THE WINTER SHOW.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 June 1927, Page 1

THE WINTER SHOW.

(To tlie Editor.) Sir, —The recent Winter Show held .•it Kokatahi was admittedly a wonderful display from a Show point of view. On entering the hall one was amazed at the varied assortment of exhibits that the crowded benches contained. The cookery exhibits, the hays, the magnificent meat display, the piled

up benches of farm produce, vegetables

etc. To a stranger knowing nothing about the district, tlie display would impress upon him, that this district was indeed a land of plenty, in fact, (lowing with milk and honey. ’Flic press is loud in its praise of the progress the district is making, the productivity of the soil, the wonderful

possibiltics etc. etc. Now if we take a little time, and examine those matters that aio usually hidden from the public, we find that the whole Show, from an actual soil productivity point of view is undoubtedly more apparent than real, and this is the point that 1 wish to draw public attention to. The cookery section I do not wish to discuss; it was a beautiful display and reflects the greatest credit upon those who gave so much time to make tin display the attraction it deserved. AA'hal is the very essence of a AVinter Show in a farming community? Undoubtedly those sections that contain the actual produce from the land, and it is in regard to real farm produce that I desire to deal with as briefly ns possible. I wish to show that the loud

[iruisu of tile press, as applied to i

great progress of the district, cannot be, backed up by what can be seen at the Show. AA’e will take the farm produce section. This section of all the exhibits shown, contains almost all the essentials that are necessary to suc-

cessful farming. If a farmer can grow root, and other crops, Tie can guard against starvation of his stock during winter months. If lie can produce the actual raw material, it is a simple matter to provide the manufactured article therefrom. AVith a few figures from the official catalogue, it is possible to prove if the advance iu soil productivity as declared by the press is an actual fact shown by this splendid exhibition, or if it is simply tlie efforts of a very few enthusiastic exhibitors. The farm produce section contains a possibility of 200 points as allowed by tlio judge. One exhibitor alone secured no less than 115 points, leaving 85

points for all other exhibitors from Murchison in the north to YVataroa in

tlie South. In another soil production, garden produce, the whole points allotted amounted to 160, the same ex-

hibitor secures over 100. From these figures can it be said that the district as a whole is making much real advance? Can anyone passing through the district, see evidence of this wonderful display? They could certainly see that there is room for enormous

improvement, throughout the district. Another questiou that may be asked: Are these Shows of any material benefit to the farmer, or the general public? They arc certainly pleasing to the public, and should also bo most instructive. A successful exhibitor does

not always mean a successful farmer, but the object lesson cannot fail to impress beneficial results upon those who desire to improve their knowledge In agriculture and farming methods. The Show demonstrates what is possible,

what one farmer can do, so should another. Tlie Show held as it is in the slack time of the year should be the farmers’ holiday, it can only continue successfully by co-operation and clean competition. Those in the vanguard have made the Show, the rear should now move up.

I am etc., COCKATOO Lower Kokntnlii, June sth.