FEILDING SHOW.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 112, 4 February 1908, Page 9

FEILDING SHOW.

OPENS TO-DAY.

A CENTRE OF THE FAT STOCK |( " INPUSTBY. METEORIC : PROGRESS. . ' November o,!-,1901, was a famous day,. It Was the day oil 'which the. first meeting was hold 'to' form a Feilding Industrial Association and inaugurate a show • ... . ■ . Somo people in <thoso days laughed, at tho idea, for-Foildmg lyas still young: and, am all. But'the wise and:pushful portion of the. hctlo community 'foresaw.a'great future for,the district- , l ear . by. year the .district was becoming more 1 sottlpd,:-and Feildmg had al-

• ready started to move in the buildin;; trade. Since then'many handsome- brick structures v- have boon' erected, including the .Technical School, now in course.<?f erection •,in Fergusson Street,'near tlio railway station. ; Tho First Meeting. : . The',first!meeting referred;to. was convened and .-.presided., over:'by Mr. ■ E.. .Goodbehcre,. There were; alsol'.prosunt—Messrs. R. Nov.-. man, P.. Thomson, ;W.. J?., and . J. M. Bramwell, 1 R and M E Chamberlain W J, Ncill, J G Cobbc, C E lu«tm, J' AUst, ' A.- Richmond, J.'. Bartholomew, H. Stunnoll and S.' Andrew,, and\Dj\ Sorley. It was decided that n canvass of the,town should bo made in order to see. what support could bo dorived from the business nopulation, and . Messrs. 15. P. Thomson, and T; R. and M: E.' Chamberlain, ■ assisted by others, set-the machinery in motion. At the ... ntat; moet.ing .-.tli'ey .were, able ..to, report; that -63 members had boon.secured: at. -10s., 6d. subscription, an<J tumorous .other -residents ihad expressed th«r annrcwation and willuig- . / ncss to help movement.. ■ First Ofriccrs' Apjjolnted. r / ■ i ; Thon . camo ■ another,-mooting, more renrc- >•: Benta'tivo.ith"an-'tho':.first,. : and officers as follow, were eloctod.:—President, Mr. J.: G. Cobb*; vice-presidents, -/Messrs. Gilcbnst..: and: E." Goodbohere; committco, Mossrs G. 'Saywril,-, T. .'West,' J. Scott, W. Carthew, It. H."Wil : son, G. Barrv; H. Stunnell, R./Heald,. C. Hoskmg, J. M illiamson,W. G. Havbittlo, G. ■ B.'Hoalev. Mortensen, J. Bartholomew, I'. Thomson; AV. 'E. Chamberlain, H. Stowart, ■ R. P.-.Smith, J. F.'Donnelley: and G. •W. Fowlos, aitd'.Dr. .Sorlov; lion, treasurer, -.Mr. ■ A; Richmond;■ secretary, Mr. E. H.'Fisher. • -At i the -present: timo Mr.: Fisher still holds the secretaryship, 01$ most of tho others are still active members of .the Agricultural and Pastoral' Association. ■ i

; S3QO Guaranteed, and a'Seven-days' Show Held. . Sub-eommittsjes -wore .formed,, and - every syt :to workv with-such zeal, that it .was riot. lbng- f :Veforo 'a; guarantee of £300' had been secured from tho townspeople., It was then decided that, tho exhibition should be held m December, 1902, but it was subsei quently'found that: time did not permit of i necessary arrangemehts being-made; so /tho dato was"altered-io March' 24. It v.'a.i v intoiidbd- thSt'3the''. exhibition; should'. extend. over-four-daysj-jbufe'sO great -was tho'support . accorded the'ipublic ,thht' it j was ' found . neceskry; to'extoild'over three more days m order that tlio country people would have an opportunity of 'sceing all.that tlier^'wanted to see ofi tho'.display; ; Tho capacious drill hall ■ 1 Wijs - broilght inth' requisition, ' and a large temporary struetiire . was'erected adjoining tho hall;--The'.'adjacent sections wero used for;machinery.and;Vehicle;exhibits; 'On the opening day people pourod in from all parts of- the district' and from neighbouring towns. Mr. Seddon on tho Virtues of Self-reliance.' - Tho-exhibition was bv tho late Hon. -R. J. .Seddon, who-referred to the suit-: ability-;.of>...the.district:rfbr holding all-exlubi-ition.iand-thoisplendid advOrtising,medium H ' j w.ould ; i bociftfr i-.towri',' : wjiosi", solid -progress-,■ and sclf-rolianceicliad'boon the talb ; of'-New Zealand: ,'<;-A.<. evidence 'of mis he"! alluded • to, tho,'fact: that wheni:other towns dccided to hold 'Oxhibitiong they- approached'tlio Government joyed • ;,th«i distinotibiv ::of, i'elyirig; on, . resourcesy - not asked- for a' penny At..the■,fend™f -seven;-days' the' curtaiir wa's i dropped,and., the gold dust cbunted up. 'It • was found.-tiiat- a'-:-profit- of - £200 had been' made, i 'i

Disposing, of ''the Spoils. ■After A .short/interval toidraw breath, thesarao committees put its: beads together" to see what should, be done with the money- A site of .land, witlf. a: hapdsome pieeo; of na- , , tivo bush, '-wanaenmred- m; South -Street, to be utilised 7 for- show- purposes. Thon came the real:.nut„tp was tho money to. como>,/roDi' to erect-,.suitable .bmld- , - ing -The Jockey/ Club eamo to thp rosQue ly/thnts well-appointed grounds,V ithc solved; "The purchased section-.was-subsequently sold-to the Keilding Borough Council! for, £1200,' -and -i.v now ro- ■ c6gnised.:as.;phd,i-jof-;,tl)e - beautv spots of tho . . town.;*',,-v ■ ;■ ■ committee now.-began to .-move about ■ -. with:alacrity,'-.and ,a?.gr'eat,'deal: of' Jiard work - *°\ " 1( 3 done. ,:,-Lato-nieetuics 'if, "io i; pres'ajljug order Theio vera •:r. schedules-to-'bo drawn : iip, the district to be . .eanvassed, and, hundreds -of- minor-details to . receive-;attentipiy.Every ..committee meet-, mg; brought ;forth'-fresh 'encouragementj' and , rn_ev ?r :a:tpeptin^ ! pass«l...without an increase; ? r '] e!n ' }c - s hip,:_cr a swelling of -the 'donation.

Tho Next. Show. • 1905; v when:v'hat is now called % "fnst" show was held Theie : was-■ confidence; everywhere this time;- and it .was- predicted ; Tth at ;'a' great display "of fai would rmefet tho eye "/'of tho public.The prediction-., was •--fulfiiled/ During tllO time, atvtheir' disposal thocojimiitieb nad . not •timo i to .erect permanent pens, so . • to P.PP rar J"P Bns wcro- constructed; Tho competitions and 1 othor' events, including tho parayo wore- held -on tho -course;-as'no rine I }'' ? s ."i' 1 existence.:. . The public attended -in . largo numbersj and,the success of the show were- oir this occasion' oil,entries. ; Fine...weather prevailed.--

, A Bit of Old History. •' In''/th'o?; ; afterri6'oii': 1 tho.' crowd" gathered ; Touud Hon. It,-J. Seddon to ...hear,, him'oncb niore'.congratulate tho;Feild- . ing .people on,jthuii v . l 'achievements. A' re- • 'presentatifft'ot'thc Colonists'. Land and: Loan , Corporation was. also, present,.' at ■ ;tho. cere-.., apd /ho . renewal; acquaintanco.- with a number of tho early settlers who had cmigrai,ed from tho Old ..Country twenty , or <i i< t vears previously', arid . settled on" 1 tho • . a *?cstcr. Blcck," in which' .tho town of • f L 0 . lldln J. ls ,, non, '!^ a t«l- '' It had long been , this official s desire'to sco I the present state ; of the Block,' and ho 'was,' oil arriv.'i], p]oa- • santlyi 1 . surprised 'atits'' progress''and its , ovidencM of-prosperity. -■■.. He .remarked to / j|w :Wn{er,-Wno was' present at the : show, 4 hero, ls .not. a. single evidenco of poverty on thor.groutidif. what- a contrast'between this, function and a show in the Old Country I /How.pleased-.some,:of: those peop]p'. .Vr'bd ride. t 'he.'.show.;in ;motor-cars to-dav ".must be that they left the Old Country to settle hern." He discussed with . tho ■■■■ scribo some of the most striking,transformations that tlio land . of ilax and ti-trec.. had .undergone. Tho beautiful • - -and well-appointed' racecourse, which-- --wasv:/ now .'-racecourse and showground, : Wasa- 'prominent . example. ,Thus '.passwl'thDilirst -If-'was • ?. one-day. show,- but in tlxKopi'nioiis of many it ouylit to havo been 'continued' longer.' It was not' without.,. its defects, . but good .. 'material, in tho form • of ' experienced stewards,;was,.behind ;tho scenes. . . arrived,; the.entries lea)>ed to; 71». not. inclusive of.-cornpotitions,. ■ * or .';' , '.! f: 'i._ tliero. were 1;j0 entries. Tho sh(.:;p. .chiefly..fats;, were mortf than double tlw number: of-H!0o. Since the previous Bhr>Y,. rows of sheep, cattle, and pig pens . had ;boen crceted .in.-.-the outside paddock ■. near, tlio loqso boxes,, and a show ring had i been made. •« Demanded tlio-Governor's Ticket. His I'Acellencv.,tho.Governor, Lord Plnn- • ket, attended the opening, and it' is recorded thst.cn enteriDj; the luncheon room he

had tlio unique exporienco of being asked by tho caterer, firmly but politely, for his tickot. ■ His Excellency, doubtless as much amused as embarrassed, replied, with a smile that ho was included among the invited guests. . A Two-Days' Show. - For the third show tho entries reached a total of 990. ' The school garden' competition li'as inaugurated, and tho'children, in addition to receiving liberal prizes, - woro admitted ■ free to tho grounds. In tho afternoon they woro addressed by Mr. J. 0. Wilson, Colonial President of tho Farmers, Union. - Tlio iniportanco of the -gathering had demanded that a two-days' show should he held, and the attendance on eaoli day , was quito up to tlio highest expectations. . Tho Roll of Honour. ''!' Tho president for the first show was. Mr 1 ." A. Richmond; second, Mr. J; M. Bramwell; :third, Mr. h. E. Jackson ; arid this year Ml'11. J. Booth. ; • 1 A great aim .of 'the Association has been to foster tlio interests of fat-stock breeders, |;'and tlio object js recognjsed. by, all fanners as a step ju tho right direction. Had tho Association not directed its attention to this department of farming it would have made, less progress';, Tho district specialises in steel;; and is .'-looked upon as the leading stock-.centre'iii New Zealand as shown by tho SUCC2SS of tho stock sales. Tho show is certainly branded with tho hall-mark of success and has proved itself a benefit! to breeders of Tat stock. This season's entry lias proved ,no exception to the rule, and the -quality of tho stock-shown will doubtless do a groat, deal .towards advertising tho district in o.ther parts of the Dominion.