THE PLOUGHING MATCH.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3116, 23 June 1881, Page 2

THE PLOUGHING MATCH.

[To the Editor of the Daily Telegeaph.] Sir,—l had the pleasure of attending the annual dinner in connection with the Hawke's Bay Agricultural Society ploughing match held at Beecroft'a hotel on the evening of the match, and I wai very much pleased to see such a large number assemble to do honour to the occasion. I noticed representatives from Waipukurau, Kaikora, Taradale, Meanee, Petane, and other districts, showing beyond a doubt that a great interest is taken in our annual ploughing matches. But on looking round the tables, and. closely scanning tbe faces of the company my attention was particularly struck by the conspicuous absence of those gentlemen representing the " upper ten" of our community. This is very much to be regretted for more reasons than one. In the first place it tends to show a want of sympathy on their part in the cause of agriculture, and in the next place it promotes a tendency to class feeling, which above all things ought to be avoided, more especially in these democratic days. Ido not attribute class feeling to those gentlemen who absented themselves on Tuesday evening, for I look upon class feeling as snobbish in the extreme, and unbecoming a gentlemen ; neither do I tbink for one moment that even one of those gentlemen imagined that it would be derogatory to their elevated position in society to condescend to sit *t the same table with tbe brawny eons of toil. I have not the least doubt but that one and ali of them had some urgent private business to keep them at home. At all events they were not at the dinner. Had the president of the Society been in the district he would without doubt have been one of us, but he is doing good work for us in another sphere. It was hoped that the vicepresident would have honoured the meeting with his presence, but I suppose he had urgent private business—l am, &c, A Son op Toil. Hastings, June 22nd, 1881.