THE WINTER SHOW.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20317, 17 August 1931, Page 13

THE WINTER SHOW.

WEEK'S ATTENDANCE OF 32,415. Saturday at the Winter Show was Orphan Day, and was one of the most successful yet held. More than 250 children from the various homes in Christchurch were entertained by the Show executive, with the aid of various big City firms, and the executive wishes to thank for their gifts Messrs Aulsebrook and Company, Park Davis, ,Ltd., Macfarlane's, and Stacey and Hawker, Ltd. On Saturday evening the Sho.w was • more popular than it has been yet this year. . There was a huge crowd present, 6100 adults and 3000 children paying for admission, a total., of 9100,- compared with 10.883 last year. The total paying l , attendance -for the first complete /week of the Show . was. 32,415 adults and children, compared with 40,061 last year. , The orphanages were represented on Saturday .as follows: St. Joseph's 53, St. . Anne's House 16, Nazareth House. 80, St. Saviour's, Orphanage 50, Presbyterian Girls' Home 14, Presbyterian Boys'. Home 17, Waltham Orphanage 28; total, 258. • Most favourable comments have-been received "by the Show authorities, on tho'sucoess of the exhibition. One North Island resident visiting 1 Christchurch praised the 'liveliness'' of the Show, arid remarked' that it was a. pity liiac. some of the 'North Island" show executives :could' not' *come .down" fai'rn -how to fUn siMi* exhibition'. . One of ,the most, popular items on Saturday evening; was the. :Wool .Pageant, which was. so crowded that in the end there was, barely standing .room- and many had. tt> .be refused; admission. An address was given, by Mr \V. Machin, the Wool lTairi.es sang and danced and exhibited their wares, and other entertainment was given, concluding with the screening of the picture; -"The Golden Fleece." . This week the excursions of pupils from country Bcjiools to the Shtxw: will begin. Children from the West. Coast will arrive to-morrow to stay "until Thursday, on 'Thursday to stay "until Saturday, and on Thursday "to stay until Monday, and accommodation is 'Urgently required for them. Anyone who can billet children is requested to telephone to Mr C. It. Kirk," of the Education Board, or to -the" organiser at tho Winter-Show. Among the items of t') be presented to-day js a display of Angora rabbit shearing, which will be given Rabbit Breeders' Association on the main dais at 7,15 p.m. .Also on ; the .programme are Miss Large's dancing pupils, Croft's Punch and Judy, and the Woolston Band. A FORGOTTEN TROPHY. DISCOVERY IN TEMUKA. Aii interesting link with the early days of the Christchurch. Winter Show, and a thing of some intrinsic value is a plaque presented by the old Christchurch Meat Co. for the best stand of agricultural products by Road Board districts, more than 30 years ago, and won by the Temuka district. It is now. to be .seen in the Temuka Public Library. It was in 1899 that the trophy was first* offered, the conditions being that it .must be won three years in succession or five' years at intervals, to be won outright. The plaque was awarded to Telmika in the first year, and was never again competed for, as there were no entries for the competition. The Temuka Road Board retained the trophy until about 20 years ago, and then wrote to the freezing company offering to return it. The company replied that the Board could keep it, and the Board then handed the trophy over to the Temuka and Geraldine Agricultural and Pastoral Association for safe keeping, and after the plaque had hung in the Association's secretary's office for fifteen yeavs application was made to the .Temuka Library Committee to have it hung in the library, and there it has remained for the past four or five years. The inscription on the plaque reads as follows: —"Presented by,the Christchurch Meat. Co.. Ltd.. Smithfield and Islington Freezing Works, for the best exhibit of farm and dairy produce by Road Board districts. Canterbury A. and P. Association Mid-winter Snow. Won by Temuka, 1899." Tho plaque, or panel, which is rectangular in shape, is about 2ft 6in in height, and . 2ft wide, and stands in a case. The inscription is on a metal plate >affixed to a small wooden shield, and is attached in the middle of the panel on a background of Maori carving, which is oval in shape. In the two top corners, there are small bunches of wheat ears of a white metal and shields with a sheep's and an ox's hend respectively engraved on them. The bottom corners of the plaque are decorated with silver fern leaves and . small shields, presenting agricultural and pastoral scenes. On either side of the middle shield, which bears the inscription a cabbage and a fern tree have been carved out of the panel. At the top and bottom of the ' inscription are white metal discs, bearin ™ the badge of the Canterbury Agricultural'and Pastoral Association, in one'case, .and a Maori whare scene