SHOW OPENED

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 30 June 1925, Page 7

SHOW OPENED

CEREMONY THIS AFTERNOON. SPEECH EY MINISTER. The South Taranaki Winter Show was officially opened tills afternoon by the Hon. R. F. Bollard (Minister for Internal Affairs). Mr J. R. Corrigan, M.P., chairman of directors of the Show, presided and introduced the speakers, who included the Mayor of Hawera (Mr E. A. Pacey), the Deputy-British Trade Commissioner (Mr W. D. Lambie), and the Minister. The weather was threatening and a drizzle of rain was falling most of the afternoon, but nevertheless the attendance was fair.. The delegates of the National Dairy Association were present.

Mr. J. R. Corrigan, M.P., chairman of the executive, saia he had to welcome the Mon. it. IT.. Bollard and I*l r. W. D. Lambie, Deputy British Trade Commissioner.' He said the show was initiated sixteen years ago, and had gone on year after year increasing until it had reached its present size. He .said .he was pleased to know the people of South Taranaki had come to look on the Winter Show as a district asset, and' it was fitting that there should .be such a show in what he said was undoubtedly the most fertile spot in the British Empire, producing more per /acre than any other". part of the Empire. The country was suffering from the boom, but he was sure that the fertility of the district and the energy of the people would soon put it back in its old position of prosperity. The Mayor of Hawera (Mr. E. A. Pacey) said lie was present ais Mayor to offer all visitors the freedom of the town and give them a most cordial welcome to Hawera. He said he hoped if there was any visitor present here who wanted anything done, be would be glad to help if .at all possible. He said he hoped the show would be a great isucoeiss. The Mayor (Mr. Ei. A. Pacey) said he wished to convey to all visitors to the show a- hearty welcome. The people of Hawera were very pleased to see both Mr. Bollard and Mr. Lambie in the town, and hoped they would be able tb visit Hawera again .shortly. The show was very good and there was every prospect of a record crowd. Mr. W. IX Lambie said lie was here for the first time, and felt pleased indeed as representative for Mr. EJmshe, the Commissioner. Mr. Elmslie had often talked of South Taranaki, and would be sure, he. knew, while in the Old Country, to tell the people there all about Taranaki. He said lie hoped the people would all realise how interdependent the parts of the Empire were. Britain took 90 per cent, of the butter land 99 per cent, of the cheese of New Zealand, ancl therefore they should, reciprocate by buying British goods, because the more they did that the more it would help .unemployment in the‘Old Land. The more that industrial people, who were the greatest consumers of New Zealand produce, were employed the greater quantities they would be able to purchase, and the better for New Zealand. He refen ed to the dangerous competition of margarine by stating- that last year Eng-' land bought more margarine from the Continent than of butter from how Zealand. He concluded by wishing the show every success, and that Hawera and the Dominion would continue always to go to greater heights of prosperity. In his /address, the Hon. Mr. Bollard said that when he visited Taranaki at the beginning of the year he was greatly impressed ..with all be saw, and lie was very pleased at the opportunity of seeing the Winter Show, -and to notice that the province was maintaining the high reputation it had held for many years for intensive high grade cultivation.

Proceeding. the Minister quoted a few figures relative to the grading of butter and cheese. For the ten months ending May 31. 1925, 69.271 tons of butter and 68,-54.2 tons of cheese were graded, as against 60,110 tons and 72,200 tons respectively for the corresponding period in 1924. He considered there were very good returns when it was taken into account- that the autumn this year had not. been so favourable:- It was expected -that the season would bo finished up next month with an, increase of 5 per cent. The value of dairy produce exports for the calendar year reached approximately £19,001,000. as compared with wool £17,000,000 and meat £12,000,000. These figures were a barometer showing our continued prosperity. . He had evenry confidence in the continued expansion. -of the industry. One of the l>;g competitors, the Argentine, was making strenuous* endeavours to improve the qua’ity of the butter she exported. All New Zealand had to do was to maintain the high standard of our best butter. -•> ' ,

Dealing with State advances, Mr Bollard quoted figures showing the extensive nature of the Department’s operations. During, the financial years 1924-1925 the number of ’pans authorised was 14,970 representing £13,946,687 and the amount paid over was £11,444,566. Dp to May last the figures had grown as follows: —Number of loans authorised, 16,165, representing £14,914,882, and the amount paid over was £12,649,876. There had been complaints, he knew, but the trouble was the Department was so inundated with applications that it. was impossible to deal with all as expeditiously as it would have liked, and it would have been unfair to have dealt with applications out of the order in which they were received. There wore still many, applications yet to be considered. Now 1 that the Government had more money to lend, and with the fine organisation and staff at its' command, the good work which had been done in the past would be carried on witH as much despatch as possible.

Discussing motor vehicles Mr Bollard said that the Act passed last session to put under proper control the motor vehicles and to provide* money for main higiiways had achieved its purpose. The amount received by way of registration and licensing fees up to the 17tfiof this month was £293,496. He expressed the opinion that the flat tax was the more equitable form, and preferred it to the petrol tax, which would be* more difficult in assessment, and which, moreover .would entail too many exemptions from industries using petrol. He went on to say that the* primage duty on petrol was 1 per cent, and that the amount imported into the country last year was 28,989,126 gallons. ‘ Twothirds of such duty, representing the amount used for purposes of motor \ ehicles, would.'amount to £14,495, He considered that the tax on petrol to produce an amount equal to the flat tax (£293,496) wou’d he approximately 20 per cent. He considered that the flat tax was proving successful, but if it were found in -the fend that it did

not realise.the hopes of its champions, then it became a question for the consideration of the Government and Parliament.

Mr. Bollard said New Zealand oould certainly “put out its chest” in regard to the repatriation of its men who hud served in the great war. The number of men assisted amounted to 84,496, the total sum involved being £30,537,178. This spoke for itself; it disarmed criticism. The Soldiers’ Revaluation Board had completed its work. It had done sp'endid work, and deserved the congratulations of the country. The number of applications received for revaluation was 5347, out of 9487 soldiers settled on the land. The amount involved in the purchase of this land was £14,893,416. The reductions authorised by the Board were: Capital value of leaseholds £1,608,000, in soldiers’ mortgages £672,000, total, £2,280,000. As a result of the Board’s negotiations, private mortgage.s and debts amounting to £126,380 were reduced by £91,461. and private mortgages .amounting to £37,381 were purchased by the Crown at a discount of 015,228. In addition to these figures liberal concessions have been given on refit and interest postponements for tong periods. In many cases of hardship remission had been granted. The Board: was now engaged in investigating 10,000 current accounts of returned soldiers.

In conclusion Mr. Bollard congratulated the district on its continued growth. He hoped, and was assured, that the show would be a great success and he had much pleasure in declaring it open. The. opeing ceremony concluded with tV*ee hearty cheers being given for tbe Minister.

AROUND THE EXHIBITS. THE SCHOOL WORK. JUDGES’ COIKgMENTS. The work of' the schools in the farm section was very favourably commented on by the judges, Messrs Rod Syme (Taranaki agricultural instructor) and W. Reid (of the Hawera Technical High School). In the forestry competition, now one of the most popular in school work, they had a very good and even lot of work to judge, and found it very difficult to separate the prizewinners. Ohangai, last year’s winners, were beaten for second place by one point only by Ararat a, who in turn were only a point behind the winners, Otakeho,' . The feature of the winner’s work was. the specimens of native plants and the collection of timbers. The plants grown by Ararata were strong _ and well grown, and their charts were particularly neat and very well set out. Their drawings of plants, too, was very good. Ohangai were strongest in their display, showing a large collection of pressed plants with good drawings. Their seeds and berries were excellent. > Mokoia, who were next, had good strong plants and excellent charts, with good information and drawings, while their essay was quite the best in the competition. The life history of plants was the best feature of Auroa’s work, but the judges said the setting out was weak. -'Their general display was very good, and a feature' was their model plantations. Generally the judges expressed great satisfaction with the standard of work done. The value of the competition had.been amply proved. -

ACCLIMATISATION EXHIBIT.

A TRIUMPH IN ARRANGEMENT.

AN EVER AVIDENING SCOPE.

The work done by the Hawera. Ac-, climatisation Society in the interests of the sportsmen of the district and of the Dominion has been freely acknowledged in the past. For many years the executive committee has set a standard in the work of ’ keeping up supplies of game birds for our woods and fish for our rivers and streams, which has earned the commendation and approval of all sportsmen and has also helped materially i n the Inducements held out to tourists from abroad. During the last year or two, however, the development has been most marked, and the society ha s carried on work oil a scale at which the pioneers oi acclimatisation would have looked wit amazement. The number of fish ova reared annually has reached a million, and every ■ j ear, or- two f'resli stock isintroduced to increase the virility o: the, fish. . *

In tlie same , way the rearing o: pheasants, quail-and ducks has developed considerably. Various areas are used as sanctuaries where birds arcliberated or where men interested spentime in rearing them. The exhibit at. the show is a living and active demonstration of this work. Tnere are to be seen mallard duck, grey duck, Californian quail, pukeko, Canadian geese, Muscovy duck, and the pretty furred opossum, while the visitor will be able to see' trout in ah stages, from the ova to the one. two, and tliree-year brown and rainbow' trout, the perch, the. mountain trout, and the bronze carp. These .will give the spectator some idea of the extent of the activities of the society.

All round the large room where the/ exhibit is housed are many score of stuffed birds, native, Australian, and English. The collection embraces most of the birds of the two Dominions, but some fresh ones worth special notice have been added since last year. Cine: amongst them is the most beautiful and graceful bird of paradise, which is the cynosure of all eyes. Then there is an English pheasant.' given to the til Blacks by Messrs G. Parry ano Son. of Pembrokeshire; and from them acquired by the president, Mr. B. C. Bennett, and by him brought to New* Zealand. It is' hoped later to secure some tresli blood from England to. vitalise" the father too much inbred birds of New' Zealand.

. Round the walls, all neatly decorated, ate hung pretty opossum skins and several rugs made entirely of these skins. They were trapped and the skins cured and made up entirely in Ararata. It is, in fact, a natural history exhibit, under natural conditions, and one to interest both child and parent. There are, too, fine stuffed specimens of trout from local rivers and other places. In a tree in the centre is a staffed native pigeon, one of the prettiest of birds. With the outside nr.d the entrance great cafe has been taken to make it more than usually attractive, and the combining of two rooms in one has been- a great improvement. The work of preparation has entailed days of hard and constant work, upon which members of the executive from Eltham and Normanby, as w r ell as Hawera, have toiled. All have done well, as they have for several years; hut perhaps Mr. P. Eastbnry and Mr. P. Peterson might be entitled to special mention for the large amount of detail

work they have done.. But all have taken a worthy part.. The; exhibit; is quite the best the committee has ever made. It i s educative, interesting, and quite open to the public. It typiies the work of the society, which is one which will go on developing and growing every year. THE SHOW CATALOGUE. . INEORMATIVE AND GENERALLY USEFUL, '• -W A feature* of the show arrangements has. been the catalogue, a book of nearly two hundred pages, much" larger than usual. "But this year the. secretary has conceived the idea of making i.t a medium of information about Ha- . wera, the district and its iustitdtio'risj and lias also featured the mountain and the routes thereto. The book US one .that will be valuable to keep ..fpr reference, for it will be found useful and informative- for every household". Lt is a new departure; in show;.; catalogues. • ■'