COURTENAY AGRICULTURAL SHOW.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1814, 13 December 1879, Page 4

COURTENAY AGRICULTURAL SHOW.

The annual Courtenay Farmers’ Club and Agricultural Exhibition took place yesterday, and was a genuine success. The club was instituted ten years ago, but the resources of the district at that time were not sufficiently developed to prolong its existence, and it was a matter of regret that it came to an untimely end. Two years ago it was resuscitated, and the shows of 1877 8 were very successful. Including both sides of the district the club at present numbers eighty members. The advances that the club is making are apparent from the increased number of entries yesterday, as compared with last year. The total number in all classes at the last show was 157, while yesterday they amounted to 210. The agricultural district of Courtenay proper, includes West Melton, Kirwee, Halkett, Greendale, Kimberley, Malvern, Bast Malvern, Horndon Junction, and Racecourse Hill, in fact every station from the Healey to East Malvern, The locale of the show yesterday, was a fire paddock on the farm of Mr T. H. Anson, placed at the disposal of the club. It is situated about twenty-two miles from Christchurch, on one of the terraces of the Waimakariri. The general arrangements of the ground were very good. With the agricultural show is combined a flower show, the marquee for the latter _ being erected in another paddock. Entering the paddock the sheep pens were ranged on the left side of an oblong, and at right angleS' to it on the further side were the horses, pigs, poultry, and agricultural implements. At the remote extremity of the oblong, and facing the sheep pens, were the cattle. The ring for judging the horses was put up in the centre. To the indefatigable secretary of the club, r Northc y Hopkins, it is greatly indebted for a largo measure of yesterday’s success. A portion of the secretary’s tent was further utilised to display a small but choice variety of dairy and farm produce. The proceedings of the day were enlivened by the strains of the Springfield Colliery Band, which played very creditably, considering they have only been enrolled little more than two months. The weather from an early hour was lowering, showery, and chill. With regard to the show itself, the greatest increase in exhibits was in the number of cattle, there “ e,r| g thirty-seven this year ns against seven lost year. The cattle were of fair average merit. Hj classes of sheep were not so well represented as last year, through there were two or three gratifying exceptions, notably some f a t Jambs that would not have disgr“ced any show. One ram in class 3 was wrongly entered, or it would undoubtedly have taken away the honors before the prize takers. The horses entered wore creditable to the district, the awards of the judges giving general satisfaction. The quality of the pigs of the Berkshire breed was good, and there were a few exhibits [of poultry, principally of the Dorking, Brahma, acd Spanish varieties. The number of agricultural implements was limited, but credit is duo to Mr Heighway, of Sheffield and Kirwee, for a very handsome and well-finished set of dogcart harness of his own make, Mr’ McNao also exhibited a locally-made sot of heavy harrows, which is worthy of commendation. The dairy produce reflected credit on the skill of the maker* and the goodness of tpe pasture.