PUKEKOHE'S NEW SHOW GROUND.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 151, 29 February 1916, Page 2

PUKEKOHE'S NEW SHOW GROUND.

Opened by the Premier.

The ceremony of officially opening the Franklin A. and I'. Society's new Showgiound at Pukekohe wa<? performed on Saturday during tte progress of the Show by the Prime Minister, the Hight Hon. W. F. Massey, who was accompanied by Miss Massey, the Hon. W. F. Lang, M.F.. Speaker of the House of representatives, and Mr R. F. Bollard, M.P. The band-stand was utilised tor the occasion. The President of the Society, Mr D. R. Hamilton, in addressing the assemblage, explained how the Society had passed through the transitory stage and had to acquire a larger show ground, which, for-

tunately, the Society procured in the immediate vicinity of Pukekohe township. MR MASSEY'S SPEECH The Premier expresEed pleasure at heiog able to get away from the routine of office work to meet old friecds, and he congratulated the Society on acquiring such an admirable ground. While congratulating New Zealand as e whole on the satisfactory season they had been experiencing he regretted that Canterbury, the wheat growing provine, had experienced a bad season. There was nj doubt, he said, but that the farmers would bave a record eeason, particularly if satisfactory provision fur the carriage of produce on the sea was arranged. Over two million tons of produce were exported from the Dominion last year. In output it lead the world per head cf population and there was further room for development; a very large aiei cf land undeveloped, while developed land could be made to produce more. Pukekone laud was producing lifty per c;r.t more at pre-eat than it did a few years ago. No person would have said a dozea years ago that Pukekohe was either prosperous or productive, but they were now proud of its txeeptional output He bad s-en practically the whole of New Zealand, and for a picture ot sgriculture ai cl progressivene s there was nothing better in the Dominion than Pukekolie Hill. The dairying industry had increased rapidly, the amount of butter manufactured in the Auckland Province being double that of any other province in the Dominion. Still there was room for improvement. He believad it was possible to rnn the butter and cheese factories throughout the whule year. Mr Massey went on to refer to the war (as reported elsewhere) and then declared the ground open.

The Hop. Mr Lang, M.P., in congratulating the Society on its rapid development. stated that although he had not actually sented Pukekohe, he had represented the districts surrounding it and so wan accordingly interested in it. Its advanced state indicated the progress of tha adjoining districts and of the Auckland Province. He considered the farmers were entitled to the return they

were getting off the land as thev had hard experiences some twenty or thirty years ago. Mr Bollard, fid. P., congratulated himself on Pukekobe Hill baing attached to the electorate he represented, since it was producing the vegetable that was most needed

Mr Charles tjhipheid, the Society's first President, lostanced how the Society was formed some HI years past and how, with the district, it had grown to its present state or efficiency, and bow the dense bush had given way to smiling fields A pleasant little function followed, Mis] Masiey severing a

tipe stretched aeroEs the track in the show ring as an indication that the ground was open for use. Patterns of all the designs of fashions, etc, appearing in our supplement, week by week, can be obtained by seuding stumps, valuo if 4, for ovury pattern required ; coat, skiit, blousti, one-pieoe gown, etc) to

Miss Ida Moller, caro of the Editor. The envelope should be marked " Patterns."