TARANAKI SHOW.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 291, 3 December 1908, Page 2

TARANAKI SHOW.

WAXTKD A NEW POLICY. Writes file New Zealand Times: — Since its rejuvenation the Taranaki Agricultural Society Ims made steiidy progress, hut the progress has been oil rather conservative lines—there is absent that bold definite policy necessary to make the show adequately serve the special purposes of the district. The lixture can be made worthy of Taranaki, but never as at present conducted. We have, however, faith enough in the i sflveral capable and progressive men o:i ;he management committee to believe that tile}' will yet realise the proper lines on which they should proceed. One glance at the catalogue shows that the stereotyped show arrangement is followed and that no attempt is being made to cater to the peculiar rural activities of the district served by the society. Taranaki demands a . specialty show run o;i original lines. THK USUAL AXOAIALY.

The stock of commanding importance to Taranaki is dairy cattle, and the class deserving of the highest honor in the show is that for the purebred dairy bull. Yet we have, the special purpose pedigree dairy bulls awarded a paltry couple of pounds, all the inducement importers of purebred bulls have to exhibit their valuable stock for the education of the farmers of the district. Leaving out the question of tlie strange anomaly of exhibits of butter being offered trophies of 75gs and .£25, witu lOgs, ogs, and 2gs to the makers in one case and llgs, 2gs, and lg in the other, the society gives a draught stallion figs? hacks up to 3gs, the winning hunter

£d (with a £o special), and so on. But it is ill the dairy cattle section itself where the most remarkable anomaly - s seen. A thoroughly hail example is set tho dairy farmer by limiting the awai'd to the champion dairy sire to ,X.i (with a gold medal, but given to the champions in all cattle classes-), the while a scrub cow can win sgs! Again, in the Jersey section specials to the value of Gi»h arc given female stock, but not a solitary one donated for a bull. Thus the stupid glorification of the cow over the bull, the fatal mistake of the milk producer in this country, is perpetuated. The Jersey, llolsteiii, and' Ayrshire bulls at the Taranaki show .should receive awards far exceeding in importance anything in the catalogue. •THE NATURAL OBJECTIVE.

It should hardly need emphasising the fact that the show must be a special dairy show if it is to attain prominence, and "therefore pedigree stock should have pride of place in the prize-list and in the catalogue. A specialty show is what the New Plymouth society should aim at —it should be the Taranaki dairy show—and then it would develop into something more than n district exhibition. We have the National Dairy Show —which Taranaki could have had if it had grasped its opportunity—but we are still without a dairy cattle show, though tho need for it is just as great as tlu-re was for the winter fixture when the Manawatu Association realised its opportunity and made the most of it. The question is, will the New Plymouth society or the Hawera society develop the dairy cattle, show of New Zealand?