DOMINION WINTER SHOW.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXIX, Issue LXIX, 1 July 1915, Page 5

DOMINION WINTER SHOW.

SCHOOL DISTRICT C&ciPEITION

The Winter Show directors were disappointed at the entries in the district court section. They say that after last show they met the various head school teachers in conference and conceded them all the suggestions they made in order to ensure ajbig feature of the district courts at this show. Liberal prizes were offered, viz., seven, five and three guineas, but the result this year has been most disappointing, there beinoonly two entries. The directors cannot understand this lack of response, especially 'in view of all the inducements offered, and all the concessions asked for having been conceded. In consequence of some little difficulties last ,year the Hawera School decided that they would not compete this year, but promised, so the show officials say, to put in a court for exhibition only",'but this was not done. It seems a great pity that this most interesting section of the show should languish, and it is to be hoped that every effort will be made next year to revive it. The school entries throughout were not nearly as numerous as they should have been.

The following are tfie points obtained m the above competition:— Okaiawa.—Farm produce 30, garden produce 14, arrangements 15, fr.9sh meats 8, dairy produce 10, honey products 10. poultry (dressed) 4, poultry! (undressed) 4, fodder 9, fruit 15, preserved meats 6, home industries 24, gmin and farm seeds 12, miscellaneous 15: total, 17b\ Fraser Road—Farm produce 30, garden 15, arrangements 20, frftsh meats I 7, dairy produce 10, honey 8. poultry! (dressed > 5. poultry (undressed) 5, fod- j der 6, fririt 12. preserves 8, home ir- I dustries -20, grain, and farm seeds 15, ! miscellaneous 14; total, 175. '■■■' "-•■.:■-..■■■. ..;:.,cats.. ~. ,;.-,. ~ : Tlie entries in this section are mainly composed of old faces, and are no ' improvement *on last year's exhibits.) Notable exceptions are a fine young silver tabby . and a beautiful 'white , with blue eyes. POULTRY. This section shows a good advance: in entries—the best for several years, j Quality, taken all through, has never been better, although there is a- falling off in some classes. BLoudans are the best seen here for some years, which may be taken as an indication of this breed coming to the fore again as they are one of the most useful classes of poultry, being good layers and firstclass table birds. Some good birds are shown in Black Orpingtons, but in numbers and quality they are not up to previous exhibits. There are one or two good Buff and Whse Orpingtons. Golden Wyandottes "are only a fair lot. Nothing really good is shown in Silver Wyandottes/ cock or cockerel, but the trio or pullets (first, second and third) are first-class specimens —as good as have been seen in I the North Island this season. White Wya&dottes, with the exception of the winning cock and first and second pullets, are not of exceptional quality. The winning Partridge Wyandotte hen is a real tip-top specimen for quality. The North Island championship class for White Rocks are an exceptionally I fine lot, and competition in all four classes was keen. The championship was won by a, cock owned by Mr W. Cullen, of Palmerston North." English White Leghorns are nothing like what we have seen here. Some very nice! Brown Leghorns are . shown in both hen and pullet classes. Black Orping-) tons are only fair. A very nice Black! Hamburg pullet is shown by Mr CC G.! Avton, of Waitara; this is a variety seldom seen here. American White Leghorns are very strong classes. In the pullets and cockerels the competition was very keen, and these two classes are no doubt the best for' quality seen in Taranaki. Utility! classes were well filled, but the male' birds in these classes could not be called high class. Ducks did not bring much competition, but there were several good Runners and Buff Orping-' tons penned. A nice lot of Pekins^ were penned, but the pens were much too small for these to" be seen to advantage.

In the opinion of the judge' the show was very good. He considers; that in the future the pens ought to be of a mere uniform size, for at the present they are about the worst in the North Island. PHOTOGRAPHY. This class was very poorly represented so far as entries went, and tnere was not a single entry from local people. "What has become of the Hawera Camera- Club ? It is to be hoped that in future shows a big improvement will be made here.