START OF THE SHOW MOVEMENT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20087, 6 November 1939, Page 2 (Supplement)

START OF THE SHOW MOVEMENT

The Show movement in Gisborne had its origin in the early 'seventies, when the town was still a small village and when the district was just recovering from the disastrous Te Kooti massacre of 1868.

The first printed reference available regarding interest in the movement is found in the files of the Herald dated

3d and that the year had concluded with the society being in debt to the extent of £1 4s. This was regarded

September 17, 1874, which was the first year of publication of this paper. On that date it was mentioned that the increasing numbers of stock in the district warranted the establishment of an A. and P. Association, and that the proposal was being taken up enthusiastically. However, it was not until the following year that the plans bore fruit. On August 31, 1875, a meeting

as a most satisfactory state of affairs, as some societies had placed themselves very heavily in debt at the start. The Show was regarded as a great success, and the fact that more than £2O had been taken in gate money was claimed as satisfactory proof that the public had taken an interest in the progress of the society. Even in those days, the payment of members’ subscriptions occupied the mind of the society, for it was decided that no Show tickets should be issued to members unless their subscriptions were paid.

The Second Show The second Show, also held at Makaraka, gave evidence of a little progress during the year. The horse entries were not so large, but the quality was remarked upon as being superior. The sheep entries were more numerous, but it was considered that more cattle would have been forthcoming if the Show had been held a month or six weeks later. A great improvement was shown in the finances at the end ol' the second year, for the receipts totalled £123 15s 4d, and there was a credit balance of £25 11s 9d, compared with a debit of £1 4s at the end of the initial year. After three years on the Makaraka ground, the Show was moved in 1879 to Mr. J. S. Cooper’s property at Waerenga-a-hika, but the following year the Makaraka grounds wera reverted to, only to be changed again in 1881 to Patutahi, where the society had secured 15 acres, for which it paid the Government a nominal rental. At the date of the 1881 Show, the society had spent £BO in preliminary work, and further improvements were anticipated. The 1881 Show at Patutahi was acclaimed the most successful Show to that date in point of view of numbers' of entries, which, however, were confined to only a few exhibitors. 1

convened by Mr. M. Hall was held in Steggall’s Hotel, Makaraka. Mr. S. Parsons was elected chairman. A motion proposed by Mr. J. B. Poynter and seconded by Mr. Weston was carried to form an agricultural and pastoral society and to appoint a committee to draw up rules. The committee comprised Messrs. S. Parsons, Smith, P. Breingan, Poynter, Hall, Tutchen and Meldrum. The honour of being the first president fell to Mr. J. B. Poynter, whose nomination was moved by Mr.

Smith, seconded by Mr. Meldrum. He

secured a substantial majority over Mr. S. J. Parsons, who was proposed by Mr. Graham and seconded by Mr.

Kempthorne. Mr. Parsons took the post of vice-president, while Mr. F.

Dufaur was honoured with the post of first secretary and treasurer.

The Show was fixed for the fourth week in October, a date which was unaltered until last year, when an early November fixture was decided upon. Makaraka was fixed as the location, on the casting vote of the chairman, another proposal being to

hold the Show at Waerenga-a-hika. The name of the organisation .agreed on was the Poverty Bay Agricultural and Pastoral Society, the name which remains to-day, except that the word

j The Patutahi site was soon seen to 1 be too far from town, and in 1884 a , site handier to the bulk of the Show I patrons was sought. Following an offer by Mr W. L. Rees, the 1884 Show was held on his grounds at Te Hapara.

Entries Fall 00 At about this time complaints were being voiced about the paucity of entries. The quality of the entries was regarded as a credit to the district, but from 1883 tire small number of entries began to cause some concern, possibly due partly to an increase in A recovery was noticed in 1884. the prize-money, but in October, 1885. the Herald took the matter up in a leading article, which reflected dissatisfaction expressed by Show patrons, who believed that the Show was not worthy of the district. “A variety of reasons are adduced,” the article stated, “to account for the non-success dull times, small jealousies, too small prizes, want of energy and the rest of it.” Either “an ending or a mending” was advocated, the article adding: “To make a holiday for a Show like yesterday is almost making fools of

society has been changed to association. At the conclusion of the inaugural meeting, from 20 to 30 names were signed to the membership list. A Small Beginning And so, on Friday, October 29, 1875, the first Show was held on Steggall’s paddock. Compared with the present comprehensive Shows in a district that has grown many times more populous both in regard to livestock and human beings, the initial effort was a puny one, but it was the beginning of a movement that was destined to become one of the most important features in Gisborne and the surrounding district. A review of the first Show as seen by the Herald reporter on the job that day is published on page ?, but it will be of interest to mention here that the entries at the first Show totalled only 133, comprising 75 in the horse section, nine in the cattle, 41 in the sheep, four in the pigs and four in the produce. The totals of the past few years have been more than 20 times the initial number. At the annual meeting held in September of the following year, it was reported that the funds dealt with during the initial year totalled £BO 15s

THE PIONEER EFFORT OF 64 YEARS AGO

ourselves. To go on without improvement would be farcical and puerile."

That was the end ,of the Show movement for the time being. At the annual , meeting in 1886, it was announced in the report submitted to the meeting that the stock entries at the 1885 Show were more numerous than on the previous occasion, but those for agricultural implements and produce were fewer. The apathy of the country people was commented upon, and it was hoped that there would be more co-ordination in the matter of a site for the Show. The finances were sound, a total of £26 5s 5d being to the society's credit in

the bank, while there was a margin of £SB 5s lid of assets over liabilities. Following a week’s adjournment of the meeting, it was decided not to hold a Show that year.