WINTER SHOWS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 15 June 1907, Page 2

WINTER SHOWS.

Mr. A. E. Sykes, of New Plymouth, during his recent visit to the South Island, attended the Dunedin Winter Show, and, in the course of a chat witlTa Daily News reporter, gave his impressions of the display. It was, he said, the first winter show lie had ever attended, and it struck him as being a first-class thing both for the fanner and the manufacturer.

The fanners, of course, have more leisure at this time of the year than in the spring and summer, when most of (he agricultural shows are held, and can thcrelore give more attention, not only to the exhibits, but also to the various ■midlines and waies submitted for their approval or otherwise.

The Duuedin show was open from Tuesday to Friday, night and day, and Mr. Sykes said it was like a fair the whole time, the place being crowded morn, noon, and night, mostly with members of the 1 arming community, hailing from the Timam district on the north and Invercargill to the southward. And what seemed to be their principal hobby? asked the reporter. Well, the great centre of attraction seemed to be the - root cgrfps—winter t odder such as mangolds, turnips, and the like. There were some'monster turnips on view.

Here the pressman interrupted: Don't you think we could grow as good turnips here in Taranaki?

\es, I'm sure I've seen just as good ones 011 the farms here sometimes. It struck me at the time that we might easily hold a winter show here, for "ve -ould easily get the quality. Mr. Sykes ■ilso remarked, in- answer to a question, that the exhibits Here not ticketed to -how how they were grown, with what manures, ami willi what i]uantities."\Vere ""eh particulars affixed the. exhibition would, he thought, bo of greater bene fit to ihe farmers—an opinion shared by many who were more interested in the matter than he was. The only stock shown were sheep. There were 'fine entries of butter, in which the Taranaki factories more than held their own. What do the people down there think lot Taranaki?

Oh they seem to thing we have a ■great couniry here, and the success of our exhibits pointed to this hcin» the I'ome of dairying. Many of them''have 1 datives and 1 rienils here, and I was continually being asked if 1 foicw "Mr Somebody," and'l usually didn't, In the implements section the largest display was made by Messrs ftardiner Bros., of Mataura, whose manufactures seemed to be very popular locally. This firm is contemplating the establishment of a Tarannki agency.