FEUDING OPPOSITION TO CENTRALISATION OF THE ROYAL SHOW

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6918, 25 May 1929, Page 8

FEUDING OPPOSITION TO CENTRALISATION OF THE ROYAL SHOW

A, and F. Discussion

VEXI. E ALT ERNATELY IX NORTH AND SOUTH

\t its annual meeting last evening, tliti Foil ding A. and P. association diseased the vexed question of the location of the Eoyal Agricultural show. Alter the matter had been discussed at length, it was decided, by.l7 votes to Id w instruct the association s delegate to tiho Royal society’s conference to support the holding of the fixture alternately at central points in the tvro islands. . , . In introducing the quest-ion, the cnairman (Mr. J. G. Eliott) said they all knew that there was a move on foot to centralise the show at Wellington and it was necessary that the meeting should express an opinion in order that the association’s delegate to the Eoyal society's conference might be instructC'd. Mr. E. E. Short moved that t.hc association support the centralising of the E-oyal Show at Wellington. As long as the fixture was moved here and there and from North to South, it would bccomo a diminishing quantity. Finance wa-s badly neede-d and Wellington being central for the whole of New Zealand, had both the accommodation and population to support such a national show. , , ~ Mr. C. Ct. C. Dormer seconded the m-otiou and agreed that the only salvation for tho show was to c cut 1 all so it at Wellington. Finance was everything and if the present system of shifting the locality each year were continued, the show would go out. Mr. D. N. Sandilands moved an amendment that the show bo held alternately at Palmerston North . and Christchurch, and later altered this to provide that the fixture be located in turn at a central point in the North and South Islands. Mr. J. Knight supported the amendment, holding that the show would Jose its significance if centralised at Wellington. Mr. C. Evans held that A. and .P. association authorities were losing sight of the fact that shows were promoted to educate the farming community and he could not see that this object would bo achieved if the Koval show went to Wellington. In reply, Mr. Short said that the Eoyal show had been carted round New Zealand with tho object of building up a strong membership and had failed utterly. The bulk of the membership came from Auckland and Wellington and if the amendment were put into effect, neither city would see the show. Following a lengthy debate, the amendment was carried by 17 votes to 12. Mr. Short then moved an amendment, which Mr. Dormer seconded, that the association’s delegate be given a free hand on the question. This was declared lost on the voices and the original amendment was confirmed as the motion.