The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, September 21, 1911. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 1046, 21 September 1911, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, September 21, 1911. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

The local Horticultural Society is to be congratulated upon the measure of success which attended its inaugural Bulb Show yesterday. The show was held as an education to floriculturists and to encourage the local cultivation of these beautiful blooms. The experiment should result in an added interest in bulb cultivation and judging by the number of orders placed with the well-known Wellington nurserymen represented at yesterday’s exhibition, Foxton gardeners should be able to make a brave display next year, should the Society decide to continue a bulb show in its programme. As was to be expected there was not a large number of local entries and the bulk of the prizes went to an outside grower. The Palmerston display, by Mrs Harris, was very fine and helped to make the exhibition attractive. The display of blooms by the Borough Council taken from the Triangle garden, showed what the Foxton soil is capable of producing without any scientific nursing. Mrs Galland secured a large number of welldeserved awards and Mrs A. S. Easton, whose garden is one of the finest in the district, also exhibited some first-class blooms. We are informed that the date of the show was left too late for a number of growers whose plants had shed their blooms. The show should stimulate an interest in bulb cultivation and many gardens will be made more beautiful next year as a result.

Despite the statements of Sir James Carroll and the Hon Mr Millar to the effect that the Government would abide by the decision of the Racing Commission this, year the Government has asked the Commission to sit again to reconsider its allocation of racing permits as provided in its original report and endorsed and acted upon by the Racing Conference for this racing season. This is the outcome of a suggestion made in the House of Representatives last week, when Mr Jennings’ Bill for the rehabilitation of certain country racing clubs (wiped out as a result of the commission’s findings) was under consideration in committee. Apart from the in-

justice which may have been done to certain country clubs by the Commission’s finding, we think the Government have shown signs of weakness in backing down as a result of the recent agitation. It is this sort of backing and filling on the part of the Government that is putting the people’s back up. Would the late Mr Seddou have consented to such a demand under the circumstances ? If we know anything of the late Premier’s character we should say he would have replied, as did Messrs Carroll and Millar ; “The Act and the Commission’s finding must stand this year.’’ It remains to be seen whether the Commissioners will change their views —we don’t think they will.