WINTER SHOW

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVII, Issue 169, 16 June 1927, Page 7

WINTER SHOW

BIG ATTENDANCES YESTERDAY. INCREASE IN GAJE TAKINGS. A SUBSTANTIAL SUM. Great crowds thronged the Showgrounds yesterday right throughout the afternoon and evening. In tho afternoon the Rugby match between Te Ante College and Palmerston North Boys’ High School proved a big draw and was watched by many thousands. As compared with tho corresponding day of last year the gate takings showed the substantial increase of £165. The total for tire day was £586 7s 9d, as against £420 17s lid for the second day of the 1926 fixture. Included in yesterday’s total was £B6 Is that was taken at tho grandstand. Last year’s figures, on this score, were only £l6 18s, thus showing the attraction that a good Rugby match is.

Greater advantage has been taken this year of tho privilege to park cars on the grounds. Yesterday 190 owners had their vehicles on tho grounds, against 64 on tho Wednesday of- tire 1926 fixture.

This afternoon the principal attractions outsido were the Rugby matches between the Oroua and To Iyawau Sub-unions and between Wellington Training College and tho Maori Agricultural College, and again big crowds were present. The members of the New Zealand Dairy Factory Managers’ Association, following the annual meeting of that body last night, were this afternoon to bo taken on a tour of tho district, cnlls to be made at the glaxo factory at Bunnythorpe and the Cheltenham butter factory. The arrangements were in the hands of tho Palmerston North Chamber of Commerce. Afternoon tea was to be partaken of at Feildiifg. , This evening the Manawatu A. and P. Association will conduct its annual smoko concert, and many gentlemen prominently connected with the dairying industry are expected to be present. Guests, will he tho Prime Minister and the Ministers of Land and Agriculture. The evening entertairiments have so far proved very popular, and another large attendance is anticipated to-night when the children’s national dancing will take place. ’The finals in the different sections will be decided on Saturday evening. To-morrow night, for the first time, competitions in singing and elocution will be held; the entries are exceptional, and a good entertainment is assured. Tho judges will be Messrs J. Holmes Runniclbs and L. F. do Berry. The ring competitions will be staged to-morrow afternoon. They are scheduled to commence at noon and are to continue until completed. With a fine day, a big attendance is expected. At 5 p.m. the poultry show closes.

JUDGE’S COMMENTS. FAT SHEEP PRAISED. Commenting on the fat sheep, the judge. Mr F. Steel, of Christchurch, stated that allocating the awards had been a very difficult task, and that he had never seen such a good class of sheep at any show. All the animals had been in good condition and had been of good uniform quality. Tho twotootlrs were as good as one would see anywhere, some of the lambs being especially tine. The task of judging, although not an easy one, had been a pleasure. The entries for the fat cattle classes, however, were not up to the usual standard, and the exhibits were not impressive. The placing of cows and heifers with steers was a feature which he did not approve of, and he hoped that the practice would be remedied next year. SPLENDID CANARIES EXHIBITED High praise for the birds exhibited in the canary section was forthcoming from the judge, Mr T. W. Brown, of Auckland, i Over 300, he pointed out, had come forward, and the quality was as good as anything that one could find in Australia and New Zealand. A few birds that were exhibited were good enough to be shown anywhere in the world. The champion bird of the show, a Yorkshire hen, exhibited by Mr Beeston, of Auckland, was one of the finest canaries he had ever , seen. Besides winning the championship, it had taken five first special prizes and a first award. He had not seen any canary show yet where entries had come from such a distance and had been so representative. One exhibitor, Mr Belcher, of Auckland, had brought a team of 35 birds, and had been successful in -winning 11 first prizes. THE PIGEON CLASSES. Commenting on the pigeons exhibited in the open section,, the judge, Mr J. L. Bolton, of Petone, stated that a fine lot of birds had come forward and that competition had been very keen, the winners being hard to separate. “As far as quality and quantity are concerned,” stated Mr J. T. Bruce, of Wellington, judge of the mileage classes, “the birds I saw were well up to standard, and fanciers are to be commended on the care and attention they devoted in getting their pigeons ready for showing. The birds are as nice a lot as one could -wish for. I want to commend the Poultry Association on the splendid way that it has catered for the homers and for the prominence it has given them. I have never seen a show where the birds have been catered for better in regard to space.” “I don’t think that Palmerston North has had a better show of fancy pigeons before,” stated Mr W. B. McKenzie, of Wellington, judge of this section. Right through, he continued, the quality had been very high. The championship had gone to an outstanding bird, a dun turbit hem which at Christchurch had also proved to be the best bird in the fancy classes. Competition had been very keen, and this hen, owned by Mr A. H. Guthrie,-of Wellington, had just managed to beat an English owl cock belonging to Messrs Melville Bros., of Fordell. The quality in the frill varieties had been exceptional, while the magpies had also been a good class, Mr J. Hurle, of New Plymouth, winning the championship in the latter with a very fine yellow hen, a bird that had many successes to its credit, including one at Sydney. In the fantail section there had been two really good birds, which had come from the lofts of Mrs J. Harvey, of Gisborne. Several of the other pigeons, however, were not really show fantaiis at all; they were just ordinary pigeons with a sort of “fan” tail. “It was pleasing to note,” concluded Mr McKenzie, “that the Palmerston North show has been well patronised by fanciers; some of the

exhibits came from as far as Dunedin, Gisborne and New Plymouth.” MILK TESTING. Pupils .of the Palmerston North Boys’ High School scored a decisive success in the schools’ milk testing competition, in which there were 15 competitors. E. Fletcher took first place with 84 points, P. AlcMahon second with 82- and J. Penman third with 79. The judge was Air E. H. Lange, of Feilding. GRADING COAIPETITIONS. Two grading competitions for members of the New Zealand Dairy Factory Alanagers’ Association were conducted this morning—one in butter and the other in cheese] the judges being officers of the Department of Agriculture. In the former Air F. Souness (AVairuhe) took first place with 98 points and Air AV. J. Read (Apiti) second with 97}, while a tie for third place resulted, Messrs A. Drake (Tokomaru), J. L. Taylor (Lowgarth), B. Barnes (Matamata) and A. F. Neilson (Pihama) each scoring 96} points. In the cheese competition Air D. Cameron (Cardiff) scored 99 points and secured first place; Air A. Johnston (Rongomai) was second with 98}, and Messrs L. Heayns (Hopelands) and A. Drake (Tokomaru) tied for third with 98,