The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1915. THE TAIHAPE GALA DAY.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 143, 19 February 1915, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1915. THE TAIHAPE GALA DAY.

(With which is incorporated The Ttti hapo Po3t Vfi3 Wdimarinti News.)

The groat annual gaia time of i the. whole Taihape territory, as well as that of a good portion of the Rangitikei and Waimarino Counties is the Agricultural and Pastoral Show Day, which falls this year on the 24th of this month —next Wednesday. It is the great reunion day when those Avho havenot seen each other since last show day will meet, hobnob, and exchange notes; also when friends from opposite ends of the district will relate experiences, and, going round the various show-pens, will discuss.the merits of various animals, and mutually gather information that will enable them to purchase the breeds most adapted to their needs and circumstances. Then we see them move oxvv to where the display of farm implements is located; they stand off, with hands in pockets, taking a preliminary survey, occasionally pointing, discussing general features and principles. The next minute they have discovered some new lineament or characteristic; one is on his knees examining and explaining; then they hurriedly move to a similar implement to make comparisons, perhaps going back and forth several times before becoming convinced that the innovation is an improvement oi' otherwise. And so they learn what is best for their purpose, and we town-dwellers realise the utility and value that agricultural shows are to the yeomanry from our back country. Wo venture to say that it is not possible, in a reasonable way, to over-esti-mate the value of these exhibitions to farmers and pastoralists, and, as a corollary, to the whole Dominion. We have briefly sketched one of hundreds of suchlike cases that take place at every show, but we could go round every show pen and section of exhibits, and find almost precisely

similar happenings. How does any farmer know what is the besl breed of sheep, or cattle, or pigs for successful working on. his land'/ If he does not get the information direct from agricultural shows it comes to him as a -result of them; for it is there the comparisons are made, features, characteristics, faults and good points are noted which must necessarily contribute to the evolution and development of the most perfect, and thai: which most nearly approaches our ideal. But these shoAvs are useful to men on the land from another point of view; it is the farmers' day of all days in the year, when he will thaw out and become interestingly communicative about crops and cultivation. One has discovered that a certain variety of grass, root crop or other fodder plant succeeds better than another, which enables him to fatten half-a-sheep move to the acre; while 111" other has by actual experience found that one breed of sheep or cattle is hardier, more robust and fattens quicker in his locality than others they have both been breeding heretofore; and so these mutual relations and experiences are given to the perpetual benefit of both. At no other time is there so much freedom? , .:.<! mutual interchange of thought and experience as at these agricultural and pastoral annually recurring expositions. We cannot forget what show day means to the, gent lotsex of the farm, nor what the success of the show owes to their presence, for they furnish tin 1 beant.,l \i(\ brilliancy of colouring in their attire that intermixes with, or stands out in bold relief 'to the more sombre hued garments of the men, creating, as they move in and out, ever-changing colour pictures and constantly varying kaleidoscopic scenes, Without which the spectacular outlook would be dull indeed.' They contribute that assistance to the perfection of the whole that man is incapable of, and the interest and enthusiasm they exhibit in the various sections and departments in which they are more naturally concerned is evidence that they have the success of the affair as much to heart as man can have. Show Day is their day of outing above all other days of the year, and v.-e fervently hope that weather conditions will be such as U induce every woman in town, as well as country, to be present at this great annual gathering. When leading farmers and pas toralists, in addition to becoming members of agricultural and pas toral associations, foster such organisations by giving up a good deal of valuable time, and even b\ encroaching upon their private purses to a considerable extent to offer inducement to others to add to the magnitude and comprehensiveness of the usefulness of these shows, there is something more than mere fun behind their actions They are invariably astute, careful businessmen and they have realised that what benefits the producing interests as a whole also benefits every individual producer in the Dominion, and, by their increased production for exjjort that our credit in tin, orld's financial centre is kept good, and Ave are supplied with an increased amount of the all-important circulating medium. The Taihape district is fortunate in having quite a number of such men; the President of our Agricultural and Pastoral Association, Mr. W. Dixon, is an enthusiast in helping forward everything pertaining to our great primary industry. He devotes time to attending meetings and he has presented a beautiful, large, artistic and valuable cup to be com peted for at the forthcoming show. This cup is chastely .engraved and will.become a joy for life to the fortunate winner. A number of other cups, previously presented, some half dozen or more of them, are still open-for competition. Mr! Studholme's cup for most points in Romneys is a most desirable trophy. The Parker cup given for most points in fat sheep should bring forward an army of competitors OAving to the nearness of the establishment of the freezing works. The fioodrick cup fo? dairy cattle should be well contested in such a fine dairying district as this is. The McLaughlan cup is a trophy that eve-vy woman in the teritory should aim at possessing; it will lie awarded to the one Avho can score most points in the Home Industries section. Then there is the Association's beautiful twenty five guinea rose bowl, for which Mr. J. j. Bryce has one win to his credit, and should he become the winner at this show he will become the absolute possessor These valuable trophies in addition to the liberal allotment of money prizes and.in conjunction with the record entries for competitions received, will furnish an exhibition that no man or woman in our territory should miss seeing, more especially as.in addition to having an outing on the prettiest shoAv ground in New Zealand, they are giving a little help

to the industry that furnishes our country with its riches. The prospects for a record show arc, from every point of view, most encouraging'. Do not let us under-esti-mate the value of our agricultural and pastoral annual gathering.