Mataura Ensign GORE, TUESDAY, DECEMBER, 2, 1881.

Mataura Ensign, Volume 7, Issue 414, 2 December 1884, Page 2

Mataura Ensign GORE, TUESDAY, DECEMBER, 2, 1881.

THE SHOW. We do not need to recapitulate the circumstances which led to the institution of a regular annual Show in Gon: in place of one, peripatetic bet.wnpu the centre named and Mabaura and Wyndham. There were not not wanting many who, with the usual ill-omened croak of impending disaster, declared that the time had not yet arrived for such a step. But the best contradiction ol such forebodings whs found in the (success of last year — in spite, too.of several adverse circniHstancef, notably the weather. To-day's Show promises to be a still greater success, and will no doubt more than justify the opinion of those who held that, in the matter of shows, the Upper Mataur-a district was quite able to stand aloue. The benefits which shows of this kind confer are too widely appreciated and have been too often commented upon to need prolonged reference to at this timeNot only are producer and consumer brought into immediate and personal connection with mutual benefit, but that spirit of emulation is aroused which is ao characteristic of the Anglo-Saxon nation. And the competition at an agricultural show is of a healthier and purer nature than th&fc at almost any other. The surroundings are pure almost entirely, from the chicanery which pollute too many of our public competitions, such as racing. The Judges are usually men of repute chosen from a distance for their skill arid discernment, and it is the besi cotnpliment that can be paid to thf system to be able to say that dissatisfac tion with the decisions is rarely manifested, and when, as only once in oui recollection occurred, it is so, the mal contents are easily proved to be in the wrong. Ifc is almost safe to say thai anjunfair decision is impossible. Mci: compete for the honor as well as foi the profit, and the complacency wit! which a farmer's wife sees the mud desired first prize ticket, affixed to hei exhibit of butter or cheese, is as greai a?, and much more praiseworthy, thai that of the winner of the blue ribanc on the turf. Then, next to thf harvest, it is the great event o the farmer's year, That which t( a townsman is only an affair o^ a few days, and is then forgotten, is to the farmer an event by which tc measure dates, and a landmark tc rscal to him either rewarded skill and industry or to guide him to renewee exertions in future. No wonder, then our shows are heartily supported anc great honor is due to the men whe undertake the administrative duties connected with them. deferring more particularly to the Show of to-day, we have already said that it promises to be a success Almost all the well-known exhibitors have again come forward with the result of their year's work, so that the show of stock will no doubt exce previous attempts. But in anothei direction is to be found the niosi tangible evidence of the progress oi the district. Wb allude to thf numerous entries of implements. Ii has been said that you may know ? man by his friends. It has also been said that you may estimate a town bj its newspapers. But we also subtni! that in these days of mechanical im provenience!, you may judge of the prosperity of a farming district by the number of implements in use in it Tour business man is the very keenest to discern an opening for his wares, and we consider that JReid and Gkai paid this district a very high corapli nient indeed when they estfblislieci two branches in it. Others also notably, Mr Gardiner, whose name we are sorry to miss from the cata logue this year, have also evinced theii faith in it by eroding expensive implement works and establishing branches, and now we are favored with a nio.st extensive exhibit from Booth and Macdonald. All these things are matters of prile to the district and are the best testimony egainsl those who, from ignoraoce or malice defame it. There is one oth^r thing, a matter of detail, which we should jußt like tc refer to, and that is that we would suggest to the committee that equestrians be not admitted to the ground excupt at the competitions in their class. Much inconvenience and danger i j xists by horsemen and horsewomen riding about among the people upon aniiimN excited by the unusu d bustle. This wholesome rule was allowed to lapse, and nn accident occurred which came very near being an extremely piinful one. In conclusion, then, we confidently predict a successful show, and v\ith sunny weather, which is to be hoped for, an 1 a lar^e entry, which is already gof", there t»hou'd he such a crowd of.pvopleas mver assembled in Gore befuiv« ________„