WANGANUI SHOW.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 44, 15 November 1907, Page 2

WANGANUI SHOW.

SOME CRITICISMS, The figures issued in respect to the 'number of entries at the Wanganui Show have been rather widely assailed by visitors identilled with othci largo shows of the Dominion. It is contended that Wanganui's "record New Zealand entry" exists on paper only; and is arrived at by counting, for instance, six times over, any animal which happened Lo be entered for six competitions. It is, no doubt, a perfectly legitimate way of counting, but the figures must not be contrasted with thoso of other shows calculated on a different basis. Great as the Wanganui Show is becoming, it cannot >Vt be placed on the level of tlie :lhows of ftlanawatu and Canterbury. It ranks ahead of the Waikato Show at Hamilton, although in somo respects it resembles that show. Wanganui is, like Hamilton, the centre of a very important farming area. Each district is famous for its fertile soils, each produces many hundreds of good horses every year, and where Wanganui excels in fat stock and sheep, Waikato gains in dairy produce. Each of these two centres is undoubtedly marked for a big future, but in the raco for supremacy, Wanganui is certain to keep far ahead of its smaller northern double. Among all grades of visitors at the show, thero was a disposition shown to look kindly upon the Wanganui people, who are loyally navigating this show to a financial haven. Wanganui has had a big task to perform, and is not vet quite out of debt. It was ,therefore. tlie keen hope of visitors, as of tho local folk themselves, that the fine weather which has favoured the show will bear fruit in a handsome "gate." _ There is every likelihood that when tho coins are finally counted up this will be found to be fulfilled. "They treat us so well here," is a remark frequently used toward the WanI ganui A. and P. men.

The great attontion devoted to the minor divisions was another point criticised. To a farmer, of course, the exhibits of needlework, and buns; and handwriting and roses, have little fascination. Those things, therefaro, must bo '.'counted out" from his reckoning. They liavo, however, in a selfcontained town like Waiiganui, a good purpose to fulfil, and Wanganui no doubt knows best what its people desire. Tho hundreds of exhibits which emanato from tho young people and from the women afford them,_ of course, as much pleasure as the exhibiting of a fat ox by tho farmer himself, and they cultivate the improvement instinct just as much. Tlioy, therefore, deserve to be encouraged; and the criticisms are only put forward to balance Wanganui's _ apparent claim to have in. number of entrios one of the biggest shows of tho Dominion. Tested on strict "business" lines, no show can rival those of Manawatu and Canterbury. Wauganui has reason to bo pleased that it has done sq well as it has. J|BTJTTER-FAT CONTEST. contest for Crossbreds resulted as follows: — James Hodge's Hinomoa, weight, 261b5,, test, 4.6, butter-fat 1.19, 1. Fowler Brothers', 23Jlbs., test, 4.1, fat .94, 2. ... James Hodge's Sea Bell, 251b5., test, 3.4 fat .85. POINTS PRIZES. The "points" prize for' pure-bred sheep was won by J. It. Corrigan, with- W. H. Wybourne second. The "points" prize for fat sheep test was won by J. J. Taylor. The prize for pen of Down or Down-cross wethers, killed for freezing, was won by Hugh Micldieton, with A. S. Tonks second, and Fernie Brothers third. -A similar class for Lincoln, Romney, Leicestor, and Merino crossos was won by Frederick Moore, the only exhibitor.

SUMMED UH. .Mr. S. Standen,'of Ruapuka, thus sums up the .Wanganui' show:—'The sheep' were very'good, especially the llomnoys. I cannot speak too highly of that champion ram of Mr. Colliris's. He has defeated the imported sheep of Mn Short, and it,is the opinion of many judges that lie is in his right placo as cnampion. We said so when ho was at Palmerston. The _ Southdowns contained some very good specimens. J>lr. Knight's ram from Feilding won the championship after a very close contest .with a sheep of Messrs. Ellis Bros. They were a good class, but not numerous. The champion owe was a hogget. It is rather unusual to give tho honour to a hogget: many of us thought the oldor ewe would nave got it. The cattle contained some very good shorthorns. Tho Jerseys and Ayrshires were good but few. A yearling Ayrshire, bull of Sir. Harro's gives good promise. I was sorry to see a class provided for grade bulls. Grade bulls should bo discouraged." Mr.. Standcn had just returned from the Waikato show.

A ROMNEY CHAMPION. KUDOS FOR NEW ZEALAND. , The Romney ram champion at Wanganui, bred by Mr. E. J. lliddiford, and owned by Mr. A. V. Collins, is thus eulogised by the judge, Mr. Mungayin: — " Ho has splendid carriage and splendid wool. No sheep in Now Zealand can beat him for wool. He is a ram, every inch of him. His fleeco.is typically a ram's lleecc, stronger than a ewe's, and that is what you don't get with every rani you breed. Ho is very uniform, has splendid bone, is big, and stands and walks well. Such a ram is bred only once in a thousand—liko a racehorse. The man that produced Advance, never succeeded in breeding another as good." You think this sheep would.have beaten Royalist ? '

"My opinion is that Royalist is a bottor sheep all round than Mr. Short's ram that is horo to-day. Every day he would beat nim, especially if judged on points. . Mr. Matthews agreed with mo in that respect. But whether he would beat Mr. Collins's ram that is champion at Wanganui to-day, I would not like to say without having then* side by side. Probably they will not meet again this season. I expect Royalist >s shorn. My own opinion is that Mr. Wheolor's Loyalist is more after the type of our Now Zealand sheep. He was bred by tho same man who bred Royalist and Mr. Short's ram. There are a lot ot people—l am one of them —who consider Loyalist is the best of those three imported sheep. If Loyalist and Royalist, and this sheep of Mr. Short's were put in a sale together, i kuow which sheep I would bid the ln'ghest price for. It would bi Loyalist." You think ho is a typo of sheep that would give a farmer tho best money return? " Yes. Ho is a sheep of good constitution, and will fill the wool-bag, well. But I won t say that about tho other two."