Bay of Plenty Beacon Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. MONDAY, JUNE 26, 1950 ON THE SHOW

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 15, Issue 61, 26 June 1950, Page 4

Bay of Plenty Beacon Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. MONDAY, JUNE 26, 1950

ON THE SHOW

Yesterday the first of the long jobs of cleaning up the grounds of Whakatane’s most successful winter show was commenced by the Bay of Plenty Winter Show Association executive and other willing helpers. It was the end of an outstanding four days but the beginning of what must surely be the promise of great things to come. In four days the people of the district, not only at Whakatane but also of other parts of the Bay of Plenty, had the opportunity to see the rich productivity and the outstanding growth of their district in one of the largest shows yet held on the East Coast. Its success is surely a tribute to the Association for their hard work and to the district for its support.

The job of running a show is not an easy one and the manner in which the Association grappled with it, feeling their way on a scale never before dreamed of, should excite the admiration of other organisations and, perhaps, encourage them to go forward in a similar manner. Without doubt the Whakatane Winter Show has been established as the main show in the Bay of Plenty and, with further expansion with experience, it should not be long before it is one of the largest and most important in the North Island. This is not idle dreaming. The efforts of the past week have shown that Whakatane people can and are able to conduct functions on the same great scale as similar and even larger centres. But, for all the expansion envisaged, lack ©f space is going to be the greatest hindrance. Thisj could be avoided by the propos-J ed amalgamation of the Winter Show Association and the Whakatane and Rangitaiki A. and P. Association. With the two bodies in one established on a develop- I ed area at the Whakatane Do- j main what possibilities are open for winter and A. and P. shows : in the district. A central ground j in a densely populated area and with easy access to rich farming j communities could encourage | nothing but a successful show. This could be a possibility only if the two bodies amalgamate— -j and soon. Working together they could go further than the present two separate bodies. It is to be hoped that, for the good of the district and the two show bodies themselves, both associations will speed their

efforts towards amalgamation and to the development of the Domain showground. United and working for the good of all they must succeed if the petty parochial squabbles are thrust aside.