BRITISH & INTERCOLONIAL EXHIBITION.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 January 1924, Page 2

BRITISH & INTERCOLONIAL EXHIBITION.

Although the weather yesterday was as unfavourable as it well could he for folk moving about, the attendance at the Exhibition all day was .surprisingly good arid at. night -the customary congestion in many of The avenues was noticeable. The Exhibition is so well lit at nights that it appears to have special attractions for- many of the public. At nights also the season ticket-holders are very much in force. The usual features of the Exhibition were well patronised, and tlie music supplied was well appreciated. lit the evening the Ed gown re Quartette gave a. well attended concert at the Orpheus Theatre. The programme submitted was greatly appreciated and all the performers were accorded special leceptions. Tn addition to the vocalists the humorous numbers by Mr Instone won- very greatly enjoyed. The company returned to C-liristchureli to-day.

On Friday Derry's Band, about forty strong, arrives and will he hoard here ovei four nights. Then will follow two or three other entertainment- parties from Chri.qtoliuireh, each submitting dbtinetive programmes. Several special artists are included in the lists proposed. Cooking demonstrations yesterday afternoon found favor as usual with the ladies, both sessions being largely attended. To-night theie is to ho a new programme unfolded, and to-mor-row afternoon and evening further demonstrations. Miss Tndlnmtor s talks about food, hints about domestic economy. ami points about cooking with gas to the best advantage ore very popular, because they are so usefully instinctive.

The Grevmouth Municipal hand will arrive by the first: train to-morrow--which is a public holiday in the town and district. The hand will parade the town to the Exhibition, and subsequently play for the entertainment of the visiting pioneers. Te-morrow night the hand renders a special programme on the hand stand at the Exhibition at S o'clock.

Thursday is the day for the "West Coasters icnnioii and picnic. At a meeting of ladies last night at- tho Exhibition buildings, arrangements for the event*, in connection with the pioneers' gnthet ing. wore completed. To-night at the Exhibition flic Hokitika Orchestral Society will render a free programme from the hand-stand in the main annexe. A special programmo has been prepared and patrons will he entertained pleasantly. Also to-night in the Orpheus Theatre, Mr Havelock Williams will give an illustrated lecture on tjlie souther'll sound- and North Westland views including the Boiler Gorge and the route through to sunny Nelson. There will not he any charge for admission. To-morrow i .Jubilee Night 1 the Grcymouth Municipal Baud will discourse a programme in the main stand. This hand is in lull practice for the hand competition shortly to he held at- Christchurch, and should give a good account of itselt. 'J lie test pieces in preparation will ho rendered at the hand concert to-morrow night. On Thursday night tlm Hokitika Municipal Band will lender a hand programme in the main annexe. A new programme has been prepared lor the evening, and no doubt, it a ill he enjoyed by the public present.

On Friday. Saturday and Monday nights. Derry’s Band will perform at the Exhibition, and oil Sunday afternoon next give an open air concert at the Hokitika racecourse. I tic hand has -in Australasian reputation, and the Exhibition authorities in securing a visit from so splendid a comhiuation and organisation will afford the music loving public of ihe Coast a great

On Tuesday of next week the Exhibition Choir and Hokitika Orchestra will combine and give a special concert in the Orpheus Theatre. The well-known choral. “The Heavens arc Telling” will he aiming the numbers to he presented. Thereafter will billow a juvenile duo from Christchurch, and later ail entertainment party also from Christchurch. The si bool picnics w ill begin to event mite next week when it is expected two or three will visit Hokitika and the Exhibition. These include Beelton, Runanga and possibly Greymouih. The following week the Greyimiiith Wntersiders’ picnic to Hokitika will take place. Parties from the various country schools are expected also after this week-end.

The Duller district excursion is due here to-morrow. The excursionists north on Friday, reaching homo the same night by utilising the train as far as Inangahua Junction, and then taking motor cars. Bullet' has the best district display at tho Exhibition, and naturally the residents of that locality are proud of their achievement. Unstinted support of the Exhibition movement has lteen given from the Btiller district all through.

JUBILEE DAY. To-morrow will lit* .Jubilee Day, a very important event in the doings ol the Exhibition —one of the objects of which is to celebrate the day. Pioneers of the sixties have been invited to attend. and they will hail from all parts of the Coast, while some are coming from further afield. The day will he a public holiday its befits so memorable a celebration. The Exhibition will open at It) o’clock a* usual, and all pioneers wearing badges will he admitted free during the period or the Jubilee celebrations v'hh It extend over Saturday. The Hon .1. H. Anderson, Minister of Mines, arrives to-night to participate in the celebrations, whereat he will represent the Government. The Municipal Band, of ( Ircymoiit h. will arrive hv the first train and parade to the Exhibition.

Owing to the unsettled state of the weather and the damp conditions at the racecourse, the procession has been abandoned. In lieu, the hands will parade through the town at 11 o clock to-morrow morning, ami the pioneers will assemble within the Exhibition Buildings, sealing actoinniodation being provided in the vicinity of the band stand, whence the speakers will address the assemblage, commencing at 11.30 o'clock. At 1*2.30 o’clock luncheon will be provided in tile Town Hail, which the ladies arc preparing

for the purpose. Seating acmmmoda- ! tion will he provided for as many as j possible and during luncheon . the hands will play .selections. ' In the afternoon the p.roileers will he at liberty to attend the sports on ( a>- .Square or the T.xhihi- i tion. The Exhibition will be the ren- 5 dezvons at night and the pioneers will be entertained by a programme by the

Greymoutb Municipal Band. On Thursdav there will he a West Coasters’ reunion picnic at Lake Maliinaptia. the pioneers travelling by train, and will be entertained at Maliinapua bv the ladies of Hokitika at luncheon. On returning to town the visitors will attend the Exhibition and there will be a West Coasters’ reunion gathering at night. For Friday, owners of motor-cars are invited to place same at tho disposal of the Pioneers to take parties of the old folk to the dredge, returning by Ritnu and Kanieri. If l>ossible parties to visit Lake Kanieri will be arranged also. On Saturday the pioneers are invited to Ross where a sports meeting will lie held, and the visitors will be entertained by the southern residents. On both Fridas

and Saturday nights the opportunity will ho given tho pioneers of hearing Derry's Military Band, which will he playing at the Exhibition on both evenings. No doubt citizens generally will co-operate in giving all the pioneers a cordial welcome, and make them feel as much at home as possible.

BANG 108 A VISITORS. ENTEBTAINED BY LOCAL FABV KBS’ UNION. On Saturday evening the party of Canterbury farmers who are visiting the Exhibition were met by representative* of the local Farmers’ Utno i and of t'ne Westland liram-h of the Canterbury Progress League. Mr Clayton (Chairman of the Grot Valley Farmers' Union. and Dr Teiehelmann (President of the Progress League) extended a hearty welcome to the visitors. Mr Carpenter (Chairman of the Baiiginra Farmers’ ITiion) desired, on behalf of the bodies represented ' y the Party. to eolivey to the Coast r" presentatives kindly greetings and ' .*< heartiest good wishes from Canfu"bury. Their present visit was actuated by a desire to foster reciprocal trading between Canterbury and tno Coast. The existence ol active branches of the 1* armors’ L liion on the Coast was appreciated by the visiting farmers, lie wished in direct attention to the good work which had been done by those who had laboured j ; i the past to lay the foundation of the Farmers’ Union, lie recognised the importance of the butter industrv to the Dominion. Its importance justified the fullest support being given to it hv all classes of the community, and it was gratifying to the visT.wrs to find that earnest attention was being direeted towards fostering that industry on the Coast New Zealand iiad established a great mini" lor itself as a butter producer, and the world’s markets would rill lor Ml that we could supply. The visitors had that day been given the opportunitv of seeing tho large gold-dredg ing plant now operating south of Hokitika, and seeing what had there been accomplished, it had impressed him with the necessity nt farmers anplving more science to their industry They could, he thought, take a lesson from other industries in that respect. Looking towards the other olid ol the butter industry, lie stressed tho fact that Great Britain was our chief market for butter, and it- behoved . 1 butter producers to reciprocate in tlmir trading with Britain. He again expressed the good wishes of Canterbury and assured the meeting that their present visit was merely 'he forerunner of many similar visits oy Canterbury farmers.

Mr Parish (Chairman of Oxlo-d Farmers’ Union) expressed the desi’-e they " all felt respecting reciprocal trading with the West Coast. It w-a-t desirable that such trading should i<• as direct as possible. He instanced the case where, ill trading with Auckland. farm produce which return - I the Canterbury farmer L‘4 10s per to* cost the Auckland buyer tl2 per ton lie thought they were too much a r thr mercy of the middleman. ID thought all farmer* should take greater interest in Hie Union Considering that the Union embraced onlv 15 per cent of the farmers of the Dominion, there had been great work done; hut how much more could done with greater unity! There was the need of more personal contact between farmers. A freer exchange o! ideas would he of tho greatest mutual benefit to ail farmers. Mr C.iwan (Chairman of the Cust Farmers' Union) congratulated 'he Coast Oil having organised such splendid exhibition. II" wished ‘a endorse what had been said rc-pectre-direct trading, instancing the f'tet that white (Inter seed, e.l which hidistrict grew large quantities. returned Hie farmer 7)d per pound although when purchased from the nic(limit il cost Hid. lie wished to express sincere thank*- tor the • orti-ai reception which had been extended le the party. Mr Storker Manager. Cam Cooperative Dairy Produce Coy.), expressed his pleasure at meeting those present. lie advocated the desirabd itc ol co-operative butter and cheese Vaetories. As showing the success which could he attained by co-opera-tive companies he mentioned that his company in its first year had an nutput of !)0 tons of butter and AIID toll •• of cheese, whereas lasi, year the output was .'till tons and 1-0 ions respectively. There was always a diificnlly in retaining the shares in the hands of suppliers, hut in their -.-a.se fully 50 per cent of their shareholders were farmers. He thought there was urgent- need for amalgamation between the Dairy Companies -o as to avoid senseless competition, lie thought the Dairy Produce Boar:: would prove beneficial to the farmers ■ and based that opinion on the good results which had undoubtedly followed the creation of the Meat Board. He thought greater attention sliouul he given to rmv testing, and was <m-(ide-nt that with comparatively little effort our average of I-bills of butter fat per cow could he Idled to T!dlh>. It was not fcio much to expect seeing what had been done ill Denmark ind other countries, and seeing the dominion record was some 1200 pounds. Mr Burns expressed pleasure at meeting the West Coast farmers. He congratulated the local butter l>r>d lifers on their attaining a grade * I 02 points in respect to butter, seeing that Canterbury's average did not exceed points. He thought the Me.-l Coast farmers should give greater attention to top dressing. The climate of flic Coast was peculiarly suitable for that method ol fertilisation, and their bountiful rainfall gave tlte.n an opportunity in that direction wlii -u was not available to Canierburv farmers. They need to give more cl-

| ten tion to liming their lands and he j was sure good results would folio.e such attention. Mr Smith expressed the importance i f breeding true to type. He -L 1 plored the fact that ton olten stuck yarded at Addington wore j described as “a non-descripi lot. lie . thought there was too much «rus«-ing | and that it was questionable it our herds were now as good as llv-v wotoil years ago when they were the uogeny of pure stock. Mr Mackintosh fviee-Rre-ident Rangtora Agricultural .Association) expressed pleasure at meeting Coast f tinners, and extended to them the cordial greetings of those whom he represented. Several others of the party spoke expressing their pleasure at being, present and their appereiation of the good-will vhieh had been extended to them.

Messrs .felly. Jamieson. Mclntosh, , Butler. Te.icholmann a hi! Barry responded to the kindly expressions of the visitors and expressed the hope that tin. 1 present visit would load to other similar visits being organised. The Coast had many attractions for visitors, and Canterbiily had much to offer, of which the Const was in need. There vas now. thanks to the completion of the railway, the means of greater intercourse; and it was certain that great commercial and social benefits would result therefrom. On Sunday the- visitors were taken to Kciterangi and to Arahurn. and thev expressed their gratification and surprise at the extent and quality of the land suitable for dairying. Satur day’s trip to the Dredge and to Lake Kanieri, although of a most- interestI

ing nature, had not conveyed, to thorn the slightest idea of tho immenflo possibilities for extending cur dairying industry which were made evident by Sunday’s trips.

Unfortunately motor cars were at a great premium on Sunday, the day being gloriously fine, so that although it had been hoped to hare given the whole party a glimpse of South Westland. this was not possible. Messrs Carpenter. Palish and Stalker were enabled, however, to take a run ns far as Harihari during the afternoon and evening. They were charmed with tho unique forest scenery through which they were taken as far as Lake lanthiyhut their greatest surprise was when they emerged into the Mplomlid dairying land which they first saw near Evans Creek, and which continued till ITari hari was reached. The stiaight- level run from Evans Creek to fhiu nui River, with the rich. grass land on either side of tno road, was a revelation to them; and the. splendid condition of the stock to he seen thereabouts drew from the visitors continued expressions of appreciation and of confidence respecting the future dairying prospects of Westland. It was with genuine regret that, owing to the lateness of the departure from Hokitika, the visitors were only aflorded a glimpse of the fringe of tho vast stretches of pastoral land with which the South a hounds. After tea at Tlari-hari the homeward trip was undertaken, and, as twilight deepened, the forest-skirted road lost nunc of its chat m when viewed in the light of the ear's brilliant head-lamps.