THE VALUE OF PLOUGHING MATCHES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 879, 27 July 1910, Page 8

THE VALUE OF PLOUGHING MATCHES.

AN INTERESTING • INTERVIEW. In the agricultural news of The Dominion a- week or two - ago -it . was stated that: the! Wairarapa .(Carterton). A. and P. Association had decided to hold a ploughing, match, on Mr. JlorriEon's property,' "Glenraorven," at Greytown, on August 11. The importance 'of the announcement may/not have, been fully realised by some, but there ai'e others .who cannot help seeing • the possibilities of good .which such a" movement ".will 'promote.

lears ago ploughing matches were held in various parts of the; North Island, including the Wairarapa, but, except in Hawke's Bay, the competitions have been dropped for some time. "They used .to pan out very well as atrial of skill and workmanship," said a well-known Wairarapa farmer, speaking of the meetings of tho past. In various parts of the South Island the competitions have never been' foregone, .and: they. .are. still attended - by largo crowds, and continue "to be centres of a great deal of rural interest and enthusiasm. To be, able to give an .idea of liow such meetings are regarded, and how they are run in the South, a Dominion representative intorview<Kl Mr. J. C. Thomson, M.P. for Wallace, Southland. ' " ,

Mr. Thomson said that district matches are held in .various parts of Southland, and after the district matches there is a championship match at Branoholm, near IWallacetown. At the championship .meeting there.are competitors .from all T>arts of the province and. from ' other provinces. "Tho greatest of interest, -he proceeded, "is taken in the local "matches by all tho ploughmen in the district. It is not the intrinsic valuo of the prizes so. much as the honour of winning which is sought. The matches are held in July, and, nolirithstanding that that is generally tho inost inclement month in Southland, people. journey from far and near to /witness them, and whilst the ploughing is in operation tho work is very keenly discussed by the farmers.. It -is considered a very high honour to hold tho position of champion ploughman. These matches have been held novc lor a long series of years without any break, which is evidence of their popularity. They have a far-reaching effect on . ploughing. I scarcely need emphasise the importance si good .'tillage; every writer on agriculture . has pointed out its necessity. . A result of the competitions has beon .to raise the standard 4 of ploughing to a pretty high level."' Finances: and Horses. Speaking'of tho finances, Mr. Thomson eaid'that the associations obtain their revenue from membership tickets (which ore sold to the people of the district), entfarico fees, special donations, and. gate money. He mentioned ' that in some places tradesmen had " combined and agreed to not make individual gifts to local fixtures. .Sometimes the auctioneering, firms and the stock' and station agents support the meetings very liberally by giving.special.prizes in ■ money, trophies, or.goods. "Goods" ' may, at times, take the form of a ton of manure.

"In Southland/- continued ■ Mr. (son, "the general effect of the- ploughing contests is that go where you will you 1 ■trill see good ploughing. When man becomes a ploughman lie aspires to be a -leading ploughman, and consequently ho as practising at his work all through the /ploughing' season. Ploughing has vastly jniproved since the meetings were inaugurated years ago." . ' As to the interest taken in the events, jho said: "I have known ploughing snatches held in'frost and rain, and yet ithere have bpen : ' big- attendances."'-. ; Mr. Thomson'proceeded to another" aslepect.'_ "You must have good horses for ploughing, so the operations have an important .effect on the quality of the farm horses. A farmer who ; prides himself on good ploughing wants good horses,, and ha gets the be3t he can. , At the; meetings prizes are given for horses, and you will always see some fine, horseflesh in the field. Where, there-is extensive ploughing there must be good teams, and Southland is noted for its draught horses. "Also, prizes are given for the order in .which the harness is kept." , 'A Programme. . The following particulars aro-takch ;from the report.in an Invercargill paper sof a recent championship, meeting:— » There, were between 700 and SOO .people present,'notwithstanding'that there were: counter attractions. ..' : x ■ In, the' 'double-furrow' event the Erst prize was £1 10s. cash and a doublefurrow plough presented by Messrs. Heid ,and Grey, {the latter to bo■ won twice). ■iThe second' prize was £6, tho third ,£5, the fourth £i, the' fifth ,£3, the sixth £2, and the seventh., a pair ' of lady's ~-boots and a year's copy of a local paper. ■There were ten competitors, one of whom icame from as far away as Waimate, and another'from-Oamaru., - ' There .were ploughing events, and one was' a' double-furrow match for ploughmen'who had never gained a first .jn-ize in a;senior class.. Then there was •a. single-furrow match and a single-diggers match. . ■ Prizes, were given for the-'best break, the best .finish, and the straightest ingRespecting the horses,' prizes were offered for,the best,four-horse team, the "best-three-horse team, and the best twolorso team." There were prizes, too, for the best groomed teams of two, three, and four horses. '■"' '. '' 'There-were prizes * for'the ploughman ■from the greatest distance, the ploughman with the largest family, tho oldest ploughman, and the youngest ploughman. A good deal: of amusement is created by the allotting of prizes in such directions, and some meetings include a prize for the best looking ploughman. At the meeting now being, referred to, the award to theploughman with the largest family was a sack of oysters, and that: to the, youngest ploughman a round of corned beef. For. the tidiest turn-out on the field there was also'a.prize. • Most of the prize awards were obtained jas donations. > - • .<■•'■ The proceedings are usually capped by a. banquet, at night. PLOUGHING ASSOCIATION IN TARANAKI. /,, A meeting -of farmers and townspeople' interested in the formation of a ploughing association, has ■ been held at .Waitara. It was resolved to form an assbcia-' tion to be called "The North Taranaki Ploughing Association," the membership fee being fixed at ss. per annum. A-pro forma committee, consisting of the chairman, Messrs. Jenkins, J. -Rattenbury, Tate, George, Foreman, Skelton, Jennins, and Rook, was formed for the purpose of canvassing for donations and. enrolling members'. They are to report at a meeting to be held on Saturday, August 6. It is expected -that the contest will come off towards tho end of August, and in all probability some ,£3O or £40 will be given j as prize money in four competitions. AUCKLAND WINTER SHOW. ' (By Telegraph-Special Correspondent.) Auckland, July 26.' It is hoped that the new big shed on Queen Street Wharf will be completed in time to : open the Auckland Agricultural and Pastoral Association's winter show on August 15. There are two stories in the building, so there will be plenty of space for the requirements of the many exhibitors. This year's figures are. a record. The lighting will be a special feature. Among the exhibits one of the largest and probably, one of the most popular with'visitors will be that of the Agricultural ficpartment, which is to occupy -WOO square feet of space. The various competitive classes have been well filled,' and of district courts there are three—from Tauranga, Whangara, and Franklin.