A GLANCE AT THE PAST.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3345, 11 October 1911, Page 5

A GLANCE AT THE PAST.

HISE OF THE A. AND P. SOCIETY. RECORD OF REMARKABLE PROGRESS. J SOME INTERESTING FIGURES. "Comparisons are odious,” says the old adage, but certainly the present operations of the Poverty Bay Agricultural and Pastoral Association lend themselves to favorable comparison with the initial undertakings. A retrospective glance makes interesting reading, and is ample proof of the rapid progress made by the district. The Poverty Bay Agricultural and Pastoral Association came into being as far back as 1574, under the presidency of Mr J. B. Poynter, who has since left the district. The town was then very small, with no railway communication into the country, and oniv about two steamers calling in during the week. Naturally, one day was ample to suit the requirements of the times, and remained so for many years. The inaugural gathering was held on •what was known as the Mission property, at Waerenga-a-hika, and the entries did not reach the second century. The advent of a. stock show was greatly appreciated by the settlers, and the Society met with ample assistance, thus enabling them to hold the Show lyIn ISS-j, .just twenty-six years ago, a new home was.found by the Society in a paddock owned by Captain Read, on the boundary of the town and l Te Hapara. Mr Andrew Graham was the then president, and associated with him were Messrs J. W. Sunderland, vicepresident ; Charles W. Ferris, secretary and treasurer; J. Espie, C. Davis, H. Davis, S. Hare, J. Allen, A. McPhail, and Wm. King, committee. The entries had by this time grown to 210, there being just under 70 classes. Some very fine horses were to be found in the district at that time, and over 100 of the total entries were made up in flip, horse classes. The secretary’s duties were by no means so arduous as at the jjresent day. and the catalogue for the show made up a compact little volume, of 16 pages, and roughly four inches square. Through Strenuous Times. From 1879 onwards to 1885 the whole Dominion was passing through strenuous times, and Poverty Bay felt the general depression very keenly. Litigation over Native land titles caused a good deal of trouble, and the farmers were harassed by high land values. Conditions got so trying that interest in the A. and P. Association began to wane, and in the- year 1886 the Society ceased operations, and the annual fixture was not resuscitated until October 1891. Prominently associated with the re-organisation was Mr G. L. Sunderland, who assumed the presidency, Mr P. W. Donner being vice-president. A strong committee, consisting of Messrs Jas. Campbell, J. E. Espie, E. Cameron, J. Adeane, J. W. Bright, A. McPhail, S. Williamson, W. Black, S. Hair, W. E. Akroyd, J. Tombleson. W. Wethered, and A. C. Arthur, and Mr H. C. Boylan, secretary and treasu ■_ v r, also assisted in the work. The show, which was still for one day, was t onfield on the Poverty Bay Turf Club’s grounds, at Makaraka, and the entries had increased to a total of -330, and toe classes to 79. The list of me nhors had also increased by leaps and bounds until it had reached a total of 142 subscribing members.. The re-opening was an auspicious occasion in the history of the Association, and so great was the support given by the tradespeople that the success of the undertaking was at once assured. Naturally the prize money had been made of greater value, but this was augmented by the donation, by different firms, of some twenty special prizes, ranging in value from £5 5s to i 10s, prominent donors being Messrs Nelson Bros.. Messrs Williams and Kettle, Mr G. L. Sunderland, the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Mr J. Townley, Messrs Gavin and Go., and Mr W.. Wethered. Year by year the gathering increased in importance, until in 1896 the entries amounted to 506, with 110 classes. Two years later, when the nineteenth annual show was held, a further satisfactory increase was shown in the entries, 617 being received, with a corresponding increase in the classes to 128. This steady growth augured well for the Association, and after careful deliberation it was decided that the 20th show should extend over two days. Mr C. Gray, president in 1898, retained the. office the following year, when the gathering was launched out on a new era, and other office-bearers to assist in. the metamorphosis were the vice-president. Mr D. Robbie, and the committee, Messrs H. Guthrie-Smith, F. B. Barker, A. L. BeJlerby, J. W. Bright, A. Dewing. T. Holden. E. M. Hutchinson, A. F. Kennedy, D. Kirkpatrick, J. Macfarlane, W. W. Smith and 0. White; auditors, Messrs A. F. Kennedy, and L. T. •Symes; hon. treasurer, Mr J. W. Bright; secretary, Mr Hugh Lowry. The decision was well warranted, as the entries increased to 550. with the addition of a new feature, in that several classes were included 1 for the showing ■of farm implements, etc., bringing the class total to 134. The local firms took advantage of the latter facility, and a good showing was made, the implements proving of particular interest. Removal to the Park. A steady increase continued in the Association’s operations, and the move to the Park racecourse proved a wise step. It was not till 1904- that the entries reached four figures, that year seeing 1026, and although the increase was not maintained every year, the thousand mark has always been reached. In 1908 the total went to 1450, hut the following year saw a drop to 1103, which last year had picked 1 up to 1220. For this year’s show the entries are expected to at least reach those of 1908, while many expect to see a new record established. During latter years interest has been well maintained in the horse classes, and from 1902, when the figures in this section were 315, a jump was made to 487 in 1908. with a serious drop of 140 entries for the following year. The cattle and sheep classes have also shown good increases since 1902 until last year, in the former case from 75 to 113, and in the Latter 119 to 199. The following table shows at a glance the rise of the A. and P. Association: Year. Entries. 1874 ;... 120 1885....... 210 1891 330 1895 455 1900 571 1905 ....1100 1906.. 1335 1907.. ;1406 1908 ~...1450 1909 .....1103 1910.. 1220