AGRICULTURAL SHOWS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 49, 30 December 1871, Page 9

AGRICULTURAL SHOWS.

There is scarcely a newspaper that has come to hand, whether from the adjoining provinces, or the neighboring colonics that does not contain an account of some agricultural or pastoral exhibitions, all of which have proved more or less successful. In New South Wales the Governor took the leading part at an agricultural meeting held at Sydney; the Governor of Tasmania did the same at an agricultural exhibition held in the northern district; and the last advices from Western Australia state that Governor Weld had just attended two agricultural shows held in that colony. Similar exhibitions have recently been held at Auckland and at Timaru ; both of which were very successful ; and we cannot but think that the people of this province have exhibited a lukewarinness on matters of this kind which, to say the least, is not creditable to them. In Western Australia, and in Victoria, large sums have been set aside for the encouragement of such exhibitions ; but not a penny has ever been voted for this object either by our Provincial or our General Legislatures. Yec is not good farming as advantageous to a country as good rifle shooting; and. if so, is it not as well deserving of encouragement by the State ? We have repeatedly asked this question before, but have never yet seen it satisfactorily answered. That some encouragement of the*kind is desirable, very few persons will question, though the shape it should take will naturally occasion much difference of opinion. Let the principle be but acknowledged that some encouragement should be given by the State, and the mode by which it can be best carried into effect can be left to future arrangement. In Victoria a* Board of Agriculture was established for some time, but it did not give satisfaction, and it has since been abolished, with the general approval. This year £4OOO was voted by the legislature for distribution amongst the several agricultural societies in that colony, which must have proved beneficial, though perhaps not to that extent as would be desirable ; and we now find it asked whether there may not be a m@re profitable method of expending the funds of the State in the improvement of the system of agriculture, than by dissipating a large sum of money annually to fancy exhibitors at country fairs ? This, we think, is very possible ; but these country fairs are not, therefore, without their advantages, and we confess we should like to see them more common here.