AUCKLAND AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATIONS SHOW.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 5923, 10 November 1880, Page 6

AUCKLAND AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATIONS SHOW.

SECOND DAY. Notwithstanding the glorious weather thai •was enjoyed on Monday, the sun had bcec set but a few hours on that evening wiien clouds of a threatening appearanco began to roll up about the horizon. Early yesterday morning, about 3 o'clock, the weather looked very threatening indeed, and heavy banks of clouds were seen in all directions, and for some time a light drizzling rain fell. As the morning advanced the rain ceased, but the clouds gave little promise of a fair day. From S to 10 o'clock many who intended visiting the exhibition hesitated, and about 10 o'clock several flying showers fell. From that time to a little past midday showers occasionally fell, none of which, however, were very heavy. These were accompanied by gusty squalls of wind, but after that hour the wind slightly increased, and the clouds were dispersed. The result was a most enjoyable day, sometimes perhaps a little windy for the ladies to thoroughly appreciate the fanning zephyrs. The cool atmosphere brought by a southerly wind made comparatively cool the occasionally very bright gleams of sunshine. As the day advanced confidence in the weather became established, and each succeeding train brought out to the show grounds vast crowds of citizens, bent on enjoying to the utmost the holiday given ou the occasion of the anniversary of the Prince of Wales' Birthday. Gradually the show grounds became better filled until alxmt 3 o'clock, when there probably was not fewer than 5000 persons present. On the point of attendance, this annual show may be regarded as highly successful. A good attendance bringe ample funds, which is one of the conditions necessary to the success of

all such societies. The general good humour of the people, and the pleasure with which they bore severe squeezing now and again, showed that the majority, at least, were bent upon thoroughly enjoying the relaxation from the cares of oflice and business, and were determined that little matters should not affect that enjoyment. As a rule the people were as well behaved as they were bent on enjoyment. Though facilities for drinking were free enough, very few indeed indulged beyond the bounds of moderation. The result was that there were fewer intoxicated people than we ever remember seeing at any similar exhibition. Sub-Inspector Pardy and a pmse of police were on the ground, bnt the good behaviour of the people made their duties light indeed. The great majority of those present appeared to be too much absorbed with securing the fullest enjoyment of individual pleasure, to do aught to prevent an equal enjoyment on the part of others.

Diversions of various kinds were provided. Many extemporised foot races, jumping, &c, were indulged in by youngsters, and those fond of giving the public the opportunity of trying their luck a ta game of chance were not wanting. Their operations were restricted within moderate bounds, and were not so attractive as on some previous occasions.

Mr. Impey's band added much to the pleasure of the day by the pieces of music played at intervals during the day.

In our previous notice of the exhibition, it was stated that the exhibits brought forward by the Kaiapoi Woollen Company arrived on Monday afternoon, at too late an hour to permit of the cases being opened and the goods displayed. Yesterday morning, however, they were all nicely arranged, under the direction of Mr. Wood, the general business manager of the company, at an hour prior to that at which the public were admitted. The collection of goods shown were value for £iSOO, and consisted of tweeds in great variety of colours and patterns; made up clothes of various kinds ; blankets, from the finest merino to the strongest longwool, in shades of color from pure white to grey; flannels of various qualities, white, scarlet, blue, and Shetland grey ; men's and boys' hosiery in all shades and sizes; yarns in great variety of colours and quality, and plaidings of different kinds from the pure white to the colour usually worn by miners and others employed in underground operations. During the day Mr. Wood was frequently questioned about the details of the manufacturing business in which he was engaged, and to all interrogations a frank and ready answer was returned. The following gentlemen were selected to act as judges in this class : —Messrs. W. Atkins (Tamaki), J. Wallace (Waiuku), and Cousins (of Cousins and Atkiu, Auckland). A first prize was awarded to the collection. Many visitors as they passed the stand occupied by this company, regretted that some similar industry was not in full swing in Auckland. On the previous day, owing to some incompleteness in the arrangement of the exhibits in the class of bottled ales, those shown by Mr. James McCormick were overlooked by the judges. On the matter being represented to the judges yesterday morning, and the stewards upholding Mr. McCormick's statements, the exhibits were examined, and the award of highly commended made. Mr. McCormick is of opiuion that had it not been for the unfortunate overlooking of his I exhibit on Monday, he would have been the holder of the first prize instead of Messrs. W. C. Bunkall and Brother. Be this as it may, it is admitted that the overlooking of the two dozen bottles on Monday was purely an accident. In the catalogue in the seetion of "Extra stock—brewer's dray horse" Mr. P. Lawry was entered as the exhibitor, and was very highly commended. We learn this catalogue entry was an error. The horse formerly belonged to Mr. F. Lawry, but was sold by him sometime since to Messrs. John and William Brown, whose property the horse now is. The award in the case of the two competing Alderney bulls, which was held over from Monday afternoon to yesterday, appears to have slipped from memory, for we could not learn that a decision had been arrived at yesterday afternoon when the exhibitors began to remove their stock and otlfbr exhibits. The award, however, will be made, and dealt with in due course.

In the matter of the extra stock shown by Mr. James Wallace, of Papatoitoi, in the section of sheep, whose awards ■were not published yesterday morning, No. 261, on the catalogue, a Lincoln ewe, shown in 1879, took first prize, and the next entry, a Lincoln ewe, shown at the same time, was second prize-taker. The special prize of a silver cup, given by the New Zealand Mercantile Agency Company, for the beat pen of six ewes suckling lambs, best adapted for the production of wool, was secured by Mr. Jas. Wallace, of Hillside, Papatoitoi. It will be remembered that- late on Monday evening a protest was lodged by Mr. J. P. H. Hamlin (who had taken second prize in class 133 for the best Berkshire sow suckling pigs) against Mr. W. J. Hurst receiving the first in the same class on the ground that Mr. Hurst's sow was artificially coloured with some black substance. The judges had left at the time the formal protest was lodged, and yesterday morning the matter was brought under their attention. After considering the question, they came to the conclusion that Mr. Hamlin had been too dilatory in lodging the protest—in fact, that the business of the day had been closed on Monday before the protest was made. It

was eliowu that this delay was a complete violation of No. 23 of the "General Regulations, " and that if they were to sanction this protest, how could they refuse protests coming iu at even a much Liter period ? They thought that, under the circumstances, Mr. Hamliii should not forfeit his deposit of 20s, as there was no denial that the animal had been rubbed with some bkek substance, and the pretest was not factious action on liia part.

The judges also considered the case of Mr. J. Bainbridge, who was an exhibitor of pigs, but who was disqualified oil account of their being wrongly classed. The sow and pigs were evidently animals of merit, and the only fault against them was that they were placed in a class for small breeds instead of the reverse. On these considerations an extra first class prize was given for this exhibit. Mr. John S. Graham, of Awitu, was reported to have been awarded the first prize for the best Hereford bull-calf. This was a mistake. Mr. Graham, we understand, \}\xrchased this animal from Messrs. T. and S. Morrin, and entered him for competition, but did not bring him forward, and thus the favourite English herd of cattle, the Herefords, was only represented at the late show by one entry, but no exhibit. The exhibits of the pretty little hardylooking Devons were objects of much interest yesterday. All day long numbers of people might have been seen looking into the stalls where they were fastened, and the points and usefulness of these animals freely discussed. It is probable that more attention will be given to this breed in the future than there has hitherto been in the past so far as the settlers in the Auckland provincial district are concerned.

With the above remarks little can be said to what has already been stated respecting horses, cattle, sheep, poultry, swine, and dogs. In regard to dairy produce, we might refer to a practice that seemed to be indulged in yesterday by some, which is more honoured in the breach than in the observance. It was noticed that many of the cheese exhibits had been cut into b} passing visitors, and considerable portions of them carried away. In the case or butter the same nasty habit was observed. In some cases some untidy person had scooped out large holes in butter prints by the nails of their thumb or fingers. This is decidedly offensive, and it should be remembered that the visitors to an exhibition of dairy produce liavo no right to help themselves to portions of what is shown. It may also happen that such free helping themselves would lead to unpleasant consequences. What would ba said to the greedy fellows who had emptied a bottle of beer or porter every time they passed the stand where these exhibits were stalled? What would have been the result if the same Jiberty had been taken with the exhibits of the Kaiapoi Woollen Company, or the magnificent collection of locally manufactured biscuits shown by Messrs. Bycroft and Company ? We fear that those who thus acted would soon have been introduced to the police force ; and helping oneself to butter, cheese, potted meats, &c, unbidden is equally an act of theft as if a pair of socks had been removed from the Kaipoi Company's stall, or a tin of biscuits from Messrs. Bycroft aud Company's stand. The safe rule to act upon on all such occasions is to look, but touch not.

LOCAL MANUFACTURES. The portion of the ground where machinery was seen in motion was yesterday well supplied with visitors. The steamengine belonging to Mr. Kuox hail no machines attached, and the engine was merely kept in motion. The engine of Messrs. Hay and Buchanan was, as on the former day, kept driving a threshingmachine, by Messrs. Marshall, Sons and Co., Gainsborough. The ticketed price of the whole was low, but it is to be regretted that the threshing-machine is but a single-blast one. Settlers nowadays like a threshingmachine that is capable not only of threshing their crops, but of dressing "and bagging the same at one operation. A saving of time and money is the result. The machine, however, had the merit of lightness, being but 1J tons in weight, and the four-horse power portable engine which accompanied it is said to weigh no more than 2 J tons. These weights would enable them to be taken along roads and over bridges which would not bear the weight of heavier machines. Messrs. T. and S.Morrin, however, had the best display of machinery in motion. They had a handsome eight-horse power engine at work, which was driving about a dozen machines of various kinds, including root-pulpers, grain-cleaning machines, oat-bruisers, chaff-cutters, beankebbler, and a flour mill, etc. The grain-cleaners are in reality machines for cleaning wheat of all smut, Sα The flour mill was the centre of attraction. It merely produced " whole meal," and did not separate the floured wheat into various qualities. These appliances could easily be attached by those who desired them. The little machine evidently did its work well and expeditiously, and those living far removed from a flour mill would do well to examine this new appliance for saving labour. The root pulper appears to be an improvement upon former implements for this purpose. The pulping is done by rows of teeth set on a large disc, working upon an eccentric. Potatoes with roots, put into the hopper, come ont in a condition very easy of mastication. The hedge-cutting machine was on the ground, and its usefulness freely discussed. Among the carriage builders, Messrs. Cousins and Atkin were the chief prize-takers, but Messrs. Gee and Potter, and Mr. Maekie were also successful in the same direction. Perhaps few sections of our local industries attracted more attention than the fine show made by Messrs. J. Bycroft and Co., in biscuits. They were the sole exhibitors in this section, having apparently driven oil' all competition. The exhibits were also tastefully and artistically arranged, and occupied a large section of the side of the main building. In former years other local biscuit makers competed at our local shows, and we should be glad to see that in the future the competitors in this useful line numbered more than one, but whoever enters the lists against Messrs. Bycroft and Co. will require to produce no mean degree of excellence, if first honours are sought. Messrs. Ireland Brothers' collection of local manufactured leather showed also the degree of excellence to which local manufactures are being pushed. Many persons well qualified to give a critical opinion, stated that finer leather in the several kinds could not be produced than this firm showed. This is as it should be, and the success beinc; attained by some should be an incentive for other manufacturers to do their best to attain excellence in their several branches of trade. Mr. H. H. Smith was an extensive exhibitor in cooking stoves and ovens. The collection was the largest which has yet been shown here in this line, and shows that the trade is a growing one. He had no competitor, and the same has to be said respecting the exhibits of Mr. Wiseman, although he had taken no small trouble to prepare a class of goods which would worthily compete in any country. The practice of allowing manufacturers to have such walks over is alike discouraging to the manufacturer as it is disappointing to the public.

JUMPING MATCH. About 3 o'clock the usual jumping match took place. The following horses were entered:—Mr. Tonk's Greyhound, Mr. Whewell's Atalanta, Mr. A. Buckland's Minnie Athol, Mr. Jackson's Faugh-a-

Ballagh, and Mr. D. McNicol's Savernack. The contest was keen, and continued for some time. At last the first prize, £5, was awarded to Greyhound, and the second, £2, to Atalauta.

MR. BUCKLAND'S SALE. At the close of the jumping match Mr. A. Buekland tried to sell a number of well-bred cattle, but it was evident that the people were not bent on business, and he failed to obtain a bid. Afterwards a pair of buggy horses were offered, but with a similar result. The animals will likely be offered on a subsequent day at the Remuera Sale-yards.

Upon the whole the enjoyment of the holiday was complete, and the show of 18S0 will long be remembered as one fairly successful. The attendance at the Horticultural Show was not so large as the merits of that exhibition merited, but no small degree of opposition was offered to the separate charge made for admission to this show. This, however, was unavoidable under the circumstances, and it is to be regretted that this society did not receive a more liberal share of public patronage.