OTANE HORTICULTURAL SHOW.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume VI, Issue 285, 17 November 1916, Page 7

OTANE HORTICULTURAL SHOW.

(Own Correspondent). The spring show of the Otane Horticultural Society was held on Wednesday, and was again a decided success. Owing to the lateness of the season, the display of sweet, peas, carnations and cut flowers w’as not up _ to the usual standard, but the display of roses was the finest ever seen in Otane. Owing to an extremely heavy thunderstorm that occurred about half past two, the attendance was not so large as usual, a number of people getting wet through and having to go home again. There were a number of competitors from Hastings, Mrs. H. M. Wilson and Mrs. Wright being the most successful. Mrs Wilson secured the aggregate in the rose section getting a leg in for the Challenge Bowl, also securing the championship with a superb specinian of “George Dixon.” Mrs. Wright won the sweet pea section, securing a leg in for the Challenge bowl in that section. She also secured the champion vase. In the decoration class which Is always a feature of the show, Mrs. Garry was first, Miss AVilson second and Mrs. Cleary third. Some very fine specimens of pansies were shown by Miss Wilson who securea the points prize and championship. Mr. J. N. Barrie was second. Miss Wilson also won the carnation class, but the display in this was poor. In the miscellaneous class which was not so well competed for as usual, Miss Dillon and the Rev. G. Davidson tied for first place, Mrs. H. M. Rathbone coming third. Mrs. Rathbone also secured first in the. display of cut flowers with a very fine show. The vegetables, small fruit and pot plants were not as well represented as in the past, Mr. Crayford winning the vegetable class, with Miss L. Williams second. Mr. Fletcher secured the small fruit aggregate and Mr. J. N. Barrie the pot plants, Miss Dillon coming second. Mrs. Cushing displayed the best floral emblem, and in the table decorations which was well competed for, Miss Norris came first, Miss Steven second and Miss Wilson third.

Owing to the interest taken by the headmaster and staff of the School, and the generous prizes donated by Mrs. A. V. Collins, the School display was a record, over 200 entries being received. Brenda Fletcher secured the girls’ points prize, a handsome gold brooch, and Claud Mudgway the boys’ aggregate prize, a silver wristlet watch. The whole of the profits of _ the show are to go to patriotic purposes and it is estimated that close on £lO will be distrij buted. Among the side shows was a sweet stall in charge of Mesdames i Munro and Vaughan, a produce stall in charge of Mrs. Gordon AVilliams, 1 and a tea room run by the. ladies of the Red Cross League, the secretary, Miss Mundell, having a large hand of helpers. s The judging of the exhibits was in the hands of Messrs T. Horton and J. N. Anderson, who as usual, gave general satisfaction, both these gentlemen having a beautiful display of plants and flowers. In the evening competitions were I got off, Mr. Gilbert McKay auctioning a quantity of provisions, vegetables etc., also two sheep dogs presented by Miss Griffin and Mr. J. Rumbal. Mr. A. G. Clark won one competition, a turkey, and Mr. Baldwin the other, a large box of home-made sweets. I The energetic secretary, the Rev.' G. Davidson, deserves every credit for the excellent manner in which the show was carried out and he was ably assisted by the hon. treasurer and committee, over thirty of them turning up on Tuesday night to help to prepare the hall.