AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL SHOW

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1373, 25 October 1883, Page 2

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL SHOW

The ninth annual show of the above took place at Patutahi on Tuesday last, The show was not a success ; in fact it was apparent to the most unconcerned and disinterested visitors that the show was conducted on purely one sided principles, and calculated to produce a diametrically opposite effect to that which should be its sole aim. The exhibtie were far below what should reasonably be expected, and were confined to a very limited circle.

We are extremely sorry to record an accident, which wo fear will result in the destruction of Mr 8. Stevenson’s Prickwillow, who had his off hind leg broken by a kick from Auckland. It appears that the accident occurred through the thoughtlessness of Ins groom. The leaping was anything but good, Mr Garrett’s Sailor being the only horse who managed to scratch over the last rise of the bar. When Scottish Chief was ridden at the jump he suddenly ducked and shot under it, and was seen travelling along with the bar * Blondin like ” across the front of his jockey (Mr J. Redman), who showed himself to be no mean horseman, and was loudly cheered. In the leaping, Ciga-rettee refused |the water jump, and swinging round took the rail sideways and rolled over, breaking his jockey’s ribs. It is said that the committee are greatly to blame for allowing such a dangerous jump. Among a number of complaints which have reached us is one from Mr W. F. Crawford, as to the mode of conducting the examination, and the award of the judges in the bottled ale and stout exhibits. It appears that Mr Ferris, who is the agent for Speight’s malt liquors, went into the booth where the exhibits are. and poured out certain glasses of liquor, and when the judges pronounced ar: opinion as to the best, Mr Ferris said, “ Oh, that is Messrs Allanach and Hansen’s,” thus constituting himself sole judge io the matter. After the award was made Mr Crawford went into the booth and found that he had been awarded second prize, and that two of his samples had never been opened at all. He demanded another trial, The judges assented, and then decided that Mr Crawford be allotted the first prize for stout and the second for ale, and that Messrs Allanach and Hansen be first for ale and second for stout, and also stated that his award was the same as before. Mr Crawford stated that he had been only awarded the 2nd prize before, according to Mr Ferris’ ruling. Now, it appears most conclusive that either the judges (Messrs E. K. Brown, Teat, Tutchen, Bull, and Ball) had allowed Mr Ferris to constitute himself the sole judge, or else had allowed themselves to be much misled in the matter. The whole affair savors most strongly of trade prejudice. The show of cattle and stock was miserable in the extreme, and quite justified the remarks of a gentleman, who came here expressly to see what progress had been made in the dittrict in the shape of fresh stock breeding, &c', and who said that it looked as though the ground had been fenced off expressely to keep the cattle out, for if you wanted to see anything of that sort you had to go out and beyond the fence which surrounded the Society’ grounds. This Ninth Annual Show of the Agricultural and Pastoral Society cannot be characterised as anything but a dead failure. Another universal complaint is that the public should be dragged all the way out to Patutahi for the benefit and delectation of some three or four for whom the show is specially run.

Messrs Allanach and Hansen have also lodged a complaint against the decision which they consider most unsatisfactory to all parties concerned, and suggest that a frci h exhibit be made and that impartial an< qualified judges be appointed to decide which is really entitled to the medal.