THE SHOW.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20083, 12 November 1930, Page 16

THE SHOW.

PREPARATORY WORK. ARRIVAL OF STOCK. 1 lie vast amount oi preparatory work being carried out at the Addington Show Grounds is indicative of the success which promises to attend this year's Metropolitan Show, and as can be expected a day before an event organised on such extensive lines, the grounds present a very busy scene. The preparations are well advanced and but a few final adjustments are neeessarv as far as plant is concerned. All day yesterday the tenants of trade booths., sweets, ice-cream and fancy stalls, and of the innumerable sideshows were busy erecting their tents and marquees. Hammers and saws were sounding all down the long avenues of canvas, men were shouting as tent-poles were hauled into position, merry-go-rounds and more useful machines were creaking through preliminary trials, cars, and lorries plied continuously to and from the grounds, and other manifestations of the greatest activity were everywhere evident. Preparing the Grounds. There are over 300 people employed in these pre-Show activities, and for several days a large ground staff has been engaged in mowing lawns and paddocks, cleaning and sweeping buildings, renovating plant, and erectI ing additional plant. Work in conj nexion with the tea-rooms commenced |on Sunday; thousands of cups and other pieces of crockery incidental to the provision of refreshments have been washed, refreshment rooms have been scrubbed, and refreshments provided at the same time for men engaged on the grounds. Stock Quarters. Preparations for the housing of the stock exhibits have been completed, and in' the open sheep pens the long, lush grass that has been allowed to grow will provide something of a treat for the animals. The stalls in the huge building which will house the cattle are clean and deep layers ot fresh straw cover the floors of the concrete stalls, in a few of which prize animals are already tethered. Long rows of poultry pens are ready to house Canterbury's prize bi»ds. Farm Implements. There are indications that the display of farm implements and machinery, which has been exceeded in magnitude in recent successive years, will be another record one. Threshing mills, ploughs, tractors, harrows, discs, seeddrills, diggers, and scores of other implements destined for farm cultivation form a collection of machinery which is impressive, and a department which will excite interest in even the least agriculturally-minded. Side-Shows. There appears to be acres of space devoted to the side-show section,, bookings for which are stated to be unusually heavy. Here, ingenuity seems to have been taxed to its utmost to devise novel forms of entertainment, and side-show men have gathered from all over the Dominion and from even further afield to ply their popular trade. The glamour of funland was evident even in the uncompleted colony of tents and stalls. ! Arrival of Stock. Stock from Otago and Southland, and some of the stock from North a'hd South Canterbury reached the Show Grounds yesterday, and the remainder will eome to hand to-day. An idea of the representative character of the show is given by tlio fact that in addition to stock exhibits from Otago and Southland, stock has been entered from the following districts in Canterbury: "Waiau, Waipara, Cheviot, Eangiora, Oxford, Kaiapoi, Kyreton, Little River, Southbridge, Whitecliffs, districts served, by the West Coast line, Raakia, Methven, Ashburton, Timaru, and Fairlie.

events' to-morrow evening,

For the night show to be held at tlie Addington Show Grounds on Thursdav several novel events have been included in the programme, and one of tlie most interesting is for veteran trotters which have not competed at race meetings for five years. Quite a number of old "has beens" will be produced and there are several other new events which have not been tried before on the Addington Show Grounds. Entries for these night events close on the iirst day of the Show at 6 o'clock.