SYDNEY SHOW.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 May 1926, Page 11

SYDNEY SHOW.

NEW ZEALANDER’S IMPRESSIONS. Interviewed by a Daily News reporter yesterday, a well-known Taranaki farmer, Mr. H. Stonex, of Bell Block, who has just returned from a visit to Australia, where he attended the Royal Easter Sydney Show, said he thought the show little short of marvellous, and far beyond expectations. The attendance alone was remarkable, and new records were being created every year. On Good Friday it reached 153,000, on Saturday 144,000, and on the Easter Monday, despite the fact that 56.000 people attended the Randwick races, it was 151,000. Although our New Zealand shows were small in comparison, our cattle compared very favourably, and in most classes were even better than those displayed at Sydney. In fact, those at the tail end of the Sydney Show were a disgrace, and would never be shown in New Zealand. One would have to take into consideration, however, that most of them had to travel over 70 miles or more, and often spent a whole night in the trains. Besides this, the breeders were so far apart that it was impossible to know what another man’s cattle were like, and this probably accounted for the poorness of some of them. The Jerseys were somewhat disappointing, though there were some very fine ones, and some of them should never have been at the show. The Ayrshires were exceptionally fine, and were greatly admired. Holsteius and ITerefords, although not very strong, were of a very fair, class. A special feature was the display of beef Shorthorns, while- Guernseys were also well represented. The New Zealand cattle exhibited did very well and were sold for good prices, especially so in the case of Mr. Guy Bell’s cow, which, despite the fact that it had arrived only a week before and bad been very ill on the trip, secured second place She was not clipped, as is the custom over there, until the Saturday, and was judged on the Monday. In the opinion of many prominent breeders. she should have won. The show had continued for nine days and five nights, and during the whole time the officials had been very kind to the New Zealand visitors and had catered for them in every way. There was no delay between the events; as one race or event finished another had begun, and from a stand in the centre of

r.- grounds a man announced the next event and the winner of the last through a microphone, which could be heard practically anywhere. A feature of the show was the parades. Headed by the beef Shorthorns, the cattle formed an outer circle. The next ring was formed inside this, and moved in the opposite direction. At the finish, with four rings, three of them cattle and the other horses, with other animals in the centre, the grounds presented a magnificent sight. Interspersed were the mounted police, who looked splendid, and who received ovations from the crowds.

There were displays of poultry, dogs, pigeons and cage birds. The machinery and farm implement exhibits were wonderful. One distinct feature was the inter-State exhibit, where everything produced in each State, including cotton trees, sugarcane and tobacco plants, were displayed. In the jumping events, held at night as well as by day, the lady riders made a good impression. Two horses jumped seven feet, but failed to break the record of 7ft. lOin. In the case of accidents, Red Cross and first-aid men were on the spot immediately.

The enormous amount of traffic was handled with wonderful efficiency, and considering the multitudes, the casualties were very few. While Mr. Stonex was in Australia tin- Hawkesbury Farm was visited, where there were 100 students and about a dozen Maoris from Te Ante College. The cattle, ..especially the Jerseys, were well worth seeing, some of them making the highest records in New South Wales. • At Melbourne he saw some beautiful Jersey herds. One select herd particularly would compare very favourably with any herd in New Zealand. There was absolutely no feed in the paddocks after the drought, but the animals were, fed on lucerne and concentrates, and were in remarkably good condition. In some parts of the country there was a rainfall somewhat similar to that of Taranaki, and here it was possible to keep a cow to the acre.