HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 203, 6 December 1910, Page 8

HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY

A MEMBER ON TRIAL. Last night the committee of the New Plymouth. Horticultural Society held a meeting in connection with the matter of a "faked" exhibit at the Waitara. Horticultural Show recently, the exhibitor concerned being a member of the local society. The following members were present: Messrs. G. McGahey (president), E. B. Kyngdon. G. Tisch, S. W. Shaw, J. Paton, E. W. Griffiths, A. Hooker, F. W. Sandford, J. Gibson, 11. F. Russell. There were also present: Messrs. T. Buchanan (secretary Waitara Horticultural Society), H. R. .Cattley (the judge at the Waitara Show), and F. Goodacre.

Mr. F. Goodacre, who was the party against whom the allegations had been made, made the following statement: "I had already mantled the blooms, and got them all ready for the show, when about nine o'clock on going from one (room to another they fell on the floor. I gathered them up in the best way I could, but found they had been considerably knocked about. Some I put together with wire and wrapping as best 1 could. There was only one intact, and 1 put it in water and left it. There were six blooms altogether." In answer to enquiries from those present, Mr. Goodacre said he could not tell, exactly how many blooms were broken; he thought there were two singles and three doubles. It did not strike him .that it would be better when he found them broken to put them away altogether. Also it did mot strike him that it would be better to put them on exhibition than throwing them away. Thai was the first time it had crossed his mind.

To Mr. Tisch: It was the only time 1 did anything of the kind. Mr. Shaw: Did it not strike you as most improper?—lt never crossed my mind.

Did you replace them with fresh petals?—No, I simply put together the ones .that I picked up. Other questions having been asked and answered, Mr. Cattley then explained to the meeting the modus operandi, as it struck him at the time, of the exhibitor in producing the specimens. It was nou possible, he said, to see the dressing until after cutting the wrapping away from the bloom. He did <not think it was possible to do, or rather, he could not do single-handed, what had been done m the "faking." He tried to show how the business had* been done, and said that in one case at least four pieces of bloom had been used to make the complete bloom. One would conclude tHat the blooms would be bruised in a fall such as Mr. Goodacre stated they had had, but there was no sign ot bruising,—all were fresh, and undistinguishable from the other parts of the flower. Had it not been that he paid particular attention to the blooms on account of them being so fine, the probability was that he would not have noticed the "business." At the time he disqualified the exhibitis he did not 'know by whom they had been, exhibited, as the secretary would not tell him. In the course of the meeting Mr. Goodacre replied to many questions. Some of his answers were decidedly to the point, viz:— If blooms were wired up as you did and you did not ge.t the first prize, would you not mate a fuss? —"I think I should," was the reply, "I certainly see it was a mistake on my part: it would have been better to have put them into the rubbish heap altogether." Another answer: Jt was the only time I tried to wire them, and I suppose it will be the last.

Mx. Buchanan, secretary of the Waitara Society, also explained what had been done, stating that he had seen the exhibits opened up by the judge. There were many others present at the time who could be brought as witnesses' in the matter.

The president said that he had received no letter from the Waitara Society, and the proceedings were taken quite on their own initiative. The following result was come to after the meeting 'had dealt with the question in committee:—"That after hearing the evidence of Mr. Cattley, the judge at Waitara Show, and Mr. Goodaere, they cannot accept Mr. Goodacre's explanation, that hj« be asked to resign from the committee of the seciety, and also refrain from exhibiting at any of the society's shows until such time as the society thinks fit." A letter was read after the above proceedings from the Waitara Society, stating that the following resolution had been passed at a meeting held the same day: "That in view of the report of the judge in the cut bloom class at the recent show Mr. P. Goodaere be disqualified for all exhibits made by him at such show; and tihat he be disqualified from exhibiting at the Waitara Horticultural Show; that he be sent a copy of the judge's report, and that a copy of this resolution be sent to all horticultural societies." The. committee then passed the following resolution: "That the letter from the Waitara Horticultural Society be received, and that it be endorsed by the society."