HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

Evening Star, Issue 8772, 12 March 1892, Page 2

HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

TO THE EDITOR. Sib,—l would draw publio attention to the extremely unfair allotment of the prize for a tray of fruit at the reoent show. Everyone—even opposing competitors—admitted that this prize rightfully belonged to Mr R. Macquaid, and should rightly have been awarded to him. You, sir, in commenting on the general features of the show, say:—" Mr Macquaid sends in a collection of fruit that would probably have taken first prize but that the tray is above the regulation Bize, and there is some preserved fruit in tbe collection." Regarding the preserved fruit, the judges must for the time being have been suffering from deficient vision, as there was certainly none there. But the size of the tray is a different matter, for it ig here that the greatest injustice to Mr Macquaid occurs,- On page 24 of laßt year's official programme the size of the tray for the same competition is put down aa 3ft Gin by 2ft. Mr M. had one made to this size, and used it again this year. Strange to say, for this reason he was disqualified, and lost the prize. Trnly a paltry one, for on looking at the programmes (which, by-the-bye, were not published until two days prior to the show), he found that the size had been altered by six inches, though no notice beyond the laggard programme was given. I would suggest to the Committee the advisability of at once deciding how many and what changes they intend making in the trjtys, etc, at the next show, so that all intending com* petitors may have plenty of time to provide relays of all sizes in time.—l am, etc., Observer. Dunedin, March 12.