THE OAMARU SHOW.

Evening Star, Issue 3976, 22 November 1875, Page 2

THE OAMARU SHOW.

(From, our own Corrp.tpondmd,) The animal pastoral and agricultural show at ' Oanuim is looked forward to by the residents ill this neighborhood as one of the most important public events of the ye.ir All the peopl • in the town look forward to it as in England the great horse fairs of Horncastleand l lowden were i (garde i ; not merely as local gatherings, but as institutions which served to gather together in one centre those most deeply interests! in hoise and cattle iiuprrvement through out the Country. Making allowance for the difference of population, the importance of Oamaru is not over rated in the comparison. Although on the coast it may be considered the infant capital of a wide and rich district, scarcely paralleled in the world for agricultural and pastoral capabilities and as the railw y system is develop ml, its importance in that respect will increase without taking into consideration the other sources of wealth that abound in the neighborhood The weather this year threatened to prove the greatest obstacle to the success of the show. Although for a length of time rain has been PDxiousiv look d ior as a blessing, like many other blessings it came exactly at the time that it was not wanted. Wednesday was a glorious day, bright and warm, and almost cloudl-ss ; but the weather changed, and about “ the n >on oi night,” beg nning with a gentle donfall, the weight of rain increased until it became a he*vy downpour, which cont nued unabated for hours, but ceased in sufficient time to allow the animals to be taken on tp > the ground in holiday trim, and ▼erv little soiled with travelling. In fact, so dry had been the ground that it had absorbed the wet almost as rapidly as it fell; the air was cooled, the dust allayed, and* the appearance c the country around improved. The chief drawback was the attendance, which was somewhat thin on Thursday, although as the afternoon advanced the number of visitors increased. The first day was wholly devoted to the exhibition of sheep and horned cattle, of both of which the enui. s were numerous, although the numbers shown were not large. Those exhibited were, however, among the choicest of their classes, and would have been regarded with admiration had ti ey had to compete w>th the choicest selections from the carefu ly bred hems and flocks at Home. It Would be tedious to enter upon details of the show, nor would non-agiicubu ists be much entertained by the most skilled description of the points of the splendid animals exhibited. Among the -beep were some of the finest of their respective kinds. Merinos, with their close-fitting fine short coats and light bodies ; Leicester* and Lincolns, with their large frames, full flesh, and long heavy fleeces, each giving evidences of judicious care, and of the richness of the pastures on which they were fed. For quality and quantity of wool, and for the butcher, they co hi n..t be surpassed. Equally to Pe admired were the short horned caf-10. An opportunity was afforded of comparing one of the finest imported bulls with one bred in the Colony and although the English bull is one of the finest of hm speeies, hj« was excelled ] by the New Zealander. Nor should the < less regarded pig tribe be overlooked. As 1 they c >n tribute nothing to human wan's until they change their nam-s into ham 1 and bacon, their good qualities lie neith- r in their coat , their capacity fox labor, nor coutri- 1 buttons of milk The < steein in which they are i held consis‘B in attaining the largest she ; and r manufacturing the best and sweetest flesh in r the shortest possible space of time, Jheii . highestquabfication, then f. re, is to be sogrossy t is to We umble to bear their own weight with- i out iatigue_, and accordingly w e expect to see t them showing off by lying at length in their c pens panting like gluttons gorged wi hj dainties, t Possessing pre-eminently tbe-e cl dim to the ] admiration of connoisseurs were n merous exdibits, lying careless of all around them, with < •yes half closed, g« tinting and half slumbering 1 undisturbed by the din and bu-tle about them, s was devoted to tho hoyse show, #

theatrical gossip. •J s°y 5 °y , 8 ’ last budget of A meri’an notes 1,1 ’he Australasian ’ makes menti'n <>f a few names not unknown in tlvse paits. After mentioning th't W ilson’s circus, which will u 'e Omar Kingsley, the well-known Klla /si>yara as tin.:-master, Chavis Ko-s Fred '■oss, \ Hu.bert W H. Mmgan, e ..’ L o( i n am well s. and C. Ducrow, was to leave San Iranc.’Bco for Australia by the Drcem er mail, he savs:—-It is probable Dominick Murray and Mr C, Barry may re-visit Australia at the conclusion of their season in t an hrancisco. The Kennedy family of Scotch vocalists have dnue but poor business since their advent, to these shores. -At the latest they were performing in Suit l.nke city. Mr Benjamin Clink, the “ peerless tenor,” is very wed “ fixed” in s a .n Francisco. He is in a lucrative situation, and precentor of one of our most fashionable churches. His appearances m Pub ic otherwise are few and far between. Mib» May Howard has returned in excellent lealth and spirits, bhe vows she likes New Zealand better chan Australia. .She made her h.-«t appearance since her arrival fr m the Colonies at. the California Hioatre on the 16th ,-ii-us.. .in. received a right royal reception from crowds ~f her old admirers. Madame

Arabella Goddard has taken her farewell of a u C n OO - Mei ’ < ' onc, rt " and recitals at Matts Hall were well attended, though not at , Ur !i°., tlie e M'CCtations of the gifted pianist, Vi v• ~e ' tre g°ei s of Victoria in the “good old tiroes of .he gold diggings will remember James Stark, th- trag. diau. i u was one of the pioneers of the d ama. th re Mark is living in Nc.w York, snppoited by his fellow artistes, his ability to supp rt himself having gone lor ever. His organs of speech are paralysed, and It IS only by the mo-t, painful effor s that be cm articulate a wmd. f I lie i oor old bh*h feels his position very aout-lv, and is f„st hre- king UP- . *“ e a j m ost orays for death to relievo him of hi* feaiful sufferings. In the iti ical matte's we have to report the con'iiiue I success of Mr R chard Younge with ‘ < 'ur Boys.” It has now been played in London bv the company under Mr Younge’B manag'merit more than 120 times ; and on its hundred hj tepre entatinn, Mr Byron, the auihor, was pres.-ut-d by the members of the c unpany wi'h a very handsome silver inkstand. Julia Mathews is still w inning golden opinions in Amend, in which country Barry Sullivan has created a sensation. Mr G F, Itowe is also in the States, and has been entertained afc dinner by the members of the Lotus Club. Waller Benlly is still \r , ar, d is highly si okea of, Henry iSeil U anicr is p.aying with great succesp in ■ anada. Miss rnsione is at the tandard hcatre. Mr James Harden continues his successes in the provinces. Mr and v;ra Bandman are at Liverpool, and maintain their old reputation, Clarence Molt is in the North of hntrlmd. and Lis entertainment continues to receiye the praise it dcs-rves. John . Hall is preoaring for a tour round the world, and in conne ition with hj departure a nmnb»r of fn nds assembled at the stork Hotel. Liverpool, for the purpose of giving a farewell dinner and makiog a farewell presentation to him.— ‘ Home News ’