THE METROPOLITAN SHOW.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1030, 27 November 1891, Page 25

THE METROPOLITAN SHOW.

The Metropolitan Show was a success in many ways. To begin with, the display of fat stock was the best ever seen in New Zealand. For quality and weight of the right sort, both in sheep and cattle, it has never been surpassed. The North Island has at last proved that it can cope successfully with the South. “ Canterbury mutton ” is now either a legend or a term which simply means the best from any part of New Zealand. For beef, of course, this island has been long facile ptrinceps Another leading feature of the Show was the collection of hunters, hacks, and carriage horses. From which it is evident that a large revenue can be derived by our Northern settlers from horse breeding. The lucrative Indian market can, in fact, be commanded by our breeders if they choose to lay themselves out for it.. The C4ttle made a fine display also, the Shorthorns and Herefords being especially good. In sheep the Romney Marsh and the Lincolns were preeminent and good, comprising tlireefourths of the entries. In the other classes the competition was very small. On the whole, as a show of stock there was not much, barring the small competition in certain important lines, to be desired. Implements were weak, and local industry was but poorly represented. The attendance was astonishing considering the cost of getting to the spot. What the crowd really amounted to it is hard to say. Estimates vary from 5000 to 10,000. . The former figure is based on the railway traffic, which totalled something under 2500. From which it is argued that as about half the numbers are carried by the railway, not more than. 5000 people could have been on the ground. But experienced observers place the numbers much higher ; their estimates reaching as high as 7000 or 8000. In 1889, the first year in which the Wellington Association began operations, the railway figures were much as they ,are this year, and yet the attendance reached 8000. With such weather as we had yesterday it ia fair to expect that there must have been as many. Next year we hope (and there is reason) that the railway may be carried right on to the Show Ground. The two branches of the river can, it is estimated, be bridged for L 6500, and it is an open secret that the three bodies interested (the Railway Commissioners, the Agricultural Associations, and the Racing Club) are ready to join in getting the work done. If it is not done the exhibits are sure to fall off, for exhibitors complain greatly of tfie trouble of getting tlieir exhibits to the ground. The completion of the railway communication will make a great difference in this respect. It will in fact increase both the exhibits and the attendance. The necessity for the work has been, by this time, abundantly proved. Breeders of stock and makers of implements are very anxious to be represented at the Metropolitan Show of the North Island ; the people of several districts are quite . ready to attend in numbers sufficient to secure a substantial income to the Association, and there are plenty of people ready to offer special prizes ; the amount this year, we may remark, reached L 350. The three first Shows have established these facts. They form a basis sufficiently solid for the little expenditure required for completing the railway communication. To come back to the present, much comment is made upon the absence of so many of the Southern

judges. Having accepted the position, these gentlemen neglected to perform the duties. Why ? That is for them to explain, and no doubt they will do so in due course. For the rest, there were faults of management which were too obvious to require mention in detail. The Committee knows what they were quite well enough.. It will be for them to make up their minds that the necessary complement of completed railway communication is an improved organisation. Then nothing will be able to prevent the annual Show of the Wellington Association from obtaining cordial recognition as a first-class metropolitan exhibition of the utmost importance to stock owners, to breeders, and to' those who live by catering for their requirements.