AGRICULTURAL SHOW.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19169, 7 November 1925, Page 12

AGRICULTURAL SHOW.

LARGE ENTRIES RECEIVED. PROGRAMME FOR NEXT MONTH. The spring show of the Auckland Agricultural and Pastoral Association will be held at the Show Grounds, Epsom, on December 4 and 5, some weeks later than the fixture was placed last year. The activities of tho association are widespread and the programme for this year's show embraces a wide variety of interests. In addition to the usual classes for livestock provision is made for a horticultural section, dairying competitions and spectacular events that should prove highly attractive to both city and country residents. Entries in the various classes closed yesterday and totalled considerably more than those of last year. The hunting and military competitions, which are always a feature of the show, have drawn splendid entries and should provide a special attraction for spectators r'j both days. Special interest will centre in the chopping events, for which the association with customary enterprise has provided liberal prize money. The chief event, the Epsom Standing Chop, with a 14in. log, has been allocated prize money totalling £145. The first prize is £100; second, £25; third, £l2 10s; and fourth, £7 10s. With such a liberal apportionment of prize money it will be recognised that special inducement has been offered to attract tho world's best performers. New Zealand is famous for axemen, who have been trained in the hard school of experience in converting the bush lands of tho country into farming areas, or in cutting out timber for building material. Probably nowhere in the Empire, save in Canada or Australia, is the cult of the. Bushman so important as it is in this country, and New Zealand axemen have ever been able to hold their own with overseas competitors. The event in question will afford an opportunity for the Dominion's best to prove their right to rank with the world's best axemen. Other chopping events include a stundihg chop and an underhand chop, for both, of which £35 is provided ir. prize money, and a minor contest for which the prize money totals £2O. In a11'£235 has been allocated to the chopping events, and show patrons should have the opportunity of seeing the best axemen in the world in action. The butter and cheese competitions, for which the Farmers' Freezing Company has donated special prizes of ,€SO have,, as ns".il, drawn excellent entries. The competition in the classes should lie thoroughly worthy of the premier dairying province of the Dominion. The association had spared no effort to make this year's show a record in every respect. Judging from the entries received and the interest displayed in the fixture over a wide area there is every reason to expect that success will attend those efforts. Improvements have been carried oat at the show grounds recently at a cost of about £BOO, and the additional facilities provided for exhibits and patrons will be appreciated.