AN APPEAL.

Lake County Press, Issue 2138, 4 October 1906, Page 5

AN APPEAL.

The following correspondence has passed between the Lake County A. and P. Society and Messrs Cotter Bros., agents for the Maasey Harris Company : To Messrs Cotter Bros., agents, Massey Harris Co., Arrowtown : Gentlemen—There was not, as you know, at either of the show* hitherto held by the Lake County Agricultural and Pastoral Society, im exhibition of implements. Well, the reason commonly given, is that there is a combine among the different Companies not to exhibit except in some of the large centres). Of course the true and real reason is the Companies want to encourage and not incur the expense of exhibiting. In this they have shown a greed of big dividends and an indifference an to the education of the young men of the

rnauiiy for the education oi our meal people. #0 far tho moat signal auccesa has attended

our efforts. There is just 0110 thiu» yet wanting to make our show success complete, and that is an exhibition of implements. Wnll the Company you represent, is doing nearly all the implement trade of Lake County and now we ask yon, as its agent?, to use your influence to get the Massey Harris Co. to exhibit at our next Show. Our Show, though not one of those hold in the large centres, ought, nevertheless, to be treated as an exception and that becau3» of its isolation. It is morally impossible for our young men to go to Invorcargill, Dunedin, or Gore to witness the exhibitions of implements which are given at the shows of the A. and V. Society held in those places. You know this to be absolutely true. Whereas anyono living beyond Lake Wakatipu can without much inconvenience or expense, attend any or every show. If you induce your Company to oxhibit and thus help to educate the young people you aro morally certain oE an ample reward by a considerable incroise in the volume of your trade. Well, your Company so far as could be done by its refusal to exhibit, has endeavored to defeat the principle end—tho education of our young people, which we had in view in getting up our annual show. We request you, gentlemen, tc reply at your earliest convenience.

Here follows the signatures of the farmers of the whole of Lako County and business peoplo—numbering something over a hundred.

At the meeting of the Executive Committee of the Society on Saturday afternoon last, Messrs Cotter I'.ros,, agonts for Massey Harris, replied saying that they had forwarded tho Society's letter on to the Manager of the Massey Harris Coy, in Christcburch, and felt certain the request would be given every consideration. If it wero in the power of the manager to grant the request they felt certain he would do so. It was only the articl- b of Implement Association that debarred the Massey Harris Coy from exhibiting at tho first show. Messrs Cotter Bros, further said they would do all in their power to induce the Company to exhibit at tho forthcoming show, and if successful trusted the Company would be rewarded (as indicated by tho Society's letter) by a considerable increase in tho volume of trade, and that the farmers, whose names wore apptnded to tho letter would fully tonaider before placing thoir orders with other firms, especially when the Massey Harris Coy was able to give as good, i! not better valuo, than any other Company in tho implement trade. It might be further added in support of the foregoing that their Company was the only one that refused to join tho International Trust consequently the Company's prices wore not affected by any combine.