The Manawatu Daily Times This Week's Royal Show

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 6993, 1 November 1932, Page 6

The Manawatu Daily Times This Week's Royal Show

There appears to he every promise that this week’s Royal Agricultural Show, at Palmerston North, will excel in average quality all of New Zealand’s previous Royal Shows. This will he the ninth Royal Show held in this Dominion, and the third occasion on which it has been held at Palmerston North. The first Royal Show was held here in 1924, and the fifth in 1928. "With entries in cattle totalling 536, as against 490 at the Royal Show at Pamerston North in 1928 a very distinct advance is recorded, and may be accepted as an evidence of the definite progress of the dairying and beef-raising industries in New Zealand. All things considered it Is not surprising that the horses are slightly fewer (262 as against 291 in 1928) because in these days not so many farmers keep horses of the light harness and hack class. But it must be said that in earlier years a number of people entered horses which did not really conform to Royal Show standard. So that it may be expected that the quality at this year’s exposition will be of a higher standard than those shown in previous years.

The great progress that has taken place in dairying has naturally been made to a large extent at the expense of sheep, and that there are about 50 fewer sheep (759, as against 806) than there were at the 1928 Royal is not a surprising circumstance. There is another consideration, too, that the standard of excellence has been raised considerably in succeeding years, and stud stock breeders naturally hesitate about exhibiting their stock unless they are class enough to meet the keenest quality competition.

In the exhibition of pigs this week’s Show will set up a new Dominion Show record with an entry of 227 pigs. Prior to the registration of these new figures the Palmerston North Royal held the record of 219 pigs, the exhibits at the various other Royal Shows being: 1924 (Palmerston North), 88; 1925 (Christchurch), 55; 1926 (Auckland), 203; 1927 (Christchurch), 132; 1928 (Palmerston North), 219; 1929 (Invercargill), 71; 1930 (Hawke’s Bay), 142; 1931 (Christchurch), 104. The figures this year are an emphatic proof of the increased attention that is being paid to swine husbandry, particularly throughout the Manawatu and other dairying districts in the North Island.

Taking the entries as a whole there are 690 more than there were in 1928, which is very gratifying in view of the fact that the country is generally regarded as being at about the lowest ebb of the depression period.

In addition to the magnificent display of live stock which is now assured, the various committees have not been unmindful of the great body of patrons who desire entertainment, apart from the live stock review. A glance at the programme will show that they are to be very generously catered for. The entries for the ring competitions are excellent and first-rate horsemanship will doubtless be witnessed. Steer riding, wrestling, boxing, a community sing, decorated bicycle competition, bicycle racing, relay racing for school boys, and the fun of the fair provided by the side-shows should amply supply the requirements of all those in search of amusement.

On the whole the entries clearly indicate that Palmerston North has abundantly justified its claim to being one of the principal Royal Show centres of the Dominion. The comparative qualities of stock in New Zealand is roughly expressed in the fact that up to the present there have been four Royal Shows in each island, the South Island having won 209 championships, and the North Island 206. All indications are that the judgments at the 1932 Royal Show will place the North Island well ahead.

The very material improvements that have been made at the Palmerstpn North Showgrounds will afford much added comfprt and pleasure to exhibitors and to patrons, and the officials and committees who have worked so enthusiastically may be warmly congratulated upon their well-directed efforts. The presence of his Excellency the Governor-General (Lord Bledisloe), who is to open the Royal Show, will lend official distinction to the fixture.