THE PLOUGHING MATCH.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XX, Issue 3915, 25 May 1877, Page 2

THE PLOUGHING MATCH.

Thk Ploughing Match under the auspices of the Agricultural and Pastoral Society was held yesterday in Mr Welhvood's paddock, near Hastings. The conditions as regarded weather and the state of the paddock, were all that could be desired ; the rain of the previous night had much improved the latter. The attendance was tolerably good, though not so good as could have been wished for, and considerable disappointment was felt at the limited amount of the competition in several classes. The awards in the show of foals were those made earliest in the day. They were as follows : — PRAUGHT FOALS. (Judges : Messrs Gemmell, Bennett, and Wellwood.) First prize, Society's silver medal, Mr Ormond's colt, by Prince Charlie. Second prize, certificate, Mr Ormond's filly, by the same horse. There were six entries. Mr Howell's iilly took the Lord Glasgow special prize of £5, given by Mr Bicknell. Mr Chrystall's lilly took the Lord Lome's special first prize of £G, and Mr Tanner's filly took the second of £4, given by Mr Lewis Evans. THOROUGHBRED FOALS. (Judges : Messrs Elliott, Danvcrs, and A. M'Lean.) First prize, silver medal, Mr Tanner's colt by Arab Child. Second prize, certificate, Messrs W. and G. Heslop's colt by Pa papa. PLOUGHING. (Judges : Messrs Gemmell, Condy, and M'lntyre.) For single-furrow ploughs, including both wheel and swing : — First prize, £8, Mr Pulford. Second prize, £5, Mr AVhite (with Mr Shilvock's plough and team). Third prize,' £3, Mr Grey (with Mr Welhvood's plough and team). Fourth prize, £2, Mr T. Miller (with swing plough). Fifth prize, £1, Mr Lincoln (with Mr Heslop's plough and team). For double-furrow ploughs : — First prize, £5, Mr Coster (with Mr Ormond's plough. ■* id team). There were no other entries.

For the best start, prize £1, Mr T. Miller. For the best finish, prize £1, Mr Pulford. For the best pair of horses used in the match : First prize, £3, Messrs W. and G. Heslop. Second prize, £2, Mr Ormond. Third, highly commended, Karaitiana Takamoana. The prize of a pair of horse collars given by Mr M'Vay, for the best kept harness used in the match, was taken by Mr T. Miller. The award of the judges on the ploughing was the result of very long and careful deliberation. The perfect straightness of Mr Pulford's furrows, and the cleanness with which they were cut, would at once take the eye of the uninitiated, and the popular verdict in regard to the first prize would no doubt be at one with the verdict of the judges. It is the second year that Mr Pulford has taken the highest honors in ploughing. In reference to all such matters, however, there will never fail to be a difference of opinion, and " there were many on the ground who considered that Mr Pulford's furrows were too flat, and who preferred the better backed-up, though less perfectly cut, furrows of the winner of the second prize. Mr Gray's ploughing was similar to Mr Pulford's, except that the furrows were somewhat wider. He took the second prize last year, and was looked upon by many as the favorite for the second prize on the present occasion. His ploughing, however, it was understood, did not " measure " so well as Mr White's. The winner of the fourth prize, Mr T. Miller, of Taradale, it will be seen, also obtained the prize for the best start. By many he was looked upon as the best ploughman .on the ground. He was the only competitor who used the swing plough. The winner of the fifth prize, it is understood, would have been run hard for it by the one unsuccessful competitor, a native (Mr Tiwi), who ploughed with Mr Karaitiana's team, had not Mr Tiwi omitted to finish. It was remarked, generally, that the ploughing showed a very great advance in excellence on that of last year. The only matter of regret was that more competitors did not present themselves. Of the large landholders on the Heretaunga block, Mr Ormond was the only one whose men and whose horses took part in the proceedings of the day; the only double-furrow plough on the ground was his. Some dairy implements were exhibited by Mr Mansfield, of Meanee, and were highly commended. THE DINNER. It had been notified at the first meeting of the Ploughing Match Committee that a dinner would be held on the ground in the afternoon, and Mr Wellwood was deputed to make arrangements for the purpose. He found some difficulty in making these arrangements, owing to Mr Goodwin's reluctance to take the matter up. Mr Wellwood, therefore, in the largeness of his heart, decided on giving the dinner himself, and invited the ploughmen, the judges, and several other gentlemen who chanced to be present at the match, to partake of his hospitality. A large number sat down. The chair was occupied by Mr Sutton, M.H.JR., and the vice-chair by Mr Bennett. After Her Majesty's health had been drunk in bumpers, as befitted her birthday, the Chairman rose to propose the health of the successful competitors, coupled with the name of Mr Pulford, the winner of the champion prize. As Mr Pulford had now won it twice, it was quite certain that he had not won it by a fluke, but that on the contrary he was well entitled to it. As far as the average excellence of the ploughing went the match had been a thorough success, but he regretted that it had not been likewise a success in respect to the number of competitors or to the attendance. He believed that the plough would have to come into more extensive use daily in Hawke's Bay, * and that being so he thought it was much to be regretted that so many of those whose interest it would manifestly be to encourage good workmanship had held themselves aloof. The toast was drunk with musical honors. Mr Pulford briefly responded. He was no speaker, but he was grateful for having his health drunk. The Chairman then proposed the health of the judges, coupled with the name of Mr Condie. In doing so he remarked on the arduous character of their duties, the attention they had given to those duties, and the general satisfaction with which their decisions had been received. Mr Condie, in responding, remarked on the utility of such gatherings as the present, and hoped that they would be frequently renewed. Mr Wellwood rose to propose the health of the worthy Secretary of the Society, Mr Bennett. He did so without preparation, and said he feared he could hardly do justice to his theme. Mr Bennett had been most indefatigable in the discharge of his duties to the Society, and lie much regretted that it was about to lose him. It would not be easy to supply his place. Such success as the ploughing matches had met with was due very largely indeed to his exertions. Mr Bennett's health having been drunk with enthusiasm, he rose to reply. He said he had, lie believed, done his share in promoting the improvement of ploughing in Hawke's Bay. .He had been present at the first ploughing match ever held in the district, and he regretted to remark that the competition then was larger than it had been on the present occasion. It was not encouraging to those who had taken much pains to make the match a success to find the extensive laudholders of the district almost unrepresented. It would surely be to the interest of these gentlemen to do what they could to induce the ploughmen in their employment to take an interest in their | work. It would be very greatly to be re- ! gretted if the ploughing matches were to | be allowed to fall through altogether, as he feared there was some probability that they would. He had found it necessary to resign the post of secretary of the society, chiefly because the circumstance of his not residing in town rendered it next thing to impossible to him to conduct the correspondence. The Chairman next proposed the health of the unsuccessful candidates, coupled with the name of Mr David Tiwi. He might be permitted to inform that gentleman that though he had not come in among the prize-winners his work was looked upon by the judges as very excellent work indeed, and it had been a matter of very great difficulty to decide whether his team of horses should not have taken the highest honors. The best three teams were very evenly balanced as regarded their merits. The natives were the most extensive agriculturists in Hawke's Bay. The toast having been drunk, Mr Tiwi briefly and appropriately replied in the native language. Mr Bennett then proposed the health of the host and hostess. They owed it to Mr Wellwood that they had not had a very unsatisfactory finish to the day's proceedings. He (Mr Wellwood), finding that Mr Goodwin would not undertake the getting up of the dinner on the ground, had invited them all to dinner himself. The toast having been drunk with great enthusiasm and musical honors, Mr Wellwood responded, explaining what was the nature of the difficulties he had met with in endeavoring to get up the dinner, and how, when he told Mrs Wellwood about them, she had determined to see him through it. He, with the chairman and Mr Bennett, much regretted the absence of most of the wealthy settlers of the neighborhood from the ploughing match. It would be greatly to the benefit of the country generally if the land of the district should come to be held by small farmers like himself. Mr Bennett said that a grave omission

had been made. In referring to the prize winners, by some oversight, it had been forgotten to allude to Mr Elliott, the winner of the prize for ploughing with double-furrow ploughs. When they spoke of large holders in the v district not countenancing the ploughing * match they had to make an exception with reference to Mr Ormond He was a competitor and prize-winner in several classes. He (Mi' Bennett) had been anxious that settlers using double-furrow ploughs should exhibit them, in order that those who had not seen them working, which was the case with a great many people in the district, might have an opportunity of seeing them and judging for theinselve'a as to their valud: None, however, had come from any station except Mr Ormond's. . '• Mr Elliott replied, remarking that if any omission had been made he was glad to see that it was now remedied. He had done what he could to promote the success of the ploughing match, and he would do what he could to promote the success of future ploughing matches. Mr Bennett proposed " The Press," coupled with the name of Mr Carlile.: He referred to the great influence which, in his view, the Press could exert in promoting the success of any undertaking such as the one of that day. Mr Carlile briefly responded, expressing his anxiety to be able to promote the success of such undertakings. jT The proceedings then closed.