TAPANUI.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXV, Issue 1274, 16 December 1898, Page 5

TAPANUI.

~» [From Our Own Correspondent.] The weather for the 24th annual Show of the Tapanui Farmers' Club proving splendid, the turn-out of visitors was proportionate and it is estimated that about 1000 people were on the ground. The entries in most of the classes were good and the exhibits geiernlly were of good quality. In cattle the chief prize-takers were Messrs Reid and Fleming of Crookston, and Mr C. F. Dunnett. Horses were well forward, and Messrs J. E. Mackenzie, Milligan, Reid and .Flominer, and E. J. I Hendrie were the lucky ones. The compptition in sheep was fairly good and again Mr J. E. Mackenzie came' to the front, oilher well-known exhibitors being Messrs Sheenan, Milnes, E. Elliott, and Hendrie. Dairy produce and sundries were more numerous and of better quality than they have been for some time, and the competition for a valuable silver trophy for cheese and butter only was very close, the winner, Mrs A. Potts, securing 15 points, while the next two had 14 each. Twenty-five samples of home made "bread were fit to puzzle the judge, who took a long time to place Mrs Lavendar, Waikoikoi Ist, Mrs Jas. Rodger 2nd, and Mrs R. A. Rodger 3rd. In butter also there were large classes, especially fresh and powdered. These with the fancy butter made a handsome show in the morning but the heat of the sun proved too much for them and by afternoon all their glory had departed. As a rule the curers of ham and bacon do not exhibit largely in this show and few samples were tabled. In the evening the circus did good business and was well appreciated Ijy the audience. The heat lately has been very great and a welcome thunderstorm on Tuesday af'ernoon brought coolness to the air and moisture to the ground which much needed it. It is a pity that the natural beauties of this district are not better known, as a party of visitors could easily put in a week heie travelling around to the various points of interest. As these places are all easily reached from Tapanui and within a couple of hours' drive at the most, holiday-makers would get a good return in sight-seeing and exhilarating fresh air for very little outlay of trouble or of money.