HAWERA SHOW DATE.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 March 1922, Page 8

HAWERA SHOW DATE.

CHANGED TO SPRINGTIME. MEETING OF THE SOCIETY. I 3 '.- A ~ ’ March 25. (Own Reporter.) The next Hawera A. and P. Show will be held in the spring, at a date to be arranged. For some years the show has been held in the autumn, but, in response to popular agitation throughout the district, a special meeting of the society was held at Hawera to-day,' about’ 70 members being present, and it was decided to revert to a spring show. The meeting was a very representative and enthusiastic one, and opinion wad overwhelmingly in favor of holding the fixture in the springtime. Mr. E. A. Washer (president) was in the chair, and briefly explained the object of the meeting, and then called for discussion. Mr. Tonks said it was resolved in 1918 to hold the show in the autumn, and he thought this resolution must first be rescinded before anything could be done. The chairman said this was not necessary, whereupon Mr. Tonks moved: That the society revert to a date in the spring for their show. In answer to enquiries, the secretary stated that the total entries at the last autumn show were 1325, as compared with 1604 for the last spring show in 1916. At the 1921 autumn show there were 1777 entries, but in the spring show of 1913 there were over 2000 entries. A member pointed out that Stratford had expressed a wish that the Hawera show should be held in the spring. Mr. Dunn said that shows should be held in rotation, so that exhibitors on the rounds from a distance could be catered for. Mr. Washer agreed with Mr. Dunn. For years Wanganui and Hawera had not been able to “hit it.” He would like to see exhibitors start at Palmerston North, and go right through to rat ford. / Mr. Dunlop said this was a dairying district, and +he cows usually came to profit about July, and for this reason the spring show would be a big advantage. Mr. F. Mills said he was waiting to hear the “opposition” to a spring show. -Voices: There is none. Mr. Mills added that he had always been in favor of a spring show. The dairyman wanted to show his cattle when they were at their best, and this could not be done in the autumn. The only argument which had been in favor of an autumn show had gone by the board. He would not refer to that argument any more definitely. Mr. Betts said he was one of the opposition. This was hardly a representative meeting, and the thing should have been discussed at the annual meetThe chairman said that the present was a more representative meeting than they usually had, and he would like to see as many members at the annual meetings. Mr. Baily asked if it was not a fact that there’ were record entries for the first autumn show. The secretary said the 1921 show was a record for autumn shows. Mr. Gillanders said the society was up against it financially and could re’t on bigger gates at an autumn show. It was absolutely necessary to get in more jevenue, either by membership tickets or by the gates. They had had to face heavy expenditure, and he thought it would be wise to keep to the autumn fixture. He was not prejudiced agains* a spring show, and if they could get the | gates he would be satisfied. 1 Mr. S. J. Bennett, in answer to Mr. Gillanders, said that it was only possible for a dairyman to show his cattle to advantge in the spring, and he was not going to show in the autumn. It was pointed out that at the last autumn show the breakdown of the Whenuakura bridge was a. serious handicap. Mr. C. J. Campbell said he had been at many shows in Australia and in New Zealand, and he had never seen finer dairy cow’s than those at the Hawera show this autumn. He had not seen the cattle looking the same in the springtime. Mr. Bennett said he wanted to see all the shows brought into line, and held in rotation, so that exhibitors could go right through. Mr. Mills said the last show had been held at as bad a time as. possible. It would be necessary to see that the racing clubs’ dates did not put them in the same box again.

Mr. Washer said it was not only the races that were up against them. They had fallen foul of the Masterton and Marton shows in other years. Mr. Bailey asked why all the demonstrations in cattle were held in the autumn. Mr. Bennett said this was because the demonstrators were in the district for the autumn show. Mr. S. Black said the greatest necessity of all was a greater interest in the society, whether they held a spring or an autumn show. In any case he was in favor of a spring show. Mr. Gilbert, on behalf of the Hawera retailers, supported the proposal for a spring show. The retailers would be prepared to make their donations larger if a spring show were held.* Mr. Tonks’ motion that the show be held in the spring was then carried, with only four dissentients. Tt was decided to close the financial year on March 31. Mr. Gilbert, on behalf of the Retailers’ Association, brought up the question of changing the people’s day from the usual Thursday to Wednesday to suit the half holiday. Tt was decided that the committee would go into this mat ter at a later date. Mr. Washer expressed pleasure at seeing the townspeople showing increased interest in the society.