THE CENTRAL A. & P. ASSOCIATION.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1031, 21 January 1911, Page 15

THE CENTRAL A. &P. ASSOCIATION.

. . _—.—ft— . HISTORY OF jTS INCEPTION. THE FIRST. SHOW OF 1866.' . The reinaiiguration of arf agricultural and pastoral show at AVaipukiirau • on February 1 will mark a new milestone in the progress of a district which during the past five years has gone ahead beyond all Expectation'.' The tcrm*"reinaugu'ratio'n"' is used advisedly, because it was some time- about 18GG, forty-five years . ago, that held its first and, for a very long time its'only, show. It is a far cry fccfc to 1556. and very little information can be gleaned.of the gathering which took place 011 that occasion., it is unde'r•stuod.that Mr. Henry Russell was the originator of the idea. It was a great day, and Mr. lhissell made a rpecclr which was applauded to the echo: The second show will make its bow to the public amidst the plaudits of thousands of sympathisers and friends whos6 earnest wish, will doubtless be that it will ;;r>thor in might.aiid prosperity as:thc years , go on, and. that such a brightfuture will, be a . reflection of the, progress which , one should rightly; expect from a' district so richly endowed' by nature. ; . . The First Show. - We are indebted to. Mr. : A.- Jones, an- old, arid much-respected, resident of AVaipuku.rau, for particulars of the first shoiv held so long ago. Mr. Jones believes that the gathering was held in 1566, one year'after" he-: had arrived under contract at Mount Herbert to do blaeksiiiithing work' for Mr. -Henry Russell. "It. was a considerable "largo show, 'So far as I can remember," 'said Mr;. Jones. "1 made . several implements. which 'had never before been seen in the district, and 1 got several orders for more through the exhibition. Of course, it was a local show held on Mount Herbert farm, about a mile from here, but there were cattle and sheep and horses, and the biggest mangels that. I have ever "scon before or since. J mcasured 'ono, and it" reached three feet.' Then there-wore apples.and fruit frorii 'Oakbiirne,' Mr. Canning's - residence, ponies.(tho Garlyon ponies), •from Gtfavas, .M u ' Mr. I?urvis ; Russell, of. AVoburn (now Hatumaj, being away, his gardener, Mr: E'. Mackie, -created the surprise of the (lav bv leading in a cow on a bit'of rope. The cattle, were so' wild in the district that .Mackic's feat , was looked upon,as'a marvel, and for many days'.it formed a topic of interesting conversation in and around Mount Herbert." Butter and cheese was also shown. Mr. Canning showed some stock, and Mr. Henry Russell some champion merino rams, which , lie prized greatly. He had no thoroughbred cattlo at the time.' I cannot remember who wero the judges,-or. who took prizes, but I should say thai; there wore fully fifty or sixty people there, including'the hands from the station.- There were wives there and also a. few children, and I ain • sure, that everybody enjoyed themselves. It was like a sort of family gathering, everybody know everybody else, and Jack was as good as his master, for the time-being. I tliink'that Mr. Henry Russell was president, and I know that there were speeches, and that he spoke." . Such was the beginning and .ending of Waipuluirau's first show.; '/ Tho Naw Projcot. • The idea that Waipukuraii and the central district should lie able to run a show of their own had been agitating . the minds of some residents for years. The fact, that similar associations ha,d'been springing up lately in other places was possibly partly, responsible for the suggestion' that the district should do .something,' but apparently there.' was nobody to take tho initiative. Residents who were members of other associations were ■ no doubtdiffident over the matter, because they well knew that to run an A. and Association .successfully requires much unselfish work on tho part of both, its activo executive arid . its ' members. There was some feeling also . that a

rival institution might weaken tlio big* ger association which holds its gatherings at Hastings, but it was generally agreed /afterwards that if anything the Hastings show* .would bo benefited Ly the introduction of. a similar gathering oil a;"smaller scale. It- was also felt that such a ■ central district as Waipukurau, with a large stock' sale centre, hijd breeding such , largo numbers of lirst-class stock, should be to run ,a successful agricultural and pastoral association. . Notable Stock. It,was remembered that-Waipukii'ran district had been responsible lor. the Mount Herbert' Shorthorns (which had taken champion prizes wherever : they had been shown, ,even at the-'Sydney I! ova I itself, the.Mount Vernon draught horses, and Eomney, Marsh sheep now e'njoving ' a remarkably' - successful career; Mr.'Paul Hunter's equally well•kiiown- Jersey, .and. champion English setters :-Mr. George Hunter's:thoroughbreds;;'Mr: -Sydney- -Johnston's, Komnevs; Mr. A. S. G. Carlyon's' Polled Angus cattle; and Mr. .Canning's allrouud first-class stock; the Hon. J; D. Ormo'nd's . draughts ; Mr.'AW Sanders 8. Corriedalcs,; Ml'-. Spencer.Gollau!s.thoroughbreds, arid stcck, also* the-stock of E. K. White, 'W. S. Fleming, 11. 11. 'Bridge,.'of "Fairfield,", and others'. . . . . ' '', ... > Eventually it was decided vthat tha district- should have a show.' The idea did not take definite 1 shape'.until;:after a .very successful ploughing' mate!) held ';last February,' when tlie.oniens appear•ing.to'bc.propitious it.was resolved, afiter '..duo';consideration, *to* tdko the iplu'nge."' At a winding-up'meeting'of 'the' Ploughing' Match Committee',"-. Mr. J. O'Neil in the chair, ths';.ihairman proposed,* and Mr. C. A. Hilloy, oE Haituma, seconded; a motion that an:asso-, 'ciation'. bo'.formed called the WaipukuIran .A. and IV,Aswciation.: .Tliere, was .sonic* dissent to a piircfchial. term —it was'thought-that'the-designatifen-should be more of a general character, and, Mr.- G: E: Merrikin ; proposed; as an "amendment "that "the "iissociation*. should be called,, ''The'.Central'.A. and-E- Association.''' " This was secoiided by llr. J\ S; Carroll/and ; carried. , '

■ ' • " 'iiiiii:'- I'.'j.a-eaoj; ; " V " ■ ~&! .«. Mb i - Tha Ofiicors.; V Following were ti;e officers ele.cted President, .Jlr.j G. Hunter; viec-presi-.. dents, Mr. J, ; W..,Harding, .Mr. Sydney*" 1 . .. Johnston, aiid Mr. Davis.Canning j'lion.K" treasurer, Smartsecretary, Mr. I'. S. Carroll; general'.committee, . Messrs.'H. Buchanan, Laehlan, M'Kay,, J,. D. 'ledd, R. U'. Houston, £.' a. Falconer, I'. 'A. Niit't, I': '"Hunter, J>;-» A. Blom, K. Drowcr. J.; Winlove,- 1).,,r M./ York, E. R-. White, W, A:> Chambers,"!''. Chilwell,.ft. E. Merrikin, U. A. Hilley, J. L. C. -Morton, Ar - o.'.'£ Prentice, R. Haldane, W. F. Grenfeli,-.:-J. 0.. Neil,/,'H. W. White., . G. A. J.„„ Elliott, • Alex. Jones. . \

"The prospects of.the success of the 32 institution- 'were "greatlyfacilitated™ through the kindly thoughtfulness •. tho officials of the Waipukurau Racing" Club:in placing their picturesque - course at the disposal of the associa-ty-tion free of charge. This ground. pre-;rrr sents a .very pretty landscape viewy cr: being situated partly on ail eminence!" which "overlooks Hatuma" Lake, while iit !fl the background lies Hatuma itself. Them' action of tho Racing Club -gave,'the-as-j.r. ' sooiation an opportuniiiy of using ■ grounds and buildings: of 'a verv com-i- 7 pleto kind,right r.t the inception of thaw; show, and at very little, expense. ... ln ; A Strong CcmmittcG. Much enthusiasm was displayed the 'officials and at the . second meeting/" presided over by Jlf.'.'d-.-Hn'nter,-.it- dfcjp!. cidcd to institute a vigorous canvass.v„ for the purpose of buildiiig up a' niemv" bership. The following gentlemen word : . J; appointed a committee for tho-work:— Messrs. G: Hunter, R. Sidwcll, A; Johii-yr stone,-D. Howes, E. Coles, H., Buchan-,* an',". J. Holder, C. H. Hiiley. (!. K. Merrikin, A. E. Jull, .A:'-,Collins/ Di" Gollan, \V. 1L- Spsedy, W.Little, Ji;c.L M'Kay, S. "White. Eighty members;,-: were elected at tljat meeting, sixty '■ the next, meeting,'and to-day-the. niem-v': bsrsliip stands at over 300. . This is .ap;i • very satisfactory beginning; arid is a iT pleasing indication of the. support which l r is likely to como'forward for the upkeep'", . of the association. • .'.'s : - - : -, a« ■ Handsome Donations. ■ ■. . Another pleasing feature in connect,.-,. tion with the send-off which has boon.. given the institution by its admirers is ; ; the donation list. This includes tho'"' following:—Messrs. G. Hunter,' £30f u ' 'P. Hunter,.-£34-'los.; J. W. £15; Davis-Canning, £10 ills.; 1). Jl'Leod, i's 03.; A. 5. Green (trophv),-* £5 Ss. Nelson Bros., Ltd., £o; H. Ro: Murton (trophy), £3 45.; J.' Scoon,.-.-J,p D. Ormond, junr., T. E. Whelch, W. D. Fleming,'and St. Hill Bros., cach £3 35.; Borthwick and Company'::(trophy), £o os. The future of the association will lie in tho enterprise of itr 4 members, and the general progressiveliess of its district.