STRATFORD A. AND P. ASSOCIATION.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIII, Issue 70, 22 November 1915, Page 3

STRATFORD A. AND P. ASSOCIATION.

MEETING OF GENERAL COMMITTEE. At the meeting on Saturday afternoon, the president, Mr U. blasters, oecupied the chair. The President reported as follows: “Since last meeting of the General Committee, the executive have had a hnsy time getting ready for the Show. Your President, Mr E. .Jackson, and the Secretary, visited the Palmerston North Show with the object of getting entries, and received promises of support. Air .Jackson, Air Cato, and the Secretary visited Wanganui Show this week, and were fairly successful in interesting the Southern exhibitors and getting them to compete at i.he Stratford Show. The General Committee could very materially help d they would assist at Hawera Show in getting entries, also in a canvass ol the district with the same object in view, as much still remains to he done, and as the time is short, all the help the General Committee can give will he of great assistance. The catering will he under the control of Mr Dustin, of Wanganui. The Executive have arranged for the loau of two ranges, kindly lent by Mr Smart, and have decided to erect a lean-to at the hack of the kitchen for the convenience of the caterer. Tile caretaker has been engaged for the work on the grounds, from now on till after the Show. The Executive would appeal to all members of the Association to exhibit as mill'll as possible, as it is only bv muted efforts that the show can he placed in the position it should rightly hold as the best Dairy Show in the North Island. It might he heifl stated that in no season since the inception of the Stratford Show' have, the weather conditions been so favourable foi stock as this season. It is admitted on all sides that dairy cattle are in exceptionally good heart, and are lining well as regards yield. High prices for dairy produce, wool, etc., and all other circumstances connected with the farming industry make it comparatively easy and cheap for stock owners to exhibit. Thtijonly cohdition likely to mitigate against farmers showing are caused by shortage of labor. We hope, however, to have the active assistance of the members of the General Committee in this direction to help in maintaining the large entries that we have had on previous shows.” In moving the adoption of the report -the. President said so far this season the entries at the various shows had not been up to the usual standard, and it was the object of the meeting to try and obtain all tbe entries possible. II it was in theii power, they had to keep the entries up to the standard. There were two main points to make a success!ul show 7 , and they were a big membership to ensure the financial position, and a. large,number of entries. The committeer proposed to canvass . the district for entries.

Mr F/. Jackson, reporting on his visit to "the Wanganui Show, said lie found a great difficulty to induce the Southern'farmers to exhibit at Stratford because they had received very few entries from the Stratford district. The Hawora exhibitors would send along entries because they were in sympathy with the Stratford AssoViation. The only way to induce exhibitors to show at Stratiord was bu Stratford farmers to exhibit at other fixtures. At Hawera, the - Association will do all it can to receive entries. A tent will be erected, and if possible, Jthey will have scouts out amongst the 'different sections receiving entries. If more help had been forthcoming at 'the Wanganui, they would have been 'more successful. The thanks of tile I Association was due to the officials ol the Wanganui Show for the courteous manner in which Stratford delegates 'were treated. The officials had done all in their power to assist, and had been a very great help. | Mr Dingle said great praise was due to the President, and Mr Jackson and the Secretary for attending the 'shows, as they had defrayed expenses out of their own pockets. The Association should do all it could local 1\ to encourage farmers to exhibit. -Pens had been arranged at the show ground to accommodate forty hulls, and it would ho absurd if they wove Pmpty or only partially filled.' Cattle pens were ready for two hundred heads, and if it wore found that there were only fifty or eighty entries it would ho very disappointing. He said he was "ot 'complaining; the settlors of the Stratford district were very loyal to their show, but what was needed was cutties. Mr Dingle said he would ho pleased to canvass the district for entries. *

j Mr Petersen said Mr Jackson was 'correct when lie mentioned that il the iAssociation wished to Jiavp a successful show, members should exhibit at other centres. He appealed to those present to support the Hawera Show, and then the farmers around that district would support Stratford. I The report was adopted. ( Mr Campbell Jackson said h« had keen asked by an exhibitor if lie could hrirui along- hi s cow on the Tuesday. The beast wa s entered for the one-day butter-fat competition and was said to bp a very timid animal, j On Mr Dingle’s motion, it was decided : ‘‘That exhibitors bp allowed to bring their cattle to the grounds on Tuesday prior to the show.” j Mr Dingle explained that the grass on the grounds was looking very green and fresh, and they did not want it to he eaten oil before the show. The exhibitors liked to see fresh grass when they brought their stock to the grounds. Though the animals would not he accommodated on the showl

grounds, adjacent paddOcks would be found for them. Any exhibitors wishing to send his stock along • directly after the Hawera show could Jo so, and the officials would see to their welfare and have them taken on to the grounds on the Tuesday evening or early on Wednesday morning. He wished it to bo made known that accommodation would be found tor an\ exhibit forwarded prior to the show. A well-known Stratford show supporter said cows entered for the but-ter-fat competition should be on the grounds on Tuesday evening and milled out before an official of tbe Association. If the cows were not milked under supervision, there was a chance of them not being milked dry. there was also the chance . of much criticism. Air Campbell Jackson said in his opinion the cows which were competing in the test competitions should be on the grounds on the Tuesday. Mr Pcteresen said the same man ought to milk on the day of the lost as on the Tuesday evening. Some cows would not give their milk to strangers, and in consequence ' they would not be milked dry. Air On- said they would have to see that the milking was not done ‘before the competitions as was the case Inst year. Air E. Jackson said it was a wise tiling to have the cows on the ground on the Tuesday evening so they could have them milked i» the presence of the officials. It was decided that all cattle competing in the hutter-fat competitions would have to he on the ground on the Tuesday evening in time to he milked at 5.J0 o’clock under the supervision of officials appointed by the Association.

It was pointed out that entries weie needed. The other shows in the country were feeling the present day crisis, and it in the power of the farmers of the Stratford district to make their sliow, the show of New Zealand. The townspeople did most of the entertaining of judges and visiting exhibitors, so they would look forward to revisiting Stratford. The farmer, for his part, should send in entries. It was a particularly favourable year for show purposes, yet at the other centres there had been a big falling off in entries. No excuse was needed, as stock had had a very easy winter and a good spring, and were practically in show condition from the start. A\i tli the hig prices ruling, ihe farmers could afford to exhibit. The speaker contended that it wa s up to the farmers to do their share by entering in the different classes. He regretted to iind when he was around the country many farmers who complained about town members running the show. Hie townspeople were doing and were P>epnred to do all in their power to make the show a success, and they deserved at least gratitude and full support from the farmers by them sending m entries. He wovdd like to see a farmer in the president’s chair for a year and let the farming, community see what work had to he attended to. He said many farmers had good cows, hut would not enter them until they had b ? en tested, and compared with last year’s winner of the particular sec-, tion. Farmers in many cases had .good beasts in the paddocks’and would not show them. From his experience with cows, which extended over a considerable period, many of the beasts were prize animals as the farmers would learn if they were exhibited. * '

Mr Masters said he had heard it said that the townspeople were running the show. It had been urged that the presidency and the executive were occupied by townspeople. The members of the executive were not all townspeople. He would like to seethe townspeople take a rest tor five .tcais. and let the farmers occupy ail the positions. The executive met about forty times a year, and the business man had to loose a good deal ol lime to attend the meeting, and it wa s discouraging to hear the , farmers complaining of the townspeople running the show. Ho 'Said it would be a good idea to have all country members on the executive and other official positions, and then they would realise the amount of work that had to he done. A farmer’s voice: There would bo no show. Mr Masters, continuing, said the townspeople supported the show, and the farmer, and the man in town should work together in tlm interest oi the association ami the district. He said olio Country member had resigned, giving as bis reason, that the townspeople were, running the show. Mr Shelter said he had not heard the remarks quoted by the President. was satisfied the country people could not run the show, as they would not have the time to devote to attcudi,,<r meetings, lie found it difficult to always attend the meetings. The townspeople were practically the mainslay of the show. 31 r Campbell Jackson said the.\ should take no notice, as there were always a few to criticise. \\ hat was wanted was entries. Mr K. Jackson suggested that circulars should he forwarded to members asking them, together with their friends, to send in entries, II the farmers and others had only gat the enthusiasm lie had in the show, it would be the show of New Zealand. Some cattle in the paddocks would take a prize at any show. Mr Dingle said the show was me bar town nor country, it belonged to both, and (lie sooner it was realised too het ter. They should all work together and make a good show. On Mr K. Jackson’s motion, seconded by tbe President, a vole ol thanks was passed to the officials ol the \\ anganui Association for iheir kind (reatinent (jj flic officials ot the Stialfoid Association while on a visit to the