A Proud Record

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 144, 20 June 1928, Page 17

A Proud Record

Shows in the (Rotable Exhibitions Meeting JPlace for Farmers

THE part which agricultural and pastoral shows play in the life of a community.Should not be under-estimated. , Not only do they serve .-,.- as a place where farmers may congregate to; discuss common problems but they, also serve as an index to the prosperity of the district in which they are held and, in many cases, tdthe prosperity of the country ' as a whole. Townspeople are afforded an opportunity .-of gaining a ; better understanding of the difficulties which face the man on the land and appreciating, if a little unwillingly, the truth of the 6ft-repe«ted assertion that the primary producer is the backbone of the country '""'■■ ' On the other,hand, the farmer, fresh from' his broad acres, is' brought y!'>-.". into contact with the products of the secondary industries, and is forced to admit, a little grudgingly at times, perhaps, that his calling, imr ,y '.' pprtant arid vital as, it is, is not the only one that is making a contri-I'-iii bution to the national wealth. g2;:Tliis-,coming together of. town and country interests is all ■ for the'good. "--.lt breaks down the barrier ;! of suspicion ""which is tod often allowed-to assume ■ proportions : -which cannot be justified, aiid-it establishes a bond.of sympathy th6.:.^signiflcance-y and importance of , iv_ic_ cannot- be too strongly urged. J'^New Zealand is;so placed that there

X SIR DOVGLAS M'LEAN;'

y^ is, np room. for any division between ■'li -town and country;" all must1 worl^hand-'in-hand for the common weal. That can,only be-.brought about if the diffi- • ■ culties of botir'ai-'e apprecidted and understood by both, and it is in helping to bring about this common understandc ■••-'-' ing that'agricultural. shows play such . ■"■'' -.ah important part. But apart'from this '-'■'ni'e-girig.'of-town and country, shows: r v ..play another important part. They V bring "tlie farmers together. To a large extent,, the farmer is an individualist. "His calling is of-such' a nature that he . has few opportunities of meeting, with . his contemporaries, although in these -.days of motor transport, those opportunities aTO. gradually becoming more numerous. -A show,,however, provides farmersywith an excellent excuse for congregating; it acts as a magnet; 'its „ appeal is not to be resisted. Once together, farmers are not slow to take advantage'of the-opportunity that is presented for a'thorough discussion of current problems, and an exchange of ' ideas'. The average farmer is not a great conversationalist. In the main he is a man of action rather than of '-"words, but in spite of that there is "' nothing that he enjoys more than, a quiet, leisurely discussion of some problem with a kindred spirit. A.nd the subjects discussed.aro usually strictly ■ limited. Generally speaking, farmersdo not discuss the situation in Europe, the American Presidential elections, or the latest-cause, celebre;. they discuss topics -which affect them vitally and on which they, can speak from their own experience—the weather, the crops, > the price of . land, and so on. The writer was once in the. company of "three farmers, men hailing from differ- ■ ent parts of the country, and for four ""hours the subject discussed was farming , in its varying phases. The writer did , . ,?»';' not. possess sufficient courage to en- , deavour to introduce another topic; to ' <„. do so, he-felt, would have been sacri-y ■*- lose It is well that farmers should "-' thus* meet and discuss the problems . "which, affect them so materially, and, , Jgrieultural shows offer them a splendid I "opportunity so to do. • THE CENTRE OF DAIRYING. 'National dairy shows, held annually . ; in-_he month of June, have long been a , . feature of Palmerston 'North, and the record of the Manawatu and West Coast A and P. Association is one of which ■■- it'may well be proud. Not only have these shows helped very materially in building up the solid foundation on which the Manawatu district restß, but thoy have also played an important part in the development of the Domin- ■ ,<,Won The great industry of dairying is ■^nowhere more strongly represented, than in the Manawatu, and it is fitting that Palmerston North,.the prosperous centre of a prosperous district, should -each year be the Mecca of thoso who make a -'"living—precarious as that living may J* be at times—from her bovine .majesty <•■'■-'' the cow. ' Other dairying centres in ■^*irew Zealand have their winter shows, - but, with no desire to be parochial, it 4-' niay'be claimed that none, has the sign^ ficanee of that held at Palmerston -i- North. The National Dairy Show has a glamour all its own, much the same :_:'- glamour,- although on ,a smaller scale* that attaches to the Sydney Royal , S- Show, ; Bach year sees a gathering of "men who count 'iii the world of dairy-

' ing; they go to Palmerston North year in and year out because they know that there, they will meet with men whoso interests are. their interests..'. - • j. , The. -Winter Show at. Palmerstbn North has not.been without itsups and downs; its trials and tribulations; and its,officials have not escaped criticism, but in spite .of all, in the face of many disappointments and-many disheartening set-backs, the Show has been able to hold its own and even more than hold its. own. Critics have raged annually, and the answer to the critics has; been enhanced gate receipts and ' record entries. Strangely enough, much of the criticism that has.been levelled at the. men-who have been responsible for. • the management of the shows has come from the people of Palmerston North, and members of the executive committee are firm believers in the truth of the saying that a prpphet has no honour, in his ow;n country. "When the National Ijaixy Association, which foy. years had held its annual conferences at Palmerston North, decided on a change ofvonue, there were many protests from the good people of the town, and members of the executive were roundly condemned. .Certainly,_the lossofsueh an important conference was.a severe blow to the Show and the town, but to-place they whole blariio. for this upon the shoulders of the executive was.a little too severe, to say the-least of it. Hap■pily, the N.D.A. has returned to its old love; and no doubt it will hesitate before it goes a-wandering, again. ".". SOLID PROGRESS. During the many years of its existence, the Manawatu West Coast A. and P. Association has made solid progress, and the Winter Show has grown from very; humble beginnings to be ■ the premier dairy exhibition in the Dominion; The ground^ as they are to-day are probably the best-equipped, in the Dominion. Members'of the committee do not believe in letting the'grass grow beneath their ; feet," and as finances: permit: further improvements are carried, out. Money spent in improving the. grounds arid the buildings could not be .invested,in any better way, for.such is -^he rate of.progress,of the town of Palmerston' North—it'will be a city be 1 fore many years have passed—that the Show is bound to assume an evengreater measure of importance than it possesses to-day. It is impossible to measurb accurately the potential wealth that there is'in the Manawatu district, and as this wealth is tapped'the town will grow; and with it institutions such as the Show-will grow proportionately. Bach year sees some improvement to the buildings and: equipment on the showground, and this yeai is no exception. During: the past few months: the builders have been busily engaged' in ■erecting a-new and spacious entertainment hall, which is' being used for the , first time during the present Show.: The, need for such a hall has been felt for some time,: as so much space is taken I up annually by exhibitors that very j little .room is available for other purposes, and its, completion marks another forward step in the" history of the association. The new hall, the largest of its kind in Palmerston North, was to be opened on the first night of the present Show with a cabaret evening,, a function that will no doubt add very materially to the popularity of. Palmerston North's great winter carnival. Another, big improvement has been carried out since the last Show is the erection of an up-to-date Plunket room and rest-

room, which was to bo officially opened by the Minister of Health (the Hon. J. A. Young), in the past the: Plunket room has'-. beeii' housed in temporary quarters, and although the: service' has been greatly appreciated the need for improved accommodation has been keenly felt. The new building will be a haven of rest'for mothers visiting the Show with their children. Up-to-date conveniences have . also been erected for the womenfolk. WHAT PALMER-TON OFFERS. Since the birth of the show at- Pal'merston' North the grounds and buildings have been very considerably extended. Each "year has seen an increase in . the number of exhibitors, and the, association has been facedwith the necessity of providing the necessary accommodation. It is eighteen years since the present secretary (Mr. W; T. Penny) became the chief executive officer of the association, and it is fitting -for the purposes of the present article.to review something of the progress of the 'association since that official 'was.,app6ihted. Two shows are held, annually at Palmerston North —the. National" Dairy Show in the month of June, usually just prior to the ' opening of Parliament, and tho Spring Show in November. Some years back separate committees, managed the two shows, but the system of dual control did not prove altogether a/success, and one strong association was formed to control both shows.: The wisdom of ..that step has been well demonstrated' since, for the show has - made marked progress. -The Winter Show, which is the more important effort of the association, is the biggest carnival of its kind held in New Zealand, and tho awards made there are regarded by ex-

in working order and judging for themselves their worth or otherwise, yTheh, too,, there,is the annual -display yof motor-cars, by no means the least-in-teresting feature of the show. Time was. When the farmer was inclined ,to look askance at the motor-car. He preferred the old-fashioned gig or trap, but the days of those forms of conveyance are numbered, even as the days of the horse are numbered. The farmer of to-day realises the advantages of the motor-ear just as.much as .his brother ijij'.they city, and, he takes a keen interest in the latest.models and the latest improvements, l The motor exhibition has always been a big feature of the winter shows at Palmerston North, and with the improved outlook which the dairy farmer now enjoys importing companies will no doubt concentrate on the winter carnival to an even greatort extent than in the past.. - r PRODUCE DISPLAYS. In a rich dairying centre such as the Manawatu it is natural • that there should be a' big showing of dairy produce, "aiid tho visitor to the show will havo no reason to be disappointed. It is in the big produce hall that the. real wealth of the Manawatu is to be gauged. Throughout the Manawatu district there are flourishing dairy factories, and each of these sends its best to tho show. But tho exhibition of dairy produce is not confined to the district. Factories from other parts, of the Dominion send tlioir butter aiid cheese to "Palmerston-North to compete against the best.that the Manawatu can produce, and the awards are keenly contested.- The judging of tho factory butter and cheeso is carried out by the grading officers of tho Department of

hibitors as being well worth the winning. The best stock of the Dominion is concentrated on Palmerston North, and:competition is very keen. Another big feature of, the Winter Show is the annual industrial exhibition. ' Every 'leading firm in the. Dominion 'takes space in the commodious sheds,' and 'visitors to the show are provided with the opportunity of. viewing tho very latest mechanical devices. TMS is the age of machinery. Old forms of farming implements are dying out gradually but. surely, and they are being replaced by up-to-date labour-saving appliances. The show affords farmers an opportunity of seeing these appliances

Agriculture, and it has to be of a very high quality, in order to have a chance of gaining an award. In the produce hall, space, is also found for exhibits of fruit; honey,: .field roots,, vegetables, home products; and -■' school exhibits. Fruit-growing' is hot one of the major industries in .the Manawatu, but there are a number of first-class orchards in and around Palmerston North and good progress is being made. Every encouragement is given to the children of the district to show an interest in horticulture in its various phases, and. many of the school exhibits show v6ry considerable merit. vlny"the art section of Hhe show a prominent place is found", for'

photographic ' work, and. many of the, pictures .shown at Palmerston North j would ■ win awards in 'any' company. These are sections for professionals and amateurs. ..Outdoor-events also claim much attention, and ■it is in this' connection that the ring and the grand, stand are used. -Football matches are a big feature of the Winter Show, and each ■' afternoon .they claim the attention of large crowds. • ■ .-,. ELOQUENT FIGURES. Since Mr.'Penny took charge of the administrative side .of the. show eighteen years ago, many additions have been made to the buildings and. equipment. Two new ' big halls,, apart from the Entertainment hall, have been built j to house the ever-increasing number of exhibits, and extensions have been made to the halls which were already in existence. The produce hall has been extended by fifty feet, and even now it is none to° big to house all the j exhibits.. A ram fair, sale ring has been constructed, the breeders' clubroom has been built, and a. commodious cattle -pavilion has been erected. The. entrance to the show grounds has alsobeen brought up to date in order to j cope with the large crowds which daily visit the show. Many improvements have also been effected to the" grounds, which to-day are probably-the best equipped in tho Dominion. During the I last eighteen years* the .'record of the Manawatu A. and P. Association has been one of steady progress. The truth'of, this may be judged from fig-, nres which are given below. -For the purpose of making a comparison and showing tho steady progress, figures have been prepared showing the receipts and expenditure over a period I

The profit in 1927 amounted-to. £1353, and the profit in 1912 was a mere £47. It w^ll be seen from the figures that, despite the . criticism, the Manawatu A. and P. Association has made steady, progress, and'has-grown steadily with the town which gave it birth. A POPULAR MEETING PLACE. It has been indicated earlier in the present article-that tho National Dairy Show is' the meeting place of farmers. In order to show that this is no empty boast, it is only -necessary to give a list of the many organisations connected with the primary industries of the Dominion which annually select Palmerston North as the venue of their conferences. Reference has already been made to the annual meeting of the National Dairy Association, the most important body of its kind in the Dominion. For many years the N.D.A. held its meeting at Palmerston North during the progress of the Winy ter Show, but four years. ago, owing to an unfortunate difference with the executive, the association decided on a i change of venue and since then the conferences have' been peripatetic. Conferences have been held at Hawera, Wellington,, and Eotorua, but this year the N.D.A. has returned to its old love. The conference ■of the National Dairy Association extends over three days, and a special room has been set aside by the Manawatu Association for their use while in Palmerston North. The association has als,o o made every possible provision for the comfort arid entertainment of the delegates while they' are in the town, and in this work they aro being assisted by the Palmerston North Borough Council; which has voted a sum of money to assist in the enter-

of years. In the period from 1911 to 1916 the averkge; yearly, receipts were £-1504,: ancT--the. average yearly, expenditure was;. £1163;' -showing a" profit of 1£341:' yPor' the'- period :. from : 1917y' to 19,22' the average receipts amounted to £2149, and the average expenditure to £1494, showing a profit- of £657. For the final,period from 1923 to 1928 the average .'receipts amounted to £2925, and the average expenditure to £2111, leaving a profit"-of £814. The worst year.-in the period of eighteen years so far .as,, takings.,, were .concerned, -'was :1912,: when- th.::receipts..were as.low, as £1050,' ;_nd",ythe be'stL^ear .-;wasyyl927, jwh.eh the- takiiig's amounted' to: £3401.

tainment of |the delegates. The programme that has been arranged includes a visit to Flock House, where a-number of boys from the Old Land are being prepared for life on the farms-of - the Dominion. ' On Thursday night the visiting delegates, together with factory managers and other guests of the association, are to be entertained at a smoke concert, and at'this there will be present the • Governor-General (Sir Charles Fergusson), the Prime Minister (the Right Hon. J. Q. Coates), the Mirfister of Agriculture (the HonyO; J. Hawken), and many other notables. This function promises to bo unique in the history.of the Dominion.