CARTERTON'S DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 101, 26 October 1938, Page 6

CARTERTON'S DAY

iWAIRARAPA SHOW

SPLENDID ENTRIES

(From "The Post's" Special Reporter.)

CARTERTON, This Day.

The sixty-second annual show of the Wairarapa arid West Coast Pastoral and Agricultural Society opened in brilliant weather with an absence of wind. It clouded over later in the morning.vbut the weather remained fine and prospects are improving. Labour Day in Carterton was wet and unpleasant, but bright sunshine yesterday restored the grounds to splendid condition. Today's start is hailed as the best for a number of years, being in striking contrast to last year, when there was steady rain. •

Conditions in the Wairarapa have been favourable to stock, and have resulted in strong entries in the stock classes. It was expected by the offi- | cials that the Royal Show at Hamilton would affect entries. Their fears are unfounded, except in the mutter of the classes of Ayrshires and Friesians '. and beef cattle. Despite this there is a fine array of cattle and other stock. The ground appointments are better than ever before. A notable feature is the side-shows, which establish a new record in point of numbers and variety. Most of them have come from Gisborne, and they combine with displays of mechanised farm equipment, tractors, and motor-cars to occupy the greater part of the available space.

The total entry list of 3052 shows an impressive increase on the 2971 entries last year. It is the highest since the record year in 1933, when 3322 entries were received. After low figures in 1931 and 19,32, the 3000 mark was topped every year from 1933 to 1936. A notable increase is in the number of competitive entries, which total 234, as against 221 last year, and the sheep entries, which total 533, are the highest in the last ten years. The figures for the sheep entries just beat the total of 531 for the record year of 1933. Figures for the cattle show a decrease of 87 on last year. Dogs have picked, up from 273 to 360,' and horses and most of the home industries classes also show an increase. Detailed figures, with those for last year in parentheses, are as follows:—Competitions, 234 (221); horses, 176 (166); cattle, 353 (440); sheep, 533 (453); pigs, 72 (84); dogs, 360 (273); cheese and butter, 78 (63); cooking, including school, 317 (279); sewing and fancy work, 174 (141); school children's classes, 668 (759); night show, 87 (76); total, 3052 (2971). Today the sheepdog trials and horse events were held in the oval, and the sheep, pig, and other classes were to be judged tonight. A special national dance programme has been arranged. The Wairarapa Pipe Band and the College Pipe Band from Masterton are to attend, and also forty Maori entertainers. The high light tomorrow will be the grand parade, of stock and the prizegiving. Flags were flown at half-mast today in memory of the late Mr. Quentin Donald, a past president, who died yesterday. ■