A HARVEST FESTIVAL.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11478, 10 January 1903, Page 7

A HARVEST FESTIVAL.

The combined Harvest Festival and Floral F-te, which the A. and V. Association and the Floral Fete executive piopo«e to carry oat this year, on the ground of the former, should be v welcome addition to the outdvwr entertainments of the year. The programme, and, indeed, the whole plans, K« so far in an indefinite state, but the date *( the Carnival has already be-en fixed. It having been decided to hold it on March l?th, St. Paitriek's Day, which has the advantage of being a public holiday• The Floral Fete part of the affair will be similar -to the fetes which have proved so popular ia tbe past. But that will be only one feature of the afternoon's entertainment. .Jt is hoped to hold a military sports' meeting., in which all the crack corps of Canterbury will take part. With the object of making the liarvest festival character of the carnival as representative as possible it is intended to invite the co-operation of the various A. and P. Associations throughout U_V province. The idea is that each Association shall provide a display of agricul'feml produce of all sorts, and coming at As end of a harvest such as, it is hoped and believed, will have been unequalled in the history of Canterbury, 4_w» should be no difficulty in making a first-class exhibition of the _<jgT_mlt_ral wealth of the province. It urouJd add to the interest of this section of ihe show if a substantial money prize were offered for the Association providing the beat and most representative display. - Our November show is almost entirely derated to the pastoral industry, and, in the absence of a winter show, which has never been a success here, this Harvest jpestival might become the pioneer of a wgnlar autumn show, affording visible -fttoof that Canterbury ia the grain-grow-ing, as well as the sheep-breeding, centre of New Zealand. In addition to these at•__ctio_s, at is hoped to provide a Mill""ber of ""side shows" of popular interest, .' sod altogether, if the various schemes all 'take shape, the Festival should provide much of the jollity and „amusement of an old English Fair. The object of the A. and P. Association, in promoting the un--_._ert_iang. is to raise funds to meet the heavy annual charges on the ground. These fi-K-Qt to some. £300 a year, and if this man was released, the Association would, _* able to devote it to the improvement - aj, tie Metropolitan Show, and the comfort and convenience of visitors thereto. "■ Jam* valu_bk> prises could be offered, -or • farther competition invited by the reduc- ',- tion of «ntary fees, and in many ways the -expenditure of an additional £300 a year would enable the show to hold its own "against any in New Zealand. In view, therefore, of the laudable objects of both - the Association and the Floral Fete Ex•cutive, it is to bo hoped that all success ■ will wait upon theix efforts in carrying -. tbe Harvest Festival to a happy conclusion.