FARMING AND COMMERCIAL

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1146, 6 June 1911, Page 8

FARMING AND COMMERCIAL

THE WINTER SHOW PROPOSAL CAN WELLINGTON KUX ONE? SOME INTEEYIEAYS. In The Dominion of Saturday publicity was given to a suggestion that a Dominion winter slioiv, on the lines held annually in Palmerston North and other centres should Ije hvld in Wellington, a number of interviews on the subject were secured yesterday. Several of the persons spoken to expressed doubt as to whether the Wellington public would give such an institution sufficient support by ; way of patronage. I Air. H. C. Teivsley (president ■ of the Chamber ;of Commerce) stated that it was intended to bring (lie whole i matter up at a meeting of the. council of ' the Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday. .Mr. Tewslcy Ims lately been conducting inquiries into the possibility of promoting both summer and winter shows in Wellington, and does not find the prospects particularly encouraging as regards either class of undertaking. Mr. 'i'ewsley conferred with three officials of the. Agricultural. Department in regard to the prospects of a summer show in Wellington. These, gentlemen, Messrs. C. J. Eealces (Director of the Live Stock and Meat Division), D. Cuddie (Director of tho Dairy Division), and W. A. Boucher (AssutnntDirector of the Orchards, Gardens and Apiaries Division) ivero unanimously of opinion that it would bo impossible to successfully re-establish a summer show in Wellington. Their opinion, as Mr ■leivslcy remarked, carries considerable weight, and he has discovered notliin" I 1 i f hlm to take a contrary view. As to the general question, Mr.'Towsler remarked that in order to draw exhibitors fo a winter show at Wellington, it would be necessary to moke a moro imposiu" display than at any of the shows now conducted in the Dominion. This would involve a very great expense. At Dunedin something ljko ,£20,000 had been spent upon tho building in which tht> winter show- is held. Quoting from tho "Graphic -, i of May 31, Mr. Tewslcy pointed out that tho winter show which has just closed at Auckland was a (tended by fifty-thrco thousand people. The takings totalled j£1477, as compared with .£2251 last year. Ihcse figures suggested, -Mr. Tewslcy continued, that the undertaking, if attempted, would havo to be gone into on a largo scale, and, moreover, that it was not free from risk. Auckland, in this matter, was much more favourably placed than Wellington. Us winter show was attended by exhibitors from Kaipara, Whaagaroi, Tauranga, and a number of towns too small to organise shows of '(heir own. Caution Necessary. j Mr. A. H. Miles, resident partner of the firm of Murray,. Roberts, and Co., expressed the opinion that if tho idea was taken up it would havo to be prosecuted with _ a great deal of enthusiasm. Ho said it would not do to go on with the. idea unless the promoters bad, or could secure, certain guarantees, . including j guarantees from the exhibitors. Of course, ho added, the finance of the affair would havo to bo studied carefully, and if thero was good prospect of things turning out satisfactorily, there should be no objection to such an institution. Mr. Miles said he would like time to consider tho t suggestion, but at tho time hs thought with a good show af produce, and side shows, jivhich would draw the people who did not take a great deal of interest in the things to be seen at such an Exhibition, a success might be made of tho venture. Totally Atjainst It. The head of another big merchant house was against the proposal on every point. "We have t<jo many shows of the kind now," he said, "and by adding another we would not make any flourish the better. Palmerston North has a winter show, and so have Hawera, New Plymouth, Hamilton, Auckland, and various places in the South Island. The thing is overdone. If you could cut out some of the small shows and hold these winter exhibitions at the chief centres, then Wellington might be considered." He went on to contend that tho show would have to draw on Wellington city for tho attendance. A few might conie from as far np as Otaki, but ho did not rely on any support worth counting from the other sido of tho range. Wellington people, ho considered, were not interested in much that would be put on at a winter show, and he mentioned that 'the stock shows which used to be held adjacent ta the city were not well supported by the public. Without the slightest reservation he condemned the proposal. There appeared to him to be too many evidences that tho show would not be a success, and ho would not like to see an unsuccessful show entered into. "Wellington is_ not the centre of a producing district—it is a distributing centre—and we would have to get all our exhibits of produce from outside sources. Such being the case, wo could not appeal to the public's sense of pride to come and see 'what we produce'; wo would have to ask the people to come and look at what others produced." Would the Public Attend? Mr. A. E. Mabin, of the produce department of Levin and Company, .said he would like to think that a successful winter show could bo held here to help to enliven the winter months. He had not prior to the time of being interviewed given consideration to the idea, but he did not think the Wellington public could be relied on to support such an institution unless some other attractions were combined with it. He referred to the discontinuance of tho stock show which used to be held here, and said th.'it its failure was due to want of public patronage. The business places used to be clo?ed for show day. the people took the'holiday, but went elsewhere. "A section of tho Wellington public doesn't caro a rap, and won't go across tho street to see a cow or a-sheep or a bullock, but they don't mind a racehorse." Sir, Mabin said he did not think the farmers from .up the lino would attend the show so freely as the country people of other districts supported tho National Dairy Show, and he was certain that if tho Wellington people were to be the great source whereon to draw for gate money, very good side attractions would have to be provided. Use the "Industrial Hall." Mr. E. Fletcher, the chairman of the Wellington Harbour Board, said that a .winter show was a circumstance compared with a permanent affair such as he. proposed in his fiusge=tion concerning an industrial hall, but it was something for the holding of which tho industrial hall would be just the place. SIX YEARS' FIGURES. WOOL, MEAT, AND DAIRY PRODUCE. Tho annual report of the Soiith Island Dairy Association directs attention to the increases in the Dominion's exports of. wool, frozen meat, and dairy produce in tho last six years. Tho comparisons are clearest when tabulated: 1005. 1910. 1911. Wool 5,380,193 5,537,801 7,KI,iM Meat 2,G3!),31G 3,3!)3,852 3,577,700 Produce 1,695,030 2,822,081 3,095,081 WAIKATO WINTER SHOW. . INCREASE IN ALL CLASSES, illy Telc£raph--Prcs3 Association.! Hamilton, June 5. The fifth annual Wuikaio Winter Show opens to-morrow. It shows a great increase in nil classes, despite the drought. Tho root display is bigger than in former years and in all other divisions of the show there is a great increase; and the fruit display is especially satisfactory. Tim accommodation is severely taxed by the great influx of visitors.

Tho advantages of a Victor Tat arc easily soon if J' oll R e ' nn illustrated catalogue from tho maker. All folk interested in Vats, noe-iis, Cans, etc., arc invited to send their address, and a Catalogue, will be posted free. Albert J. Parton, Carterton.-Advt.

MEWS AND NOTES,

BETTER THAN AUSTRALIAN. OUR BEST BUTTER. New Zcalanders consider that their butter is bitter than Australian butter, and it brings a better price on the London market. An additional evidence that its quality is thought highly of comes from South Africa. For some months past South Africa has been wonting butter, and as long as prices permitted bought in New Zealand. Since the price has risen in New Zealand the quantity being sent from hero has lessened, and the bulk of the supplies has been drawn from Australia, where prices aro lower. Bnt, according to Wellington merchants, inquiries for line? of first-grade butter for Africa arc still mode, as the Commonwealth cannot supply tho same quality article as the New Zealand factories. GENERAL FARMING NEWS. P.eports from several districts state that cows will bo in earlier than usual next season. Tho milk season is practically at a close in the Cheltenham district. On June 9 a meeting will be held at "\Vairoa to consider proposals for establishing freezing works there. Dairy farmers will bo interested to hear that, according to the Otaki"Mail," the Minister for Defence has informed Mr. Field that every consideration will be given by tho defence auihorities to tho difficulties which may exist in certain cases of complying with the Defence. Act, owing to the nature of .anyone's employment. Training periods' will bo arranged to suit tho slack seasons, and it is not considered likely that the majority of farmers will be inconvenienced to any great extent. The Rangitikei correspondent of tho Tarauaki "Herald" writes:—"Although we are within easy distance of the shortest day, tho weather is so mild that it is hard to believo that it is almost midwinter. I saw a party gathering ripe blackberries by tho roadside, and gr.iss is still making good growth. The rain camo too late for the usual splendid autumn growth, yet things appear much better now than was expected. Another saving feature is tho. great strides all the grain crops are making, which will provido a lot of feed for the next tliTco months. Quito a lot of barley has been sawn on tho paddocks where the turnips failed. Ma.ny used Russian, but the kind is new here, and the seed consequently is scare. It conies with a great reputation for grazing purposes, some estimating it as a tiiird more valuable than Car* , , but that remains to bo proved."

Tho net price of MHd. per pound paid by tho Cheltenham Dairy Company throughout tho season for biitter-fat has besn reached by*very few butter factories operating creameries this season, and had it not been for the drought a- record season would have been tho result. The drought has left behind some good effects, however, inasmuch a? both sheep and dairy farmers will bo better prepared for a recurrence.

Tho monthly meeting of the Hawko's Bay Fruitgrowers' Association was held at Hastings on Saturday afternoon. Tho president (Mr. F. Cook) presided, and 25 members were present. The recommendation made by the executive, that the Ilawke's Bay Fruitgrowers' Association federato with the Incorporated New Zealand Fruitgrowers' . Association, was adopted. The secretary was instructed ■to write, to the Minister for Railways asking for a more definite interpretation of his statement that in future tho Department would carry shooks at a nominal rate. Nelson asked the Hawke's Bay Association to support them in their application to tho Government for a guarantee of Id. per lb. for apples exported during tho next season. It was decided to co-operate. Two new members were elected and one nominated. 'Some interesting trials have been conducted in North Wales in tho growing of linseed. It is, of course, largely used now for calf-feeding and other purposes on the farm, and tho high prices "that havo prevailed for some time have made. it an expensive item. It appears from the trials that there aro fair prospects of growing it to advantage on a small scalo at home.—"Farmer and Stockbreeder." An Australian potato-grower ;offers the following advico:—"That all land bo ploughed up at once, as roughly as possible. Choose laud not before under potatoes if possible. Let the action of the atmosphere and frosts sweeten it all through tho winter. Then cross-plongh before planting, and give a good dressing of fresh lime. Tho lime should be placed in heaps, a little soil thrown over, and the lime- spread as soon as it becomes friable. Dress tho scdd tubers also with formalin. In moist situations a good system of drainage would bo an advantage, and prevent 'wet rot' in a wet season. Whore drain-pipes cannot bo had cheaply, stones or brushwood could be used. With proper care and ordinary seasons vre can still grow good crops." "The main difficulty with which this or any future committee has to contend is that the factories which constitute the membership of this association are by no means unanimous as to what policy they wish tho association to persue," is an extract from tho annual report of the South Island Dairy Association.