THE TWO DAYS'SHOW QUESTION.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XX, Issue 2433, 22 May 1893, Page 2

THE TWO DAYS' SHOW QUESTION.

A special meeting of the members of tbe association was held on Saturday, to consider the question as to whether there should be a one or two day 9* show this year. Mr Fantbam, president, occupied tbe chair, and there were also present — Messrs Livingston, Buobanan, Nairn, Robbins, Nicholas, Walter Wilson, J. Hioks, Major*. Boekreli, J. R. Lysagbt, Alexander, T. Bayly, Davidson, Stone, Riddiford, C. Symep, Lomax, Hunter, MacFarland, F. Livingston, Parkinson, Bobortson,. Foreman, and Gebbie, and Dr Weetonr-b. Among the correspondence waß a letter from the Oarterton Association regretting that the date of tbe Egmont show and theirs clashed. Messrs Stone, sen., G. Parsons, and R. A. Kemp were elected merhbers. The President '.then J introduced tbe subject for discussion, ,by having read the recommendation of the committee, whiob, by a vote of 6 to 4, was in favor of a one day's show. He said be had voted in tbe minority, and still held to his opinion, but he felt it to be his duty to the com* mittee to vote for a one day's show. Having 'been fairly beaten, be did not consider it right to try to go against the majority ot the working committee. He asked that some member would move a resolution. Mr Livingston moved that there be a one day's sbovy only. He thought they should continue 'the one day for this year, and posßibly for next year also, for there was a lot of work and expenditure neceßBary in connection wjth (jhe show ground, and as they seemed to be developing into a sort of half racing club they would have to erect another stand. They must make better arrangements for the publio, because they could not do without the public. He took tbe opportunity of advocating that a part of the Bbow ground not required for shows shoald be cut up into five or seven acre sections, and let. He moved that the report of the committee be affirmed. Mr Davidson seconded. One day's show was sufficient until the association got fairly on its feet. Mr Riddiford thought the recommendation of tbe committee should have weight, but as there were only 10 out of 24 present when the recommendation was arrived at it would not carry the weight it would otherwise do. He regretted that Mr Livingston was bo averse to 4 two days' show, and certainly did no»t agree with him, though no doubt what he had said deserved great consideration. Mr Lomax was* in favor of a two days' show as the only; meqns of getting over tbe difficulty experienced laßt year in getting the judging done in time, and giving people time to see what was to be sten. Mr Moore Hunter was in favour of a two days' show, and said that one of the principal reasons which led him to that opinion was bis experience at Palmerston. At that show visitors had time to see tbe animals, and at Egmont they had not. As to finance he thought that it things came out pretty eteflly it would be a great advantage to have tbe two days. Therefore he moved that there be a two days' show. — Mr Lomax seconded. Mr Foreman opposed on tbe ground that if there had been no time to see exhibits, or if the 'judging hSU been finished late, the remedy was not' a two days' show, but the making of an earlier start in the morning. As* against the chanse he argued that people would decline to exhibit rather than bring in dairy cows or fac stook to be knocked about in tbe yards for two days. The prizes we eonld afford to give were not sufficient to induce* people to~%ome and run the extra risk of injury to their animals. If we increased the expense and annoyance to exhibitors tbe show would certainly fall off. Mr Major held that the show should be considered as ah educational institution, and said that for want of time it was of little value from that point of view if it were to be one day only. He pointed out, too, that as to finance tbe outting np and leasing of the land would increase the revenue ; and that a two days' show would obtain more support. He thought that it should be tried.' Mr Davidson, speaking to tbe amend* ment. said that the risk of danger to tbe fiaanoe was greater than tbe prospect of advantage; and before we increase tbe cost to exhibitors., we should make the piizes better worth having. Mr Buobanan^bsheved that if we bad a two days' show we would not have as many exhibits as in the past. Mr Lysagbt said be bad taken an interest in shows in different parts of the world for many years past, and he had seen numerous shows of larger extent than ' this carried ont thoroughly well in one day. If the stewards only began at the proper time and the work was divided up infficiently one day was ample. We ran a risk by the change,' of getting on the wrong side financially. Mr. Riddiford remarked that that was not the result at Carterton, which was not a bigger place than Hawera. Mr Symes considered that the association should be very cautious, because a false step might lead it into trouble. He would not take the Oarterton Association as a guide because it had a bigger and older settled district, and there were more wealthy settlers about there than there were here. So far as his part of tbe distriot was concerned he believed there would be fewer exhibits if there was a two days' show. People could not afford the time and expense, because the prizes after all were nothing. They were not •• beer money." (A laugh.) Mr Stone said that tha late Mr Me Niohol, who was a judge At last, show, said it was utterly impossible to-satis-factorily get through such a class of horses as we had here in one day. Mr Walter Wilson (Vice-Presidect) thought it would be a pity to take a step which might involve having to go baok ; he would not like to see Egmont Show be the first association to try two days and then have to return to one. He agreed that tbe remedy for tbe evil complained of was to star); earlier and. if neoeesary have more classes and more judges. Mr Nairn said that certainly something would have^, to be done to obviate the rusk and the hasty judging that bad gone on previously. Last year the public were all round tbe pens before' 1 the judges had done their work ; and tbe Btewards simply saw nothing of the show.: Tbe President reiterated his intention of voting with a majority of his committee, though be personally was anxious for a two days' show. In Ohristoburoh he had been one of the opponents of the two days' show, but it was found that two days were far better tbanone.and Egmont was now in as good a position to have a two days' Bhow as Chrietoburoh was at that time. The expense 4p- exhibitors would be that of an extra day at the hotel, for there was excellent accommodation for stock about Hawera, and the cost would be small. Better could not be got anywhere. As to , the prizes an exhibitor did not show for ! the value of the prizes, but for tbe sale of bis stock or its progeny, and as the stock would be seen better in two days than in one day the change would enoonraga exhibitors. As to the increased expense to the society it would be an additional day's charge for tbe judges or tbe cost of a lunch to tbe stewards. Tbe show should be a means of educating our sons, who should be tbe claes stewards, but wbat chance bad they now of learning anything? At last show three-fourths of tbe people bad not an opportunity of Seeing tbe prize (Concluded ctpage 4.)