THE FARMERS' CARNIVAL.

Evening Post, Volume LXXI, Issue 145, 20 June 1906, Page 3

THE FARMERS' CARNIVAL.

*■ OPENING OF THE PALMERSTON SHOW. (From Our Special Reporter.) PALMERSTON, 19th June. Westerly weather prevailed all day, relieved' only for a very brief period ha the morning by a gleam of sunshine, and a tinge of blue in the sky. "This means three days of wet weather," said an old resident of "the fifth most populous centre in the colony" — a phrase much quoted in Palmerston 'since the census figures were published. With me late Mr. Seddon's funeral and wet weather ahead, the Manawatu and West _ Coast Agricultural and Pastoral Association has not a bright prospect for its fourth winter show, which is a pity, for not only has much enterprise been shown. in organising the great exhibition by business people and by the association, but much money has been expended upon the show. From the dairy farmers' point of view the first day was as successful as ever, for there was a large gathering of the men interested in dairying, and the latest la-bour-saving machinery, appliances, and devices were all closely scrutinised by the eyes of men who knew and who put their money upon the thinga which paid. j > SOME PERSONAL NOTES. There was a more than usually strong personal representation at the show today. Auckland . was represented by 1 Messrs. Rutherford and Edwin Hall (Vice-PresMent and Secretary respectively of the kindred association), Dunedin by Mr. Fulton (Secretary of the Dunedin A. and P. Society), Christchurch | by Principal W. Lowrie, of Lincoln Col- [ lege (judge of farm roots), and Mr. M. Murphy, the veteran ex-Secretary of the Canterbury A. and P. , Association (judge of horticultural entries), and Wellington by Messrs. J. D. Ritchie, T. W. Kirk, J. A. Gilruth, J. A. Kinsella, J. Cuddie, and other experts, Mr. and Mrs. Jas. j Godber (who judged the home industries), Mr. Robieson (who represented the Commerce and Industries Department), and I r. G. Shirtcliffe (President of the Cham- I ber of Commerce.' IN MEMORIAM. It was originally arranged that 'the show should be opened at noon to-day by the Hon. T. Y. Duncan, Minister of. Agriculture, but as he could not .attend, owing to the condition of things following upon the death of Mr.. Seddon, the' executive decided that the exhibition should be opened without any speech-making or other ostentatious ceremony. Yesterday, after some debate, the executive decided that the show should be closed during the whole afternoon, as a mark of respect to the late Premier, and re-open the doors at 7.30 p.m. This morning the exhibitors protested against the cutting out of the most important -afternoon of the season. "Wo can show as much respect to the dead by closing for half an hour as by closing for a day," they eaid. The executive met at 1 o'clock to consider this petition, and after another debate, it was finally decided that the show should only cloeo down during the half-hour of the funeral (from 2.30 to 3 o'clock) oa Thursday. THE COVERED-IN AREA. There is one very great advantage about Palmerston's winter show, namely, nearly everything of interest is under cover. The very long and commodious mam building contains an immense dieplay of machinery in motion that more nearly represente a monster hive of in dustry than anything elee. Here the a-verraes are nearly always by factory managers, chairmen of dairy companies, prosperous farmers in a large way of business, and men who are making modest beginnings. The central portion of this hall is occupied by the large machinery, and on one side is a display of dairy - farm and poultry requisites, and on the other gas engines, separators, etc., nearly all shown in their activities. Further on in the same building, with a more apology for partitions, another large amount of space is set apart for horticultural and farm 'products and poultry — particularly poultry — which will be judged to-mor-row. A vestibule-like space divides the poultry from the machinery, and the vestibule is occupied with a miscellaneous exhibition of pot plants, pork products, a surprise monster cheese, etc. Then, beyond the poultry pens is the display of daily factory produce, which attracts more attention than ever this year. In addition to all this covered-in area, there is the large building, fronting the grounds, in which are the offices of the association, the executive-'s room, the press-room, telegraph and telephone bureaux, etc., all on the ground floor, and upstairs is the 80ft by 30ft lecture-hall, in which all the annual meetings arc being held and the lectures are being delivered. The total space under cover is 31,200 square feet. THE BUTTER CONTESTS. More than the usual amount of interest was taken in the factory butter and cheese contests tfhis year. In class 3 the products were judged under export conditions, the entries being taken, without choice, from any parcels in bulk prior to Government grading examination ait the Wellington cold stores. In this contest a 25-guinea Challenge Cup and £10 cash was offered by the New Zealand Shipping Company and the Shaw Savill Company for the factory scoring i|he higEest points, and the maker of the win- ] ning butter secured a gold medal. The honours were secured' by the Moa Farmers' Dairy Company, the factory of j which is near New Plymouth. All the butfter classes were heavily entered by makers, and good quality predominated. In class 1, for the best two boxes of export butter, sixteen out of the total , of fifty competitors scored the • standard points (83 or over) and prizes were divided cunong hem. The successful competitors were as follows :— Rangitikei Dairy Company, 95 points; Wbenuakura Dairy Company, 94; MauriceviHe Dairy Company, 934; Me^ 0 Dairy Company, 93i ; Stratford Farmers' Dairy Company, 934; Pihama Dairy Company, 93±; Maketawa Dairy Company, 93 ; M&ngorie Dairj CoouatOX* 93.* Moa Farmers'

Dairy Company, 93 ; New Zealand Farmers' Dairy Union, 93 ; Norsewood Dairy Company, 93; Rata Dairy Company, 93; Rewa Dairy Company, 93; Todiape, 93; Weber-Waione Dairy Company, 93; J. J. Gillies' "Bunny" Brand, 93. Novice Class— Best two boxes export butter; first prize, £6; second, £4; third £2.— Rangitikei Dairy Company, 95 points ; Pitoma Dairy Company, 94 ; Mauriceville Dairy Company, 93£. Twenty-five competitors. Following is the result of the factory butter, from bulk, best} two boxes export factory butter ; first prize, £510 and gold medal'; second, £7 10s; third, £5.— Moa Fanners' Dairy Company, 94; Rangitikei Dairy Company, 93i ; J- Allies, 93. Twenty-six competitors. me winning factory also takes the Challenge Cup, valued at 25 guineas, presented by the New Zealand Shipping Company and the Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company. Factory cheese; best three cases full cream ; New Zealand chejidar-shaped cheese ; first prize, £10 ; second, £5.— Taratahi Dairy Company, 94 points; Waikonaiti Dairy Company, 934 ; Riverdale Dairy Company, 93, highly commended. Thirteen competitors. Iho successful factory also takes the New Zealand Shipping and Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company's Challenge Cup. The actual maker of the cheese receives the DaiTyman's prize of £2 12s 6d. Best three cases, full cream, New Zealand cb.eddar-sb.aped cheese (white) ; first prize, £10; second, £s.— Waikouaiti Dairy Company, 94* points; Taratahi Dairy Company, 93* pointls. Thirteen competitors. Two best factory cheeses (any colour) ; first prize, £3 ; second, £2 ; third, £I.— Dalefield Dairy Company, 94 points; •Taratahi Dairy Company^ 93 ; Belvedere Dairy Company, 92£. Thirteen competitors. Best two medium-sized factory cheese (any colour) ; first prize, £2 ; second ; £1. —Dalefield Dairy Company, 94 points; Taralahi Dairy Company, 93£. Eleven competitors. Best two loaf cheeses ; first prize, £1;' second 10s. — Taratahi Dairy Company, 94 points; Dalefield Dairy Company, 93. Ten entries. The maximum pointis obtainable were 100 in each class of butter and cheese. In the former points were awarded for flavour, body, moisture, texture, colour, salting, and finish, and in cheese for flavour, body, moisture, texture, colour, and finish.