THE OAMARU SHOW. (By Our Special Reporter.)

Otago Witness, Issue 2179, 28 November 1895, Page 10

THE OAM A RU SHOW. (By Our Special Reporter.)

Oajiaru, N vember 21. ■ The thirty-second annual exhibition of the North Otago Agricultural and Piißtoral AsiOci<it:on w«s opened yesterday. The weather was dull, cold, and showery, and the attendance a long way below the average. Amongst those present; were the Hon. J. M'Kenzieand Mr J. D RiUh ; e, Rtcr«tary to tho Agricultural depsi'fcmeu*.. The f-how as a whole was barely up ■ to the nver»ge, and was oons'derably tK'low l»sb yesr's exhibition. As usual a feature waa tho exhibition of sheep which, contrary to expectation, aro moatly in capital condition, the ' exception being a few from the higher country. Last year's lambs were exceptionally fine and evidently weathered the severe winter t well. The effects of the bad season just ! ended wiJl be more apparent at th« next chow, I this year's lau>bt beiug coniparatively weak and puny. Strong combing merinos make a good exhibition, Mr A A. M'Master sweeping the board, taking all pr'zes Border Leicvßters are I considered the bast cla«s in the show, the Hon. Blr Holmes and Little Bio?, rnnning very close for the Cup, which the former wics' by a narrow majority. The Hon M Holmes has the- champion ram, which »1"O cairS»d off champion honours aA Chriitt church this year. Little Bros, havo the champion owe, and sho also was champion at Christchurth, this making the fifth consecutive champion prize awarded her. The placing in this class is almost co-infiidt-nt throughout wilh <hii ju^gi Ohr stchurch. A« evidencing the merit, o' aged ram section, it mvjr be nott'd thar. amongsfc tho unplaced anitnals ia an imported ram which was the bight-afc-p-iced sheep in Scotland in 1890. It was bought from Lord Pilwarth by Mr Cro'sH, of Kmckdown, for 130g8, sent to Cbristchurch, and there purchased la*t year by the Hon. M. Holmes. In Eugl sh Leicesters th< re is strong competition. Mr Me> ljve has botU the champion ram and ewe, the ram not having been previously shown, while the owe was first at Christchurch and Oamaru lact year. The competition in Lincolns is stronger than usual, Meuurs Holmes and Reid dividing honours. The form<r t*kes moat' prizes, but the latter takes both championships, the champion ewe being the o»e that w»n first at Chrifltchurch this year, while th* r«m only secured third place at th*t show. Mr Reid carries off all the honours in R'-mney Marsh with a well-conditioned line from bis well1 known flock. Mr Menlcve'e famous Shropshire Downs have the cla^s to themselves, and aro awarded full prizes. The shorn and fat sheep call for no enmment. The cattle are weaker than usual. Oulj two sho/thorns r< present that section, but they are splendid specimens fiona Me Menlove's herd. In Ayrshires Mr T. Stevenson carries off the honours. The cla*s is much weaker than usual, owing to the absence from the liog oE G.-mme 11 and Rogerson and Fietriing. Foiled Anguß will not be forward till to-morrow. Aldernevs are weak numerically, but the quality of the few exhibits is good. General cattle are a m* dtocre claS3. The thoroughbred hor*e3 are very poor, the only really representative blood horses present being the well-performed Cajolery, by Apremont — Flattery, who secures championnhip honours. Hacks, hunters, and harness horses are a better class than usual, Mr Henderson's Emerson (by Berlin— Queen Emma) is fir»t in roadster stallions, The Czar being second, and Kentucky third. The remaining sct'-o «i« only of local interf st.

Dairy produce is much better than usual, sad fornw an exceptionally strong cl*sa. . Mias Maggie Mortoo, of K»kanui, secures the Cup for most points. There are some good exhibits in bread and cured meat. Seeds »re a fairly strong class, but there is no grain shown at all. Doga are a weak class, *nd the same remark applies to pigs, a few local exhibits only being shown in ea:-h c!a«*.

There is a magnificent show of implwments, Messrs UtaA and Qta.y are as usoftl tho laamfik

exhibitors, and the Manscy-Harri*, P. and D. Duncan, Booth, M'Don.\ld, and Co., Buckeye Harvester, and Morrow, Basrett, and Go. are also largely represented. The weather threatens to be bad for the People's Day to-morrow. • A light drizzliug rain is now falling. The following is the priza list :—