OTAGO WINTER SHOW

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22269, 23 May 1934, Page 5

OTAGO WINTER SHOW

GOOD ENTRIES RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 2681 Entries for the Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Society’s Winter Show, -which, ■will be opened on Friday of next; week* have how closed, and the classification-of the exhibits into their~respective: sections discloses increased interest in the majority of departments. Where improvements have not been, effected there are special reasons for the decrease. There is & marked drop in the number of fruit entries, for instance, but this cannot be regarded as surprising ; in; view of th* havoc that was wrought with Central Otago fruit crops by the disastrous unseasonable frosts of the past season. Many crops were wiped out completely, and among them were sources of many .exhibits in past years. The most noticeable falling off of entries, however, is in the section devoted to the boys’ and girls’ clubs, the separate exhibits in which have fallen from a total of 913 last year to 252 this year. It is considered that many of those engaged in this _ work among school children that the position this year is in very large measure due to the fact that the organising secretary of the Clubs’ Association (Mr J. E. Davies) was compelled to sever his official connection with the movement lay the Department of Agriculture, under the sponsorship of which the boys’ and girls’ club campaign was first launched. It is possible that the objection will lie raised that this is merely a matter of opinion, but the fact remains that comparatively little interest has been exhibited i in the Winter Show this, year by many who were enthusiastic exhibitors last year. The details of the entries received ars as follows, with a comparison with last year’s figures:—

It should be noted that the fruit and agricultural club sections referred To above account for a decrease of 906 in the total, but increased entries in other sections have reduced the actual decrease to 766. In the 16 classifications made in the foregoing table there are increased entries this year in no fewer than 11 of them. The catalogue presented, therefore, will be an excellent one, including some new features this year which should bs o( special interest.

1934. 1933. Fat cattle .. 28 24 Fat sheep and lambs .. , .. 44 40 Agricultural clubs .. .. . 913 Butter and cheese .. .. .. 214 165 Farmers’ butter .. .. 89 76 Honey and preserves .. Baker’s bread .. *.. .. .. 247 259 .. 69 17 Home industries .. .. .524 558 Needlework 324 309 Art and model section , .. 98 69 Fruit .. 207 432 Hams and bacon .. 44 OO Grain and seeds , .. 99 94 •School competitions .. , .. 120 no Roots and pota toes .. . .. 302 299 Wool .. 40 y 27 Totals .. 2581 3447