The Patea Mail. Established April 14, 1875. Be Just, and Fear Not. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 1885. AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.

Patea Mail, Volume XI, Issue 21, 3 June 1885, Page 2

The Patea Mail. Established April 14, 1875. Be Just, and Fear Not. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 1885. AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.

• -♦ In another column ivill he found a short report of a committee meeting of the local Agricultural Society held last week. The resolution passed is no doubt a step in the direction but, without, having any wish to die'ate to a society which has done so much good in the past, and works with a full determination to continue doing good, vve should like to suggest to the joint societies the propriety of carrying out their “ amalgamation” principals on a very much wider basis than the resolution suggests. We are of opinion that for such purposes as stock competitions, the amalgamation should he extended to New Plymouth on the one hand and Wanganui on the other. An annual show, supported hy a district of such dimensions, would he of sufficient importance to make its benefits felt. The obtaining 1 a prize against anything that could be brought tocornpete within twohundred miles would be an object to be sought, a game worth the candle, and one that would give sufficient inducement to cattle breeders to contest the honor of first place, and so the undertaking would feed itself, as it were, on the success, its importance would bring about. Wo are well aware that such a step cannot be taken on the ipse dixit of one society, but, if we may judge from opinions generally expressed, there is not much opposition to be expected from Hawera, while the report of the last meeting of the New Plymouth Society shows evident symptoms of the necessity for amalgamation, and it is not long since Wanganui was suffering from a somewhat similar attack. Where therefore each dislirct is individually anxious for amalgamation in order to extend the usefulness of their operations, it should not be difficult to arrange a basis upon which to establish so desirable an end. From the report of the annual meeting of the Taranaki Agricultural Society, which, singularly enough, took place on Saturday last, we find that Mr Hulke said, “ before any business was taken, he thought that the question should be decided as to whether or not the Spring Cattle Show should be continued. If things were to go on ns they had been

going, instead of it being an honour to belong to the society it would be a disgrace. Instead of having the grounds well filled with implements and stock, and there being a large attendance of farmers, all were conspicious by their absence. The society was supported by the townspeople in a liberal and handsome manner, while one year out of £6O subscribed only £3 had come from the country. He would move that the cattle shows usually bold in December should be postponed.’’ This is the first warning note from the members of that society, and, in the discussion that followed, amalgamation was clearly indicated as the only cure for this want of interest, for later on we find in the report, “Mr 0. W. Grovett says the proper course would be to arrange to have Shows alternately at Hawern, Paten, and New Plymouth, He had urged this several

times, and was always told it could not bo done, but he had never heard that the committee had tried it. Mr Bewloy would sooner have the Central Show at Hawera than have such miserable shows ns there have been lately. He attributed it in a large degree to the defection of a few people at Bell Block and others wlio used to exhibit largely. This had weakened the society, and at present it

is not in a position to make a creditable display. Mr Hnlke said that the Wanganui Show had only been postponed, and had not wholly ceased.” Here then is the direct move towards amalgamation, and we think that Mr Govolt was very near the mark in giving his opinion why this amalgamation could not be brought about when ho said “l:o had never heard that the committee had triad it.” Until lately there was of course the impassable gulf of the railway gap between this end of the district and the other, but that is now bridged over, and no obstacle whatever presents itself to the early amalgamation of the Agricultural Societies throughout this favoured district, and with one society fully supported, holding its shows alternately in the principal towns within its boundaries, nothing could possibly prevent its success, and we hope the delegates of the two societies will take into their consideration the question of a much broader amalgamation than that referred to in the resoluion.