AUCTION SALES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 234, 28 June 1920, Page 8

AUCTION SALES

FORTHCOMING FIXTURES. TO-DAY. Manakau, 12,30 p.m.-Furniture . sale (G. Anderson). Bruoo Koad, Weraroa, 1 p.m.—Sale of stock and furniture (Abraham and Williams). 153 Lambton Quav, Wellington, 1.30 p.m.— Sale of BlauJtets, etc. (A. L. Wilson and Co.). TUESDAY. , - ' Swamp Road, Carterton, 11 a.m.-Sale of ---.■took and Implements (Wright, Stephenson and Co.). Uanffiotu, 12 noon.—Sale of stock and implements (N.Z. Loan Co.). Beaoh Eoad, To Horo, 12 noon.—Sale of Btookmid implements (N.Z. Loon Co.). Town Hall, Levin, 2 p.m.—Land salo (Abraham and Williams). Town Hall, Bulls, 2 p.m.—Land sale (Dalgety- and' Co.). Town Hall, Lower Hutt, 2 p.m.—Land sale (Levin and Co.). 195 Lambton Quay, Wellington, 2.30 p.m.— Property sale (Harcourt and Co.). * WEDNESDAY. •fliakitahuna, 12.30 p.m.-Sale of stock and .-implements (Dalgety and Co.). 105 Castomhouso Quay, Wellington, 2.30 p.m)—Property Bale (Nathan and Co.). Te Horo Yards.—Stock salo.

NATIONAL DAIRY SHOW "11 ..' A RETROSPECT ; ' (By "Maraina") Now that the Palmerston annual winto show held in conj unction with the National Dairy Association is a thing of ■.tie past, it is a fittine time to reviewit from a utility point of view. It must oe agreed at the outset that this particular fixture in many ways compares more ihari favourably with nny other show of ■ its class In the Dominion, also that it is if considerable educative value to tho '.arming community generally, but, naturally, there is aiill room for improvement In some directions. The members of the Winter Show committee must be congratulated on the success of their efforts under the most adverse weather conditions.- In spite of the rain which fell almost continuously • during the wholo of the four days of the'show, and which must have prevented numbers of country people coming into town, the takings at the gat.es amounted to .£IOB3, as against for tlie previous year,.and under tlio circumstances this must bo considered most satisfactory. ~: With the valuable prizes offered and the hard work'dono by the committee, the show certainly deserves more encouragment from the farmers, in whose- interest it is primarily held, than it at present receives in the way of entries ■■of farm produce. A glance- at the.catalogiie, shows thaib the same people exhibit year after year, and a new aspirant for honours is a rai'ity. This is not as it :•• Bhould be. and every farmer in the district should support the association by being represented in some or other class ■ •in 'the schedule. • One has only to go ■-round the Mnnawatu district to see the possibilities of making a really !>ig show o£ its farm products, but in too many cases the farmers are apathetic, and ■ many have come -to look upon tne an- • nual exhibition as a medium of amusement rather than of education, as a pretext for foregathering with friends. This is ranch ito be ' regretted, .' as the " young farmer and the beginner can learn much that should be useful to. him. from a visit to ihc show. To the dairyman it provideo the opportunity of inspecting the ~very latest machinery''used'in connec- ' flection with the industry and with'the .'introduction of' cow-testine. and milking .machines, this is a most importaut feature of the exhibition,_ as it enabjes .him to make a comparison of the requisites turned out by different makers, which he could do at no other time. ...The farmer van see lor himself 'he re- - suits of growing the various kinds of ■ root crops, seeds, md gravies, and can learn more in a couple of hours amongst -these exhibits: than he -fluid by .-years '■'of working on ; his own. Those who wish to improve their herds,' 0-' who contemplate establishing herds, are given •the opportunity of comparing 6tud stock of the* various breeds, and this should 1 eertainly be -6 the advantage of dairymen. The day Of the ordinary dairy, cow has gone by, and nothing should be "found in the-herd -which cainot give .'tho best return for the feed which,she 'consumes, for it costs just'as much to keep a poor milker as it does a prolific "one. '■' While every credit mint be given to tho committee for its efforts and good intentions,. a word; or two of criticism ■should not be out of place. It Is ad'mi'tavd! that Ulid i-how buildings are "extensive and all that could .dp wished for displaying overything-even ihe stock lieing shown in a . capacious naviliqnbut for the convenience of the. public "the grounds require considerable improve- : moiifc'to bring them into line with some of. .those in other big centres. It is ' absolutely ne'oessary that n forward movement should be made in this matter. Un'fortunate'y, for several years post, both 'winter and summer shows have had to contend against atrocious weather, with tho result that the, grounds'have been . turned into a perfect quagmire with a "series of miniature lakra which make it al'rnost impossible for people, lo get about ■botside. 1

-' It is absolutely necessary that money ; should be found for a system of drainage, while gravelled ways should be put down where people have to walk. The enclosure in front of the grandstand last week was ankle-deep in mud, and it was a pitiable sight to see women and children wading through it to -get a Beat, for there is no other seating on the ground for tired mothers with weary children. Tho/innovation of school districts dis- • plays is a good ono from an educative point of view, : and goes in the right direction, but tho class would be considerably improved and made more attractive were it extended and tho "county hay" system adopted. This is .in vogue at the Duncdin Winter Show, and proves a great. attraction. Instead of the small prize of .£8 which the 'first prize exhibit receives in-I'almoraton at the southern show the first prize is JEIOO. This, naturally' attracts very tine and ■ comprehensive displays indicative of the resources of each particular county, which are of considerable educational value. In this section at the Palmerston North Show there was a tendency to int elude in each stand too much of what mightbe tewied the home industry class, sucn as pickles, home-made jams, euliui'.'ary goods, etc. While theso are all very -'.well in their way, what is wanted is .something that remes'ents farming in its broader' sense,: and shows what can be - got out of the land. This defect would probably be remedied if the scope of the exhibit was widened to take in county bays. 'A matter which -certainly requires more stringent regulation is tne show of stud stock, held in connection with the breoders' consignment sale.- When breeders from other parts of the Dominion are induced to visit tho show with the idea, of making a selection, as they do at the sale, they naturally expect to see the very best stock. that the province can prodnoc, and they cannot be favourably impressed when they , see animals entered lor exhibition, which when put - up at the sale elicit bids that would be considered low for grade cattle. Some remedy should 'be found for this, either ■by raising the entry fees, or by pro- ■ hibitin" stock "being-offered at tho nuc-' - tion which would not command a bid 'worthy of a pedigree beast. Altttough the actual sale is in the hands of the " associated stock auotioneors the committee has control of the prize schedule and has power to reject any animal not up to stud standard. As matters at present stand, tho province gets a very poor advertisement for some of its breeds, and it. is hoped that this will be remedied.