Awanui Flower Show.

Northland Age, Volume 1, Issue 17, 6 December 1904, Page 2

Awanui Flower Show.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —A report published in your contemporary further south, on the late flower show held here, demands an emphatic denial to the allegations set forth therein. The article in question is so unintelligible as to suggest senile decay, or spirituous affliction, but among its chaotic ramblings it alleges that the public consider the judges partial and the stewards unfair and dishonourable. To anyone who knows the arduous, thankless task imposed by these positions such suggestions arc absurd, and, if made by disappointed exhibitors, a correspondent of a' public print should have too much

sense to repeat them, even accompanied by a disclaimer of personal belief. In the past it has been difficult to get the services of efficient judges and stewards; but who is going to accept such unpaid ‘honours,, if they are to bo made the; mark of personal obloquy and insult? I have no hesitation in saying that the general public has, and has with .every reason, unbounded confidence in the integrity alike of judges and.stewards. As for the falling off of attendance from outside districts, the very showery morning accounted for this.

Such a criticism appearing in the public press is quite sufficient to condemn our flower show in the eves of outside supporters and greatly retard its future prosperity, unless public denial and disproof is given to it. The correspondent in your contemporary has evidently made use of the press to give vent to his biassed opinions, surrounded by a multiplicity of deranged ideas. The whole article is a piece of gross injustice to the committee, judges and stewards of our late show,— Yours etc., LIONEL H. CLAUDET, Sec. Awanui A. & H. Show. Bangitoto, Awanui, December Ist, 1904.