CARTERTON AN D MASTER" TON SHOWS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 167, 8 April 1908, Page 4

CARTERTON AN D MASTER- " TON SHOWS.

SHALL THEY COMBINE? , 1

DISCUSSION AT CARTERTON.

Tho proposed amalgamation of the Waira- ■ Tapa and' Mastcrton A. ■ aud P. Associations (says our speml Wairarapa correspondent) .'■■;•■". is at present the burning question in tho Wairarapa;-especially in farm circles, nndnn t :■ the immediate virility of Mastcrton and Car- , -terton. It;is gonorally admitted by. all con-.. ; corned that nil .amalgamation is Micccssary, v ....... so that there' shall bp one strong representar ■■ntivo shoiy,. but there is a diversity of opinion ias to whiolij shall be tho site—near, Masterton •or near Carterton? . Petitions arc-in c(:rcula- > tioii: m different -/.portions ■ 'of tho ."Wairarapa asking-for- an "amalgamation j and for a showy ,i. to be heldi'at Solway,- .while, -on - the ■ other ti,t, hand; thero is at present an activo canvass : ■ . for now members for tho Wairarapa A. and it V ■ P. Association, nearly all of whom, resmlng in or near-the Carterton district, arc practi; - ■ cally against-any amalgamation-.which has - for its pnrposo ono. show.at Solway. . :::v Tho intonsq interest displayed in tho matter,i , ' .'. is shown by. tho fact that, tit a general com-'. mittoo meoiing-iof-tho W.-/rarapa A. and-P. i i. Association,'- lield_ at Carterton yesterday, ,ti> ■ . discuss tho question, thoro was an attendance f.: v- • of' thirty-sevcn ; ;'moinb'6'rs,' only ..two members K:- : (Messrs, W ; H". Bootham and Cundr) being k : . absent. Messrs; :G;t.Doriald, 'D. : M'Mastor, [ W. E. Bidivill, W;.; .Perry,. JJ; ..Strang,. A. t Matthews, all. woll-known. breeders, appeared !;.- bs tho 1 principal advocates for amalgamation, l i:'. . but they met stronuous opposition in -tho f,"; : shapo of Messrs. W. . C.; Buchanan, H. -11. ! Bunny, J. M. Lightfoot,' T;' V. Mooro} and f ■...■H. H. Woltors."..'; It- appeared: that the party h... .. ■ led by Mr. W, C. Buchanan, carried rather |.■ too.-mnny guns for the supporters of' tho : j amalgamation. proposals. Considerable feel-' > was shown in tho arguments. st tho end' 'of.;thc.'meeting, -.and thoro. appears 'to- be -ai::l ;!r:r!! ; possibility . that :if this • feeling ; is' developed both Associations will suffer considerably. K".'!!:-;, Although ; :tho..mecting'Vdeoid6cl unanimously' .; :. to let the' matter bo disCiisspd at' the animal /J:. general ;'meetine of' the /Wairarapa- A.', and P. 1 ■ Association at tho on(l of thq present mouth, it soems 'hardly, probable that 'tho proposal. //will be carried. - .'■'!. '!■ /■:-. : : Tho Discussion. I ; - ; At the meeting yesterday, tho President,' v, Mr. H. M'l'heo, occupied : tho >chair. Mr Donald proppstxl — f " - .'■ -'-That tho'question of combining with - f. :: . tho.-Mastoiton A. and P. Association to .: {(/.J-?:-'VT:hhold; one central Wairarapa; show 'at -Sol- : ' - way bo discusscd with a viewof making fe;- ;a recommendation to tho general meeting-;- ■; ■;.;/";.-...0f -members;".-. ■'! i,;:-;' ; :-! • v.' '.Mr.'vDohald/.asKed : that tho matter : might ;-..be' dijcrusacd, -especially -by tho j-;Cartertpn; pcoplej 'in fa-'broad ; . lie,' had canvasscd' Wellington; ;City for,-.-donations, and they were .often asked.-thero. .tahich^society they represented? •• There was. f. belief that, tho v was; go- : ■ ing back-/,, and■ • that'-Vit' ■ was an amalgamation should' take /place,. so that 1 '- there, could bo ono great combined. show. The Solway grounds wero admirably situated ; ;i.-:':X forithis-purpose, and. the speaker hoped that ,;>! "with 'orio-broad idea"liis proposal;would'ho; earned. '. -i;',' . , ■ . - The Conditions. „ , ; Tho conditions of amalgamation were that b--; ry bne-half .of the now, general i • bo electcd from tho Wairarapa end of tho f, '%■: -.Bocictyji. and that the name of tho Associai:- i tioii bo tho Wairarapa A. and P. Association. ■ Mr- Donald then placed before tho sccre- '."■ ■■■■■-« tary' the petition from Wairarapa generally . asking for tho amalgamation.: Ilio petition xi, set . forth, that tho? proposed vSolway' show. [ ■ . . grounds, would bo socond to uono m the Dol; .' minion, 'and that Masterton was tho most | /-■ convenient ccntro for. a, show. Thero wero 91 signatures,, but Mr. Donald stated tliat ■: there ••wote - other.: two petitions,;- • had not yet boon able to .procuro.. ' ..- Mr. 11. R. Bunnyl: do not!th!ink .that %?-, : petition, is worth", tholpa^r/H-tis .written, ,pn. .- i Mr 'D: M'Master sccondcd.tho,resolution,. '#nd said .ho .thought', the time had. arrived. f/V:ijhon : there / should; bo ono . show in. tho 1 ■■ ■' Mr; Ii- R. Bunny admitted that thero was [.' '"i general' opinion that ithbre should l>o only •• 'ino show,- but 1 what ho.objected- to was tho ;rV;,- : ::' manner in which th» pr<?s°nt question, had. ■v j been brought about. Was it. right that mon - -"- . should go about in tho dark : att-empting :to ' get tho .Wairarapa, momhors ?,>,'. Tho. AVaira- ; -rapa A.'- and'- P. Asyooiation.-.was'Vhoti-gping, . to part with its asset,' which had been'. V,i .built up .after , many- years: of.- hard- work, • to v •.'' -; bolster up .-fehp!'proposal of tho Mastcrton As- ?-..'!,:' ."eociation, • Which . showed that tho £3000_ asset V'of .that «^i^';wnia :,^-.ehtifoly^lo^"!if., .th%-, | now schcrno wero carried.' The. Masterton : project-was simply like throwing: money [•.-: into tho Ruamahanga rivor. . Actual pxpen- [ ■■■>, diture in thc-so matters," always exceeded actual' }':. estimate,. "Why,, even. now,", said Mr. Bunny, " wo do not really know what >Mas-. |" terton does want, ox'cept.;.that: : 'it! wantsVtoi! [ :-v - got hold of our asset." The'ro'was. ono:'gc<htlc- ' ' man present who had largely. intorestcd;;hiin-,' I eelf in tho success of tho Wairarapa AssociaI - tion, and liothihg : had! been , said to . him on |" : the subicct by tho promotors of amalgama}i: tion. ! : Ho hoped the .commitko/would'reject:: !'•' . ; tho proposal.." ■.... : ■ . :!■;. } - Mr. W. E. Bfdwill was in favour of tho , Bchemo, and ho-comphmented Mr. ( Donald ; -on. the manner in which ho had brought"th<s > .matter -forward; Mr.'. Donald had^ tapped | k:V -- tho opinion, of tho people of Wairarapa, : and ho had no doubt,!-that - amalgamation 1 ; L ■' 'would inean siiccres, and a;show which would | ' .'bo a credit to tho - Wairarapa.y-Broeders .at. j.,;, .: , present •,would, not ! show. : at j tho .-Wairarapa j -. -! ihow bocauso there-waa liot, onpugh comjpti : '.'| I (ion. J,-,-' - I .!' Mr. "\V. Perry paid ho felt! rathor t . .' m tho subject. There had boon'-two shows' • ' now -going, on for. tome time, and noithor' I-. - them wm satisfactory.i /Thq question waa,' f:■. wliero was tho ono show, to be held?-vWo. I • ;-'.'v ; 'tiad :to',take' in itho matter- 'of'.'population.' |.v. •• ;■-, Wairarapa and Fenthersfcon countics had a ; j ; population of 10,000, tho .country population f: of which was COOO. Tho district :from.Masfcerton to Pahiatua had-20,000, of which tho. 1 . countij, absorbed,-13,00.0. ; This was double ;■!■; !.: what it .was in .th'p :Wairarapa. Then again,-" | Solway, tho proposed site', was'-just about half-way between'- Pahiatua l and;.tho Lower ; ,!. ;; 'Valley., Then, ;with rcforciicq' to;th'p! firian-' cial proposals '.'ofVtho syji'dicat-ei which.-,had; first bought Solway}; that: body had not ■ put ;.-!? , ,iho. mattor in. Jtoo rosy ;a' light, 'bccauso it :!; knew there .was* opposition;., Mr.-Perry.read : letters from Messrs. ■ Potts,' 'manager,' Mountf -. Herbert, Estate!!; :F.v E. .!Mocro, Bush 'Park;-' Kai Iwi; .'-"S; ;R. . Lancaster,'Palmerston! E." : Nort h; ' and ■;. Slack) / Brothers, :■ Palmerston !•' .., Korth;' all of whom expressed, themselves 'inV [ favour, of 'an '"amalgamation ' of tho -two i . shows.l Failing !amalgamation,. . Mr. Potts: j . did not think jtHafc Mount,, Herbert-would j:. -show at any '"ono/ Wairarapa Show. 'Refers V:. Ting to tho Wairarapa sprjng show, Mr. i Perry did not think' it -paid broedors to ex- : attendance was not enough. He |showed' as a business, and for, advertisement !. .. : purposes,, and Slthough he had had; .quite" j,. / foi-ty entries 'at'-the Carterton: sh'ow, there j';.: . had been, very, few, inquiries, regarding them i:. "by, breeders.'And they .wero good stock. I strong' opposition. ... Mr. W. C. Buchanan said tho question IT-"- s not a new one. He liad'been, head'and !:. . : shoulders into it himself before..,, The speakor. ;■...! referred to previous history,'in ,connection with the first A.-and P.- Association,' when it had been proposed-, tind : seconded ,: by. Mastcrton men thafc. the show should bo held ... . .at Carterton on the : present ..Carterton I, grounds.. 1 There had -, been dissonsion then (' with the movoment, so much so that it 1 had ! been difficult to maintain friendly terms of intercourse with thoso-who held;-opposite ;,!; .views!;-.Tho Wairarapa A. and P. .Association; i had at one time a liability of £1200, nnd. i . had been practicajly informed, by tho Masteri': ton people that it could carry tho burden. ' . Well, the Wairarapa A. and P. Association had shouldered the burden, and ho thought 1.-."....- that it could very well continue to carry it.i- ; (Hear, hear.) Ho wa!s on good terms with! [ the Mastcrton people, and it would not bo : ■ his fault if an amicablo _ stato of things did | not continue. It was right arid proper for I tho Wellington merchants to support the I Wairarapa Association financially; for did

ijotj.the'{'Wellington, .merchants make their money* in a great part out of the people of tho, Wairarapa ? -Tho speaker believed that Messrs. Donald, W.jPerry, and others we're,, no doubt, actuated'-by tiio best intentions, but why ..had 11 rrt- tl 1e" matter been brought up in committee ;arid then discussed, instead of '.obtaiuing«siguaturus to the petition, in which only 0110 sido of tho question was put before tho publicP Referring to'tho financial position of tho Mastcrton A. and I'. Association, Mr. Buchanan said .'tliat when it tpo.k,-pv.cr ; Solway, it; would not havo an aero of freehold—nothing but an income of £70 a •year. He was a practical man, and lie was entitled.'to.giro a practical opinion. Thero 'was not at-present iiny demand for a bigger show-ground 'than . Mastcrton . possessed at Dixon Street/ It was biggor than tho Paliin'erston North'show-ground by: several acres, and 'if .PnlffloVston fcould carry on successfully, .surely ; Masterton could do the same. Tho Masterton' A. and I'. Association was plunging. It had !bcen led away on tho subject.; Still,; let gobd luck go with it. Ho !thimght tho proposal of tho Mastcrton A. aud i l . Association to provide accommodation was olio which, would, cost rather.moro than it hail-bargained for; Mr.: Perry had-stated 'that. there was lack of, interest in tho .sheep and .cattle .at-tlio. Carterton Show. -.AYell, tho'samo thing had happened at. Palmerston North on tho second day, and also at Masterton. - Mr., ■ Matthews > might shalco his head, but this was so. "I have; nothing more to say,"'concluded Mr.'Buchanan; ;-! 1 except to express.regret that this movement has taken, placo-at the present• time. Had Mastcrton in tho past years been ; disposed to !?t tho matter take its' course; something would have been accomplished; without, any. bad . feolirig, and I hope that tho matter now- may bo settled amicably." : ' ' ,Mr., A;-:-Anderson with Messrs. Bunny and!Bucha.nafl..in their opinions. Ho ■thought tfio matter should bo referred to tho annual ■meeting. . Mr. Buchanan said that, in justice to-Mr. '! Donald,,he, miglit.saj,-that Mr.' Donald had : ono" day' ilvMastorton ■'mentioned tho amalgamation proposal to him, and had received a most unequivocal, answer, stating that tho motion would recejvo tho. strongest opposition. '■; ' ,■■.'■ 5,1 WS ,) 'j ... ■' : 1 , ■; ' ■ ,■. ■ Mr.. A. Matthews was an advocate for amalgamation;." —1 h<r--mattar had discussed by the' two "Committees of 'the Associations',, .and.'without success. ' So cottsidcration- Jiad, boonviflvon to 'settlors then, and thp?propiSsa 1. b'jwT been' swamped by. the' Cartertpn' tho result tl'nS-niaiiy breeders - had .-resigned • .thoir •• positions' as members. •, Hc.hoped that tho samd thing would •'^t : ' >< /^^r? ! sCT.in- $•(»- time.V " The speaker purchasing' of the Carterton showground' .in tho. first place as a mistake. The Masterton Association, ■wbuldf' ilot"h"aV6'*tli:e' : S'Ame difficulties" at Sol-. Mvayiasr.tho Walr.lr.ijJtf'Association had had at' Carterton -in its! first efforts.' Tho Carterton grounds, were small, and 'would require; much. more : alteration soon. Mr. Mat-, thews thought Mr. Buchanan had made:. a" 'mistako-'-in:- stating ! that thoro was no' intorest',! at; tho: shpop yards at Palmerston! on tho. People's Day of the show. Tho- sheep yards, .thoro. oi)' tljat, day,--.'wero crowded. : " 'Mr'; './. M.. Licjhtfoat'said that, according to tho---kt- aj\d< Act, 1877, Vqctioii ' that if tho Wairarapa A. ,and-P:--Association decided upon amalgamation ,it .had iao.ro; bourse-but. to'sgll'lts present grounds, arid tho proceeds woukl4£l Into the ono organisation. , , Miv H. H. -Wokersillt is. ahsorptioii. • ( Mr; - LigKffopr'wont 1 on to',say- that there members of thoWairarapa Association; of this' number- fully 230 earno,, from district, anil jfit should'bVi remombered that .'of- tho 51 new - ; members/'H'lfo lia"d"lalely been, elected tho .majprity,.pf + painq ,fi;om,;Carterton. . Tho 'prosenVb'ala'iiceVsb'eet'of the Wairarapa As-! Eociation practically--showed a credit balance of £263, while ' tho,, estimated balanco-slieet of tho first show at Solway showed Va' balance of £70. , . 1 'Mr; Buchanan; pointed out that, as,it at .present stood,.' Mr.. -i)onald'3 proposal}''yas iio. motion; tfncßtJiair 'consoquently. there was npthing.to yoto'upon.' ; ( ' Mr.' Donald .Aen added to his resolution.:— !:.;,C, : j,: , .■' liy/.-ballot'. lio taken at '; 'the annual of-memberf op. tlio;■:'y'.questibn'f.; a'rid.Vtiat ''tho .'conditions,:, be ■ : thafi -tho Association'bo called 'TheJ\Vai-, ■ '.. rar'apa A; and P. Association'; and ■ that , the, be'' electcd from tho ■ ' it'was ' suggkt'S' ; t-hat' tho ,'words "by ballot". be deleted. '•', ( . !..- , ' Mr;- - Strang-: ■; You oiro. simply , trying . to. block the matter.' Everybody hero, is prac- , tically; in jfa of and why should it not -go' to'tho' meeting? ; . .Mr.;: Bunny : . N0.,!. .I, Strang. is ! under: a misapprehension, ; The; matter ' can be' dis'.'cussodyat: th'd and so far as I am concerned the motion can ,go forward as amended Mr. D.onald. . ''MrV:'!T;":V.'''Mooro'said -no■ ono' wanted to• block tho business. Ho took exception to the manner, in which Mr. Strang had stated ;sp, _and alsa to 'tho manner in which the of' "the ' Syndicaio fcad bought a ground, sold., it ,to the Mastertom Associaand now ;,want'ed ;of their .own 'interests. said ■ thoro, could not .h'er'said- to. >ho,: on-'tho Svndi- . cate. It was quite-clear-that! tlje Syndicate making "any money: out of tho busi-i .nes's; ' i;Still,' thero was no, doubt'that tho ;present'iproposal meant the absorption of the !Wairarapa by Masterton," but it was another case of the lady from Niger who wont for a ride, on tho tiger/'. (Laughter:) , '' : ' Mr. Donald's.-motion was . then piit to the I meeting|, ''.and'.-'(nrried:i}inaninpusly'; •