The Wanganui Chronicle AND Patea-Rangitikei Advrtiser. "Nulla Dies Sine Linea. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1899.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XLIII, Issue 15000, 22 November 1899, Page 2

The Wanganui Chronicle AND Patea-Rangitikei Advrtiser. "Nulla Dies Sine Linea. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1899.

THE AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL . . SHOW. The Wanganui Agricultural and Pastoral Association's Annual Show takes. place on the Racecourse to-morrow, and, if only the. unpleasant weather of the past few days will give place to a fine, bright day, it promises to be one of the most successful functions' of its. kind held here for a good many years. Encouraged by the succeis of the last Show, the Committee have thib year considerably, extended the programme and increased the prize-money, which now* nearly approaches the substantial aggregate of £600. As a result the entries have corjesjiondingly increased, and in the horse classes especially there promises to be a really^ excellent display. In-' a large 'measure the Annual Agricultural and Pastoral Show tends to -reveal the condition of the industry • throughout the district . regre 1 ■• sented by -the exhibits, and tflso, A>y- ex- 1 citing a friendly .and heaithy rivalry, •' to ; enco'urage the exhibitors to' strive "after' better things in the coming year.' From this point of view the increased number of ' entries -which MrLiffiton has received for to-morrow's Show 'indicates, -we assume, both a proportional improvement in the ' state of our farming industries anjl a keener and more .active interest in the' Show itself. There is of course still more room fo advancement. Even to-morrow's Show, successful, as.we have no doubt it will be, will not be as large and important and as universally .popuT.ar as the size and importance of. the district it represents should .warrant. However, Rome was not builtin a day, and the pioneers of the. Association, having successfully piloted their charge through the dark waters of adver- \ sity, may now look forward to a yearly-] increasing prosperity; The Society mustj naturally- depend largely on the liberal patronage of {he pub.ic, and although the annual' fixture must be regarded bb "Farmers' Day," there is no reason why the •townspeople, (seeing, the indissoluble interests which unite the town- and country, should .not generously and g'.adly respond to. the. invitation of their country. cousins.' And, so 'far as the public of Wanganui is .concerned, the farmers tare" nothing to complain of. 'The local business men are always found ready to contribute in cash or kind, and' the, programme as a rule. (and. the present occasion is no exception) is liberally endowed with special prizes. On Show Day, if the weather is- at all propi; tious, a great proportion of the townspeople, of all classes, make a point of trooping over to the Show ground and manifest*ing a more or less: intelligent- interest in the exhibits. Many' of them, perhaps, coui'd "not tell the difference between .a long-haired -Russian retriever and an Irish water spaniel, but nevertheless theyvarep'.eascd with the 'sight of the splendid horses, thesturdy cattle, the woolly treasures, the dogs, the poultry, the. varied products of. the' science of agriculture, and the wonderful, implements and appliances which tfie modem-tiller 'of the soil has ready to his hand./,,other Attractions are, and rightly so, -provided for- me general public, in the form of jumping events,' pony races, and other "competitions, with perhaps, an interesting' side show or two thrown 'in, whilst the mate love of speculation is pro-, vided for by the "judging weight of bullouk competition," for the winner of which this year the Singer Sewing Machine Company have generously provided a- splendid prize, valued at £13' 10s. In conclusion' we heartily express the hope that the Wanganui A:, and P. Show of 1899 will prove the success it "deserves to be. A line day is-all that-is yanted to ensure a record attendance, and' therefore it is to be devoutly loped that the sun will rise to-morrow with a come-to-stay air " about it which shall suffice for the time being to -dispel the wnvl and rain. . . . J . ' ■,