OTACO A. AND P. SOCIETY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14378, 23 November 1908, Page 7

OTACO A. AND P. SOCIETY.

-METROPOLITAN SUMMER SHOW. The thirty-second annual summer show of the Otago, Agricultural and Pastoral Society will be held at Tahuna Park on Thursday and l'riday of this week. The grounds are in splendid order, and every provision has this year been made for the housing and convenience of live stock; and, given fine weather, there appears to be every prospect that the show of this year will in all respects be a record one. The entries in all classes are excellent. Friday (People's Day) will be a public holiday from.noon, and special attractions and competitions have been added to tho programme with a view to catering more largely for the amusement of the people. The competitions include jumping contests, wrestling on horseback, military feats, and high iumps, Over 50 entries have been received for tho various competitions to take place on the afternoons of both days of the show, and as post entries will al?o 'he taken on the show grounds keen contests, .which should attract great interest, are certain. *• The usual display of implements will unfortunately be found wanting this year, consequent on the decision of the Implement Union not to show in Otago this year. There will, however, be a.varied display of machinery in motion and the usual number of interesting exhibits under canvas, merchants' tents; etc. For the second day of the show the Garrison Band ha 6 been engaged to .play, while tho catering both for inside and outside booths has been placed in the capable hands of Mrs M. Thomson, who has made extensive arrangements to provide for the comfort of all patrons. In (he sheep section of tho exhibits the total number of entries exceeds that of last year. In,merinos, Border Leicesters, English Leicester.}, Romney Marsh, 'and fat • sheep the entries are exceptionally good, and the keenest competition will this year , take place among exhibitors. On the whole, the display of sheep will be about the best that has ever been seen at Tahuna Park. Breeders in this section have come forward from Canterbury, Southland, and all parts of Otago. Tlio Romney Marsh classes particularly are very strong. Two rcconllyiinportcd black-faced Scotch sheep will, bo on exhibition, liaving been kindly forwarded by the manager of the Glenm'ark F/stale, Canterbury, and should arouse considerable interest among the farmers in the south. The cattle section promises to provide a fine display, and, although the entries are not quite up to the record of last year, the competition is very keen, and is distributed among many _ breeders. The show of shorthorns, Ayrshires, Jersey, and polled Angus breeds will bo very fine, and, as in the s!;eep classes, exhibitors have come from Canterbury and all over (Hugo. In point of quality alone the show of cattle should be a very gcod one. -It is to be regretted that the fine exhibits from the Mental Hospital at SeaclifF are not forward this year. ■ The exhibition of horseflesh promises, both in regard to quality and number, to be the best that has ever boon seen at any of tlia society's shows, the entries constituting a rocord. Ssvoral recently-imported Clydesdale horses will be shown... In the light-horso section competition will lie ex-' cciitibiially good, exhibitors having pqmo from as far as 1 tho Palmerston North district to compete, and entries have also been received from Christchiirch, Oamaru, and other parts. In the pig classes tlio entries received btc slightly in advance, of those of last year. Prominent' breeders' from . the Canterbury district sent animals for competition. The following i? a coiiiparative statement of the entries received last year and this year:--1907. 1908. Sheep * ... 213 254 C'attlo „. ... 140 .131 Horses- . 337 ' 357 : Pigs 44 47. Totals 73* 789