PASTORAL SOCIETY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9050, 8 February 1908, Page 5

PASTORAL SOCIETY.

(To.the Editor). Sir.—lt is rumoured that the committee of the Masterton Pastoral Society seriously contemplate disposing of their present premises and purchasing a portion of the Sol way Estate in order to establish new grounds, some three miles distant from the Post Office, the principal object being to save breeders the present mile drive from the station for their stock. Before embarking on a venture of this kind I would ask members to carefully consider the other side of the question. They now have one of the best grounds in this country, situated within half a mile cf the centre of the town, well watered, and improved to the value of thousands of pounds, a popular ground, and one has taken years of careful thought and management to bring to its present srate of efficiency, and which has had the unanimous support of all branches of the community. Now I have seen this bursting up and change of sites fad tried time after time, both with shows and other institutions, and invariably they have gone from bad to worse. We started the Masterton Show in the present park in 1873, where the writer secured several medals; we afterwards migrated to Tauherenikau, and subsequently to Carterton, but none of these changes ever proved so successful as the Autumn Show on the present grounds, and why change the site? Is it for economy? Take the Society first can they expect to gain by sacrificing their well-appointed yards and buildings, or the cost of removing them to Solway? Can they expect to make a good sale of the present site when suburban land is almost unsaleable? Can they expect to gain by holding a large area for 365 days of the year to benefit the public for the two days of the Show? Where is the gain? Now take the income—gate-money is the most important item and is the one by which the Society will either prosper or fall. Masterton must be the principal ia-tor. If the crowd decide to go out, how are they going? Let all the vehicles in the district be employed to cart, say, 15,000 people out, and see how long it will take, when the resources of the best systems of electric trams are thoroughly taxed to meet similar cases in other districts. At present a family can walk to the grounds without cost or inconvenience; in the other case they will have to pay some 2s per head for an uncertain seat in a crowded vehicle. How will the exhibitors, carters, etc., fare? Well, the expenses will be so great, that only the wealthy breeders will be represented. A bait is held out'that Carterton will amalgamate. Carterton never will. Carterton,.the prosperous, go-ahead city of the plains, give up their Show, an asset won by many years of hard fought battles' Never! What will happen is this: —First, the Ram Fair will be held on the new grounds, then public sale yards. Where will Masterton be then, on our Wednesday market day?—as dead as All southern and northern visitors who usually throng our streets and support our various business institutions, will arrive by rail, three miles distant, they will be catered for on the ground, and Masterton will lose one of its best assets. And all this in the interests of a few wealthy breeders of prize stock. Think of it, thou who are interested.—l am, etc., WHAREAMA.