) ... 1105 Hawarden (A.) 980 Toinuka (A.) ... 70i> Oxl'om (A.) ' ... 932 Mothven (A.) ... — Coartenay (W.) — .Random* (W.) 433 Mackonxie (A.) 910 1912 1U5G 14(38 10C8 757 801 879' 622 451 790 1913. 812 1790 1027 795 755 983 746 223 570 1050