The Taihape Daily Times. AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1918. AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL SHOWS.

Taihape Daily Times, 26 February 1918, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times. AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1918. AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL SHOWS.

'With which is incorporated The Ta.i haprt Post iind Waiiaarino News).

The great annual event of the Taihape district, the Rangitikei Agricultural land Pastoral Show, takes place on the Taihape recreation reserve tomorrow. From the entries received, and from the preparations made for the public, the provision of a brass band and numerous otner events of a generally entertaining character, it is believed that, in spite of war time, there will be a record attendance. There is nothing more important than growing wool, meat and other supplies for our soldiers, not even the supplying, of: men, for they would be of little use without the food and clothing our .pi-oducing community furnishes. It is gratifying to see in the entry lists several new exhibitors, as this indicates further onward march towards better conditions for all. When any farmer enters the lists In competitions he is doing something on his farm that he is proud to let the world know about; it is something worth doing that the world is glad to know about. It is quite common all over the producing world to hear the contemptuous remark, "Oh, "he never shows, he's got nothing worth showing." Yet the miserable, poor quality animals eat as much food and require as much labour as the better and much more valuable animals. "We would like all farmers to fully realise that their pasturage will feed the best, and it is pure waste to use It up on a ten-shilling animal while it will feed one worth thirty shillings. It is education that brings about changes that makes our land produce from two to ten times more than was its wont, and our first lessons and our first enthusiasm is got on the agricultural and pastoral show ground. This is borne out in the fact that entries are from year to year becoming much more comprehensive, new names being amongst the competitors in the various classes. There is an important aspect of sheep and dairy cattle breeding just now that it is well to keep in m i nd . From the prime Min ister down all Ministers have impressed upon the country the need for more and more production, and they have intimated that more and still more land must be brought into a highly producing condition, it naturally follows that more and more stock will be required for this land, and it is the duty of the Government to see that the right kind of stock is obtainable for this land when it is brought into the productive state. Farmers and breeders are doing their utmost to meet the needs of the existing extraordinary demand, but what will happen when the much-talked-of more and more land is ready for stocking? The land will be of little use without the stock. Men going on to

this land, returned soldiers or otherwise, will want good stock, and plenty of it, just as much as they want the land. Where is this extraordinary demand to he satisfied? Is the_ Government making provision for it? These are questions that ought to be considered at meetings of Farmers' Union branches, and opinions should be exchanged on such occasions as that which is taking place on the Taihape recreation ground to-morrow. It is obvious that if much more land is brought into a producing condition the quantity of stock we now have will not stock it and at the same time continue to feed people in the Homeland. Lambs will have to be saved, but farmers have nowhere they can store them; they must go on using their land for producing more. We urge that it is the duty of our Government to go on with the preparation of land sufficient for carrying lambs so that they may be ready for the time when the imperative necessity for more a nd more production is brought

home to us by the crushing taxation we shall have to bear. These are the questions that might with advantage be discussed by farmers on such occasions as the Annual Show, when they foregather to a greater extent than at any other time. The farmer was never so important in the history of this country as he is at this time, and we feel sure that this fact will be testified to by a record attendance on the Show Ground to-morrow.