Wairarapa Standard Published Tri-weekly, Price 1d. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1885. A Preposterous Proposal.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XVIII, Issue 1732, 11 September 1885, Page 2

Wairarapa Standard Published Tri-weekly, Price Id. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1885. A Preposterous Proposal.

Thebe must surely be something in the social surroundings and atmosphere of Masterton, which makes our friends in that township so audacious and cheeky in trying to hare everything their own way. The prevailing idea of these good folks appears to be “ that Masterton is the Wairarapa,” and that everything great, grand, noble, pushing and goahead is centred in their township. It was the Masterton people who, during the last year, have more than once imperatively demanded that the Government should alter the railway time table to suit their special convenience, regardless of the fact that the suggested change would be contrary to the wishes and requirements of nine-tenths of the settlers throughout the whole "Wairarapa district. Then in various other ways Masterton town people are continually trying to get this, that and the other thing done, because they want it; while the desires and interests of the great majority of the settlers in the valley are entirely ignored. The latest example of Masterton effrontery and impudence is the proposal made by the Farmers’ Club there that the Show of the Wairarapa and East Coast Pastoral and Agricultural Society should be held at Masterton instead of Carterton. The Star and Mr Hawkins appear to be the leading advocates of this notable scheme. For some time past the subject has been agitated at Masterton, and the Star has been getting up the steam by the publication of some very fine, fast and furious leading articles about it. But the affair only came to a head when, last Friday, a strong deputation from the Masterton Farmers’ Club waited upon the President and office bearers of the Wairarapa and East Coast Pastoral and Agricultural Society at Carterton, made their proposal and discussed it in detail. Then indeed overweening presumption and unblushing effrontery experienced a humiliation and downfall at once crushing and complete. Mr Hawking opened the case of the deputation and attempted to prove the advisability of shifting the Society’s Show from Carterton to Masterton. But the unhappy man had a pitiably weak case which he made the worst of by his wretched handling of it. He talked of Master--1 ‘■'ni as being a great and progressive L l “ the chief business centre of place, _ . au( i t i ie town where the Wairarapa, • ooukl be held all sorts of attraction ' -n v jj 0 out to visitors,” while hinted that if the Show were held ai Masterton, the liberal burgesses of that locality would possibly subscribe any sum of monoy which might be owing by the ld..d <?•;»! and Agricultural ■d'-ciofy. and thus put it fairly on its legs, But the arguments of Mr Hawkins were quickly shown to be of a kind which would not hold water. Mr W. C. Buchanan, in his reply, altogether demolished the ease set up by Mr Hawkins. He showed that by far tho greater portion of stock and other exhibits for the Show came from the centre and lower parts of tho valley, and that the great majority of the settlors would on no account allow the Show to be shifted from Carterton to Masterton. We need not follow out the powerful and convincing array of facts land arguments used by Messrs Buchanan, Booth, Beetham, Bidwiil, and other gentlemen, in completely demolishing those of Mr Hawkins. It is sufficient to state here that the Masterton deputation retired with the unpleasant conviction in their jainds |hat they had made a most

impertinent proposal and had been severely snubbed and “ sat upon ” for their folly in doing so. It was true that it was decided lo call a general meeting of the Pastoral and Agricultural Society on Saturday week, the 19th inst, to further consider the whole question and give the Masterton deputation an official reply—but that really means nothing. To all intents and purposes the matter has been decided already. The majority of the Wairarapa settlers will on no account allow the Show to be shifted from Carterton to Masterton, and the members of the Agricultural and Pastoral Society when they meet on Saturday are certain to come to a similar decision.

We cannot in the least degree imagine why this absurd and preposterous demand has been made on the part of the Masterton Farmers’ Association. There is neither sense nor reason in it. Why should the great body of the country settlers in the Wairarapa, and the people of Greytown, Carterton and Featheraton consent to have the Show of the Pastoral aad Agricultural Society held at the’ extreme northern end of the district ? There is not a single sound argument can be advanced in favor of such a proposal. When Carterton was chosen as the place at which to hold the Show and a piece of land was purchased for the purpose, the great body of the Wairarapa settlers—those of Masterton included—consented to the arrangement. The great hulk of the support which is accorded to the Show comes from the centre and southern parts of the valley. That being the case, Carterton or Greytown is the right place at which the Show should be held. To shift the Show to Masterton would simply result in many of the Lower Yalley settlers withdrawing their support from it. Then in point of central position, Carterton is superior to Masterton, and holding the Show at the former place meets the convenience of the settlers in the centre and lower parts of the valley, while the Masterton people themselves are within reasonable distance of Carterton by rail. Masterton, indeed, contributes very little in the shape of stock to the Show, and possesses only subordinate claims for consideration as compared with other districts in other parts of the Yalley. The truth is that this agitation has been originally got up almost entirely by the townspeople of Masterton and not by the settlers and stockowners surrounding it. In such a matter as this the Masterton townspeople have really very little right to meddle. We consider that this ridiculous demand on the part of Masterton has been practically disposed of. When the Society holds its meeting on Saturday week, the practical decision of the Show Committee is certain to be endorsed and re-affirmed. But a word or two still remains to be said to the Lower Yalley settlers concerning this matter. If the existing Wairarapa and Fast Coast Pastoral and Agricultural Society is to prosper and flourish in the future, then these settlers should support it heartily and liberally in a pecuniary way. The Society has not much more to burden it than a debt of £6OO, while it has a valuable asset in land. Let a special and energetic effort be made by the central and Lower Yalley settlers to pay off that debt and place the Society in a thoroughly easy position with respect to its financial affairs. If that object were accomplished all would he well. Whatever the Masterton townsfolk may say or do the great body of the settlers in the Valley can afford the Pastoral and Agricultural Society so large a measure of support that the Shows to be held in the future under its auspices will he certain to achieve a marked and ever-increasing success.