NATIONAL FLOWER SHOW

Southland Times, Issue 22486, 22 January 1935, Page 6

NATIONAL FLOWER SHOW

SOUTHLAND’S EXHIBIT.

A GLORIOUS DISPLAY.

By truck, by train and by air, entries for the national flower show have steadily been arriving in Dunedin and not the least of these will be the consignment from Southland. Two extra vans on Sunday night’s express, two motor trucks and a van on the midday express yesterday were needed to transport the cut flowers, plants, trees, shrubs, fruits and assorted vegetables which will go to take up the 300 square feet of floor-space set aside for the Southland Court at the show. The contributions from the country districts of Southland were sent in on Sunday and lacked nothing in quantity and quality. That Invercargill itself had not been lagging behind, however, was made evident to a Times reporter who paid a visit to the local depot of the New Zealand Institute of Horticulture yesterday morning. There fresh supplies of blooms and cut flowers of all descriptions were arriving every minute, to be packed in crates by a zealous little band of workers. The task involved was no small one and the packers were kept hard at work in order to have the exhibits despatched by the mid-day express. The culmination of much labour was seen when a big ZP truck left for Dunedin with an array of exhibits to gladden the hearts of any lover of horticulture. Anyone looking into the truck would have seen the real meaning of “a riot of colour.” Glorious roses, carnations, iceland poppies, gypsophila, dahlias and many other flowers and shrubs, both native and exotic, made the dull and dingy interior of the truck a place of beauty and light. Members of the Southland Organizing Committee for the show, who a few days ago issued an appeal through the medium of the Press for donations for blooms, etc., expressed themselves as highly delighted with the public response. “Our initial perparations had been very comprehensive,” stated one member of the committee, “but without the support and co-operation of local garden enthusiasts it would not have been possible to have a display representative and characteristic of Southland. Now, however, this province has a display worthy of its own native loveliness and although our main object is to demonstrate the resources and possibilities of this district from a horticultural standpoint, it now is very likely that the Southland Court will number among the prize-winners.” Some members of the local branch of the New Zealand Institute of Horticulture, among whom was the president, Mr C. S. Longuet, also travelled up with the express yesterday. While there they will attend the national conference of the institute. Mr B. P. Mansfield, who has undertaken the collection and showing of the Southland exhibit, will also be present at the conference.