UNDESIRABLES AT SHOWS

Waikato Independent, Volume XXXI, Issue 2449, 7 March 1931, Page 4

UNDESIRABLES AT SHOWS

There w r as only one regrettable incident connected with the annual show held this week and that was a brawl that developed at the close of Judges’ Day and ended in a showman and a district resident being arrested for fighting. It is not our purpose to delve into the reasons for the affair, which was fortunately terminated by the prompt attendance of Constable Trask, but we would like to draw attention to the presence at this year’s fixture of a most undesirable type Of showman. They w r ere present in fairly large numbers on Thursday, and still more undesirable were their assistants, or 11 touts ’ ’ as they might best be described. The “ shows” they conducted were of a most questionable type, and in more than one instance, games conducted were certainly bordering on it, if they were not actually illegal. Of course, those who patronise these people get very little sympathy, bur we know of a number of instances where reputable residents were inveigled by the “touts” into going to their shows on the promise of receiving something for nothing, only eventually to come away very' much the poorer. People standing considerable distances from the particular stands were haile’d by these assistants as long-lost friends, and one had only to stay for a minute or two before the alleged “friend” was joined b’y one or more and it was not so easy to leave these persistent touts. I' is known that in late months numerous, undesirables from Australia have been getting into the Dominion, and it would certainly seem on Thursday last that quite a large percentage had found their way to Cambridge. In view of the very questionable practices indulged in at this week’s show, we are strongly of opinion that the Show Association would be well advised in future to refuse to license or sell space to any other than well-known and reputable showmen. We fully agree that quite a number of the file-shows were an asset in that they provided real amusement for the children, and for adults who arc not so keenly interested in other departments, but as to the remainder, they pay only a nominal fee, and during the perioo they are in the district they are a nuisance to the police and a menace to the community. Wo are not suggesting for one moment that the police were lax in their duty, for we realise that before the police can interfere games and “ shows ’ ’ must 1)0 illegal or a mjisance to the public, but the type wo refer to arc clever (and unscrupulous persons and most difficult to detect. It were better for all concerned if the restrictions were such as to discourage this particular' type of showman from visiting Our annual show.