STORMS RUIN PRODUCE

Taranaki Daily News, 11 June 1930, Page 14

STORMS RUIN PRODUCE

TRIALS OF ORIGINATORS PRESIDENT FOR THE FIRST SHOW EXPERIENCES' OF MR. W. AMBURY Ah one who had watched over the New Plymouth Winter Show as it grew from childhood to manhood, as it were, Mr. Walter Ambury, Auckland, gave some interesting sidelights and reminiscences on the inauguration and successes of the first winter shows to a News reporter yesterday. Mr. Ambury, who had arrived in New Plymouth at the invitation of the society to open the show, was president at the time Of the first winter show 21 years ago. “The first winter show took place in 1910,” he said. “We used the old Drill Hall in Kawau Street. The Borough Council gave us permission to fence in the street while the show was in progress. I remember a terrific south-east gale destroyed all the fruit and smashed up the root crops a short while before the event. In fact the season was so bad that the late Mr. Newton King and Mr. Okey were emphatic that it was no use having a show. “However, aa we had spent a lot of jnoney and made full preparations we had to go through with it. As it turned put it was a success and quite representative of the district. When eventually the show took place heavy gales blew for three and a half days out of thj four days. People came to me condoling at the terrible weather. Every department rose to the occasion and battled hard to make the best of it. Then the public were very helpful and icame to our assistance in spite of the Weather.”

Mr. Ambury took an old circular from his wallet. On it were the estimates drawn up by him and the then secretary, Mr. E. P. Webster. The venture had been worked out in the minutest detail. It had been estimated that the expenditure would amount to £249 and, basing their hopes on an attendance of 4009 adults at ,1s a head and 2000 children at 3d, it was computed that this should form the nucleus of a revenue of £340. Although the income had only amounted to £293, the expenditure had, however, been so curtailed by economical management, that it amounted to £177. This resulted in an unexpected profit of £ll6.

WITH SOCIETY FORTY YEARS AGO

“The agricultural show used to be held on St. Germaine Square,’’ resumed Mr. Ambury. “It was not until early in the ’9o’s that it was moved to the racecourse., I first joined the society in 1889, when I came to Taranaki as a perfect stranger.” He produced his original membership card, a solid strip of cardboard bearing the date 1889. Although a business man, he had been led to join as, from his earliest childhood he had been brought up to life on a farm. For 30 years die was a, member of the committee, and when he left New Plymouth about six years ago it was as a life member of the association on which he had served so long.

“The early shows on the racecourse were for live stock, produce and seeds,” he continued, “although there were also exhibits of farm implements and machinery. Later, classes for dogs were added.”

Reverting to the original winter exhibition, Mr. Ambury traced the reasons for its institution. “We wanted something to strengthen the regular agricultural show. Stock shows did not pay and it was essential that we augment the funds. The sympathy oi the townspeople and the Press was elicited and entries began to pour in from the coast and as far south as Hawera. Anyone who had farm produce of any kind sent along some exhibit. The factories helped and sent in entries of butter and cheese.” A friend of his in London sent £2O worth of flags, he continued, glancing at the decorations in the buildings. This bunting made a smart display. The growth of the display sections was commented on by Mr. Ambury, who compared the present attractions, with th early exhibitions of farm machinery. <( Since the .first show,” he concluded, “the movement has not looked back.”

Holding with distinction the position of president of the Taranaki Metropolitan Agricultural Society for the past three years, Mr. Sampson, of Hillsborough, has always taken a keen interest in°its affairs. As a member for over twenty-five years and as a vice-presi-dent he did invaluable work. He remained loyal to the society in its days of adversity and played a prominent part in raising it to the present prosperous era of usefulness. Mr. Sampson lias well deserved the highest position that lies in the power of niembers to 'bestow upon him