CORRESPONDENCE.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1190, 1 November 1882, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

W’c da net hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents]. :o:

THE LATE POVERTY BAY CATTLE SHOW.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, -Having heard numerous complaints from visitors to the Cattle Show’ re the incomplete reports furnished by your paper, also the “ lieraid,” 1 can safely state, that, having been present at nearly all the Agricultural Shows held in the various centres of population in New Zealand, 1 must give the Poverty Bay one the palm for being the worst managed of the lot, and I would defy any half-dozen reporters to get anything like a report of the proceedings even if they had been on the ground for a week. I must say that the Association is very badly managed, and appears to me to be a sort of family concern. Drovzn offers a prize for Smith’s cow, and Smith offers a prize for Brown’s horse, etc. Now the fault does not altogether rest w’ith the Society, but with the Committee of Management. They ought to have the stock properly classed, and the Secretary should have a proper entry book in which all stock etc., should be entered giving the pedigree, etc., leaving a blank space for the prize takers. Then when the award is given the attending Steward ought to write the name of the same on the prize so that the public can see at a glance who the fortunate individual is, and not give out the tickets as they do, “ blank ;” and the Steward ought to have a ciier to announce each event. I noticed many glaring defects in the classing of the sheep, and it ought to have been objected to by the exhibitors, and that w’as putting different owners’ sheep in the same pen. Another great want was a proper shed for the dairy produce, as what little there was was placed under a tent that was used for all and everything, and not even a piece of calico to cover the rough board. Certainly the butter, although a fair sample looked very uninvting, and I noticed that during the time the judges were engaged in making these awards the tent was full of people. I certainly think that if the Associatin invite exhibitors in this class they ought to provide decent accommodation.

I think more consideration ought to be paid to the various classes of stock, etc., and less to jumping horses, and all entries ought to close at least one clear day before the Show Day, and each exhibitor ought to be provided with a ticket at the time he makes the entry, such ticket stating the class and number of entry, and must be produced at the gate by the man in charge of the stock ; and u cardboard ticket in large letters should be nailed up in the show yard to indicate to the man in charge of stock where to locate himself and his charges. The rules also regarding the classing of roadsters, hacks, etc., want revising ; and above all, to see that all stock, etc,, be the bona fide property of the exhibitor or his principal. My reason for mentioning this is that 1 overheard a Native saying one of the horses that was just then competing for the Ladies’ Hacks was his property ; whether or not, I do not know, as a white man’s name appeared in the prize list, but I saw the same individual (Native) riding the same horse two days’ afterwards. I suppose Mr Editor you will say I have touched upon matters that do not belong to me, and the Committee will say the same, but I cannot help making them ; even the Judges who came from a long distance noticed the bad arrangement. And I trust in future that the arrangements will be carried out in a more efficient manner, and less jealousy shown amongst our stock breeders, so that the general public can see for themselves, and the reporters can get reliable information and a correct prize list published, and not such a mixed up concern as the late one. Apologising for taking up so much of your valuable space, I am, etc., Progress.