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Otago Witness, Issue 2803, 4 December 1907, Page 23

AUCKLAND SHOW.

AUCKLAND, November 29. The Auckland A. and P. Society's •how, which was opened by the Hon. Geo. Towlde to-day, was largely attended. Horses -were well represented, except in thoroughbred stock. Draught stallions were small in number, but quality was well represented, amongst them being Marcelius, by 'Knight •o: Thistle, dam Lady Erskine, which took championship honors at Masterton and Wai.kato. Marcellus won first prize in hie class, and also the championship. There was a good show of cattle, shorthorns beins; well represented, in which class Mr Wrn. Ta.vior, of Te Awamutu, was the largest exhibitor, with 22 entries. In the nvo-year-old bull class Mr Taylor was biiccresful with Baron Hose HI, the animal whioh was recently imported from the south, after winning in a field of 30 at" the Ghristchurch Exhibition ss a yearling. Baron Rose 111 is a typical shorthorn, and was bred by the late Archdeacon Williams, of Napier. The championehip prize in the Jersey section was. awarded to Willis Bros.' aged bull, Fitzwilliam, making this sire's sixth successive annexation of the champion riband. The champion Jersey cow, Gold Leaf, was picked out from a very fine class of milkers, and is owned by Mir E. D. M'Lennan, the well-known Jersey breeder. The feature of the exhibits of sheep at this show is that a number of fresh names are showing, thus improving the competition. Messrs Slack Bros., of Palmerston North, well-known prize-takers in the south, show Border Leicesters, and Mr Ernest Short, of Feilding, exhibits his imported Romney rams, which cost 300 guineas. Mr Geo. Chamberland, of Ponui Island, is the sole exhibitor of Merinos, there being *>• ]-' four classes. The entries of both Roex"^ Marsh sheep, and of Shropshire Dowrjfe are numerous. The Department of Agriculture also show for exhibition only two pens of Ryeland sheep. The exhibits of dairy produce are well up to the mark and there -is a splendid show of machinery. The following championships were awarded: —Draught horses: Entire, Taylor's Marcellus; mare, Wm. Taylor's Sylria; hunters, W. Innes Taylor's "Pirate. Sheep —Lincoln ram, E. Barriball, Waiuku; Lincoln ewe, E. Barriball; Border Leicester ram, Slack Bros., Palmerston North; -Border Leicester ewe, E. Taylor, Te Amaxnutu; Romney Marsh, E. Short, Feilding; Shropshire Downs ram, T. Coatio, Orakei. Cfetttle—Shorthorn bull, Woodward Bros.' Buscot Adonis II» five years; cow, W. Taylor's Leonara "X"KTTT; yearling Hertford bull, Arthur T Close; Holstein bull, T. W. Discombe's Hero; Jersey bull, Willis Bros.' Fitzwilliam; cow, E. D- M'Lennan's Gold Leaf. Pigs—Berkshire boar, Mental Hospital; sow, P Crosby; Yorkshire boar, Costley Home; sow, Mental Hospital; Tam•worth boar and sow, G. W Luxton. December 1. Fine weather prevailed for the continuation of the Auckland show yesterday, the attendance constituting a record. The principal additional awards are:—Champion dairy cow, Mr E. D. M'Lennan's Buttercup cow, three years old or over, any breed, in milk, Mr E. D. M'Lennan^s Buttercup 1, Mr E. D. M'Lennan's Darkie 2. and Mr J. E. Gaverv's Roosella 3, Wm. Tapp's Cherry Red, aged, sire Cicero IV, v.h.e.; Cow under three years, any breed, in milk, Mr Wm. Tapp's Marigold II 1, Mr W. J. Hall's Nellie 2: best type of dry dairy cow, three years old or over, guaranjteed in calf, Mr W. J. Hall's Empress 1, Mrs R. Archibald's Polly 2; pen of three shorthorn- heifejy (caved since July 1, 1905), suitable for dairy purposes, and bred by the exhibitor, Mr Wm. Taylor 1, Mr George Winstone 2. The chief rinj competitions resulted as follows:—High jump, D. Gorrie's £ .ripper, sft; champion lady rider, Miss West; bareback) competition, Miss Ethel Abbott; gentleman -rider, W. Innes Taylor. v'FBOX OUB OWK COBBBSPOHUSNT.) AUCKLAND, November 29. The A. and P. show affords ample testimony that whatever may have been said 1 in the past as to the backwardness of Auckland shows, the exhibition is now on a fair way to taking its proper place in the front rank of the show of the Dominion. In horses and cattle there is a strong representation, both in regard to number and quality. The entries of horses (60) and cattle (250) are both greater than shown at either Christohurch or Palmerston North, and the number of sheep (201), whilst not comparing with the lists at tho big southern shows, show a decided advance on previous years. The show of town horses and hacks •was a magnificent one, and the^ whole colleotion of horses rankled very high. Auckland has always stood high in its breeds of cattle, and at one time sent winners Among the beef classes even as far south as Canterbury, but it is evident that eneepfassning and dairying are affecting this section. Still, the quality of the shorthorns could scarcely be improved, and certainly no other ahow in New Zealand brought forward such a fine lot of animals ibis year.' The dairying breeds, although teaching s high level, were not so well represented as the growing importance of ithe butter industry demands, and the association should certainly Bestir itself to strengthen competition in this class. In sheep Mr Short, of Feilding, scooped the pool in the Romney classes, there being liolibing here to equal his fine animals. {Slack Bros, of Palmerstog North, divided

honors with Mr John Gordon, of Waikato, in English Leieesters. In Border Leicesters these exhibitors also furnished interesting competition. Previously one of the chief drawbacks to the success of Auckland shows has been the absence oi proper railway communication with the southern centres of the islana, but when the Main Trunk line is completed, it is almost certain that Auck- i land will receive show stock from the Wellington, Taranaki, and Hawke's Bay provinces, and it is highly probable that the prize animals at Hastings, Palmerston North, and Wanganui, will meet in the northern metropolis. It may be possible, even by next November for the breeders, after exhibiting at the southern shows to rail their exhibits through to Auckland for the final judging. In view of this it will bs advisable for the association to make better provision for the reception of visiting stock than has been made "this year. The " southern exhibitors are complaining very vigorously regarding the lack oi proper en- i closures, feed, and attendance, and such neglect will have a prejudicial effect on future shows