The Dominion. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1907. THE MANAWATU SHOW.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 31, 31 October 1907, Page 6

The Dominion. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1907. THE MANAWATU SHOW.

' Not ; the .' least' satisfactory thing' about the spring show .which is annually arranged by the Manawatu Agricultural . and Pastoral Association is ; the recognition of the whole Wellington: Province that it is a ,duty to take a keen interest in this great; exposition of, the' primary producing industries.. The show, which is this week occupying the exclusive attention of Palnierston■ and surrounding country, and a large share of the attention of Wellington, and th e 'rest of the Dominion is" rightly considered tobe a most im-i portant event. It; testifies abundantly to the unwavering progress.of the. West Coast in the vital domains of agriculure and stock-raising,, and to, the . stability and energy of the people., of, Mana watu and especially the people of Palinerston North. In our issue of, i yesterday-we briefly sketched the history of- the institution, and- brought; forward some, figures which must-arrest the not only of outside 1 oh-, servers of 'this'; country's, doings, huteven of New Zealanders, accustomed; 1 as they have grown' to '-our ever-rising barometer. of statistics. : . ;The t< growth; of the show from its inception, in 1887,, when. Palmerston was a small,- ■ bush township, can best be measured by comparing the attendance-of : 2100 at, I the first show to the 40,000 .which is the present-day aggregate attendance. For the progress of the ; Manawatu' dis--•net the Wellington and Mainawatu Railway is, of course; maitily responsible, but; unless the country ' were..'unusually rich in resources, the "response, to the stimulus applied. by the railway could riot have been so striking as it' has been. It is. now merely a question of. time before, the Manawatii Show surpasses its; ohler-establislied . rival iii Canterbury,' to which it is already, equal. In comparing l these' two' institutions, it is important, ,'in ..order' fully; to roaliso the success of the ManaAvatu A and P. Association; to remember, tliat'the Addihgtqh;;giithering'is held within walking > (listance of a city of the size of .;ancl : ; is, : tliere- 5 fore,: .visitedi'byj- thousands, of city peoplp who would, not-visit it but for the easinesa of access. To. enlarge uponthe direct benefits to ithc farm industry'; of a gathering designed'to exhibit-the flower of agricultural- and pastoral r ic-' tivity-'is unnecessary. l The New Zealand • jnt<?rhatidi}hl';; Exhibition' may have instructed aiid entertained' many people, and perhaps interested' some oversea visitors to, the country's advantage, .'Jjut; by stimulating nnd eilucaing the agriculturists and stockbreeders, (hc-iManawatu Show must bo greatly more profitable to New Zealand. ; r„ The show is not confuted to purely agrarian exhibits, and not the smallest of its usefulnesses is supplied by the schools, and .art and technical exhibits. These gatherings have produced great.results in the improvement of the stock of the country, and the improvement of method in.such secondary industries as butter and cheese making, but it seems t,o us that much more can still bo done by active S,tute encouragement. We are .not in love with State-nUrsing of sectional , industries and class interests, nor of State interference with specific forms of commercial enterprise, but State enthusiasm for so impersonal and general a purpose as. the advancement of prim-

ary production does not belong to the objectionable kind of State activity. In the meantime wo trust that the show will continue to prosper, and with it the progressive district of the Manawatu.