The Wellington A. and P. Show.

Manawatu Herald, 4 June 1898, Page 2

The Wellington A. and P. Show.

0 ■ The Committee apointed to rtport on the question of show sites, strongly recommended the Petone site, and at a meeting held on Wednesday some very plain speaking^ as to the apathy shown by the Wellington citizens in the show, took place. Mr Blair the chairman of the committee said that the citizens of Wellington were face to face j with the position that unless they were prepared to give better support tQ the show than they were giving it at present it woold cease to exist. WelliqgtoD had drifted into the position of & purely commtrojal com* munity, and there seemed to be a disposition amongst our oitiiens to lightly regard (be claims of the country, but unless they came forward an|' assisted the country in this matter, then it didn't matter where the site was. . . Mr E. & W Bidwill said it remained now to * be seen whether , the people of Wellington would "sia!* their differences on the question of site, and say to those coming from the country to ask their support: "We will guarantee you 1000 members any iay." If they were not prepared to - to this, then the Association would i thing of the past. . . The Bhow ground was a disgrace to them, it was comfortless, and the grandstand, which had been erected was inadequate in every respect. People who pent seven or eight miles to a show must be properly provided for. People

in a city like Wellington were nsed to comfort ; they went out to the show ground for pleasure, and, if they did not get it, they would stay away. There was no doubt, too, that Wellington was badly off for weather— at any rate, at show time — (laughter)—- and this was an argument in favour of better accommodation. Theymnßt have a membership of at least 800 instead of the paltry few hundred they had at present, many of whom didn't pay. Half of their members were country members, which showed plainly that Wellington people did not take the interest in the Association that they ought to. . . He would be sorry to see the show drop after so many yean of energy had been put into it, bat the fact remained that the country people were doing everything the townspeople nothing. This was proved by the absence of vehicles and implements from the shows. There was never anything on the ground to show what Wellington could produce. Many people seem to think that the show waa kept going for the benefit of the pastoralista of Wairarapa. If they thought that they were mistaken, because if things were allowed to drift on as they had been going their itock would be withdrawn, andlthe show would go on no longer. If they ooild not make sore of getting at least 600 members they had better wind the concern up straight away. After farther discussion a new committee was elected who were instructed to find whether Wellington people would be prepared to properly support the Show and then to determine as to whether one should be held this year.