MANAWATU WINTER SHOW. OPENING DAY.

Evening Post, Volume LXVII, Issue 146, 21 June 1904, Page 6

MANAWATU WINTER SHOW. OPENING DAY.

[By Tklkguaimi.] (By Our Special Reporter.) PALMERRTON N., This Day. Cold but fine weather prevails for tho second annual winter show and poultry exhibition of the Manawalu and West Ooasl Agrioulturul and Pastoral Association, which is to be officially opened this ufternoon by the Hon. T. Duncan, Minister of Laud.s. The .show is to remain open until Fiiday next. The whole of the iwliibitu are under covor. During the year tho covered space has been enlurgt-d to tho extent oi" 21,G00f1, but (he additional room does not look one bit too much. In fact, with an increase next year Mimhir to that of tho present year there will not be, enough loom, and further buildings will hayo to be provided. To &ome extent this has been foreseen by members of tho Committee, and the maio recently elected buildings have been constructed with a view to their enlargement in tho near future. A gratifying feature in tho &ho\v is the particularly large increase ;in the classes* fVu* home incluatrien, farm seeds, root crops, etc, for which the local district housewives and farmers are responsible. One of the chief weaknesses of [ last year's show was in this connection, and it is therefore satisfactory to note, that this year tho district has risen to tho occamon, and provided a display that cannot fail to earn the commendation of all visitors and at the &iuno timo show the resources and undoubted fertility of tho PalmerKton country, Tho Show Committee consists of Major Dunk (Chairman), Messrs. L. A. Abranam.'R. S. Abraham, J. O. Batchelor, 11. Bryant, *M. Cohen, H. Gillies, J. Jarvis, j. T. Lang, S. R. Lancaster, I*. A. M'Hardy, J. F. PraXt, A. E. Russell, S. Rtunden, H. M. Simmonds, and L. Willis, tho President and Vice-Presidents. Mr. W. S. Luxford, of Awapuni, is President of tho Association, and Mr. J. C. Lono Secretary. Tho Winter Show hns made such tremendous strides that it has the appear- 1 ance of a well established institution rather thnn a nowly organised* venture which was begun Inst year with somo trepidation. Altogether,* (hero aro 1400 entries, or more than double last year's entries. Of poultry thetc are 653 entries — viz., fowls 402, pigeons 158, ducks and geese 93 ; of vegetables, 173 ; dairy produce, 123; fruit, 70; homo industries and honey, 85 ; and schools competitions, 338. Apart from the Show,' Palmerston is to havo a busy lime during the week. This morning the New Zealand Association opened its annual meeting, and in the evening the New Zealand Institute of Duiry Secretaries' annual meeting takes place. On Wednesday and Thursday a Dairy Conference is to bo held in connection with the Show, for which eight papers have been prepared by Government experts and other specialists to lead discussion upon matters of special interest l« tho industry. Tho annual meeting of tho New Zealand Butter and Cheese Makers' Association takes place on Wednesday evening. Unlike lust year when the wcuther wap against it, the show opens to-day undor Iho best of conditions — n bright sun and •a clear atmosphere, and with pteparalions well forward. This morning the grounds aro a hive of industry. Tho exhibition of moving machinery is an eye-opener, and never previously has anything like it been seen, not only in tho colony, but in Australasia. Tho machinery exhibits includes freezers, nnd everything for dairying purposes, and is contained in a hall two hundred foot by sixty feet. The shnfting for power purposes is 186 leet long, being troblo tho length roquirod last year. Tho whole display impresses tho spectator with tho great strides made by the dairy industry in the Manawatu and Wost Coast ili.-stricts. Tho exhibition is made by manufacturers in all pnrls of the world, nnd their enterprise promises to be well rewarded. Farmers from nil parts of the colony are in town, and visitors from the South Island. Tho fino weather will bring in crowds from the country bide this afternoon and the next two days. Tho whole show is contained in n building having a total length of four hundred and fifty feet, and makes ono of the most interesting exhibitions ever aeon, in the colony. Poultry makes a particularly fine display. Tho Hon. T. Y. Duncnn, Minister of Lands, nnd Messrs. J. D. Ritchie, J. A. Gilruth, of the Agricultural Department, nnd a number of visitors from Wellington and waysido stntions arrived thi.s morning to take part in the olßcial opening this afternoon. There were forty-four entries for the fnctoiy butter contest for tho best two boxes of export butter. Pride, of place was won Hy the Mon. Fainiers* Co-operative Dairy Company, Inglowood, Tarunnki, with 94 pointe, and Mangorei Factory, New Plymouth, 1 was second with 934 points. Mangorei won first prizo in the Novice Clns" for export butter with 93 points, Nuhaka being second with 924 points, and Midhursl third with 92 points.