REAPER AND BINDER CONTEST

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2147, 7 February 1880, Page 2

REAPER AND BINDER CONTEST

TOWN EDITION.

A reaper and binder competition under the auspices of the South Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association took place this afternoon in Mr J. D. iiogers’ paddock, of deadman’s signature celebrity, at Wai-iti. The prizes offered—£ls and £5 — brought half-a-dozen harvesters to the front. There were between 30 and 40 spectators, the majority being town visitors. Messrs Maclean and Evans took an active part as judges. The paddock contained a splendid crop of oats, the grain standing fully four feet high, and being exceedingly regular, while the straw Avas strong enough to put the cutting qualities of the appliances to a satisfactory test. Chving to the time that necessarily elapsed in making preparations, a start Avas not made till after 2 o’clock. The machines were each AA r orkcd by a pair of poAvcrful horses, and notAvithstanding what has been alleged about lightness of draught, avg are bound to admit that the work was severe.

The competing machines Averc Osborne’s, Deerings, and Johnstone’s stringbinders ; and McCormick's, Wood’s, and King’s Avire binders. The string binders appeared to be the favorites, and Johnstone’s, in particular, did its Avork cleanly. The following is the result : First Prize—Woodsja String-Binder. (Second do —Osborne’s Wire-Binder.