The Evening Star FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1884.

Evening Star, Issue 6761, 28 November 1884, Page 2

The Evening Star FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1884.

The annual Show held under the auspices of the Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association has been a conspicuous success this year, notwithstanding that the inclement weather on the popular day must have materially interfered with the attendance, and proportionately lessened the receipts. The large number of the public, however, who did put in an appearance, braving the cold wind and occasional showers, proves the good judgment of selecting a permanent site for the show ground within an easy distance from Dunedin. Tahuna Park is in every respect admirably suited for the purposes of the Association, and wonders have been done by way of improvement during the period it has been in their possession. Much more, of course, requires to be effected, as His Excellency remarked yesterday, in the way of grassing over the sand, planting the sandhills, etc.,; but considering the time and the meanß which have been at the disposal of the Association, they are certainly to be congratulated on the general result. The show itself appears to have been very creditable and encouraging both in regard to the number and character of the exhibits. The Ayrshire stock could not be equalled anywhere in the world, and in horses the draught stock and blood stock displayed a high degree of excellence. In dairy produce there was a marked improvement on previous years, but it was difficult for visitors to see the exhibits properly owing to the confined space within the building appropriated to the department. We would suggest that this be obviated in future, since this class of exhibits of all others should be conveniently accessible to general inspection, in order that producers and consumers alike may have the opportuni y of seeing what the climate and soil are capable of under skilful management and suitable conditions. There was, as has been noted in the detailed account of the show, a marked diminution in the number of merino sheep shown, there having been only 9 entries against 54 last year; but the total number of entries of sheep was considerably larger, being 235 as against 157. The exhibition of Southdowas was a new feature, and ib to be explained by the fact that the breed has been found especially valuable for supplying good wethers for refrigerating. It may further be noted that the increase in the number of Lincoln sheep exhibited almost equalled the falling-off in meiinoes. There was an excellent show of pigs, the exhibite beiag more numerous and the quality better than in any previous year. One most gratifying circumstance in connection with the Show was the large increase in the number of agricultural implements exhibited, which included the latest improvements in all classes of machinery used in the cultivation of tho soil and preparing produce for the market. The entries in this class were 203 as against 146 last year. A large number of these exhibits were of colonial manufacture, and it will be noticed by the prize list that the local firm of Rkid and Gray were in many instances successful fk££kinßfc the imported article. Under the heading "New Zealand Manufactures and Produce" there was a rather heterogeneous exhibition, as it is always intended there should be. It was, however, by no means the least interesting part of the Show, and proves undoubtedly that there is no call or reason to import a variety of textile a tides which can bo so excellently manufactured in the Colony—considering the bona fide quality, sold at so moderate a price. It was a very graceful and proper act on the part of Her Majesty's representative to attend in person and give eclat to the opening of Tahuna Park, Sir Willjam Jkkvols not only understands the right thing to do, but how to do it in the right way. The speech His Excellency made at the luncheon yesterday waß brief, practical, and to the point. He evidently understood what ho was talking about, and his words of encouragement therefore have fu'l value. We may hope that the first Show held under such auspicious circumstances ou the new grounds will inaugurate a new era of success to the Association, and that, as the chairman yesterday expressed it, in the future " the Show will be strengthened and added "to by the neighboring districts the " farmers of the Taieri, Oamaru, Blueskin, " Tokomairiro, Clutha, and Southland " coming here aud competing together with " their stock," Mr Brydoxk took the opportunity also of acknowledging the " kindness and very liberal support" which tho Association hail, from its initiation, received from the inhabitants of Dunedin in contributions and otherwise.