PROJECTED TRANSFERENCE OF SHOW SITE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9030, 22 February 1908, Page 5

PROJECTED TRANSFERENCE OF SHOW SITE.

INTERVIEW WITH MR CRUICK-

SHANK

THE HISTORY OF THE PROPOSAL.

REFUTATION OF ASPERSIONS

CONSERVATION OF MASTERTON'S INTERESTS,

An article having beGi) published in a contemporary respecting the contemplated change of Show site by the Masterton A. and P. Association in which it was implied that the Solway Estate syndicate was exploiting the Association, and intended making a large profit out of the latter, a representative of the " Wairarapa Age" had an interview with Mr J. D. Cruickshank, President of the Association, yesterday evening, upon the subject.

Mr Cruickshank outlined the history of the whole proceedings up to date. He stated that shortly after the estate had been acquired by the syndicate the committee of the A. and P. Association had been approached by a number of leading breeders and farmers in the South Wairarapa district, who offered to throw in their lot with the Masterton A. and P. Association if portion of the Solway Estate, were procured for a Showground. The difficulties in the way of getting stock to the present Showground constituted a drawback, but the Solway Estate, being adjacent to the railway line, offered facilities for the trucking and paddocking "of stock. The Solway syndicate had made a written offer to the committee of the Association to dispose of the estate entirely, or to sell 75 acres or 90 acres, dS might be decided upon, at the same price as was paid for the land by the syndicate. This offer was open until March 15th.

Mr Cruickshank said he was not at liberty to disclose the full conditions of the proposed sale, but he could state that the price paid by the syndicate for the estate —161 acres—was approximately £6O per acr 1- , though the estate was sold for a lump sum. The syndicate, said Mr Cruickshank, had no desire to make money upon the sale. The members of it were satisfied to get cost price, because they were interested in the Association. Nothing definite had yet been done in the matter of purchase. The whole question was to be finally considered at a meeting of the committee on the 29th inst., and following upon that a general meeting of the Association would be called, and the whole particulars submitted for approval or otherwise. Questioned as to the special advantage of changing the Show, site, Mr Cruickshank said it was considered desirable to have the Show more ripresentative of the whole of the Wairarapa, and the prumises received from the southern portion of the district would enable that to be accomplished; but the fulfilment of the promises was dependent upon the bite being fixed on the Sol way estate. It was believed that there would be very much largsr entries if this change were made, and that stock would also be exhibited from beyond the provincial boundaries --including Hawke's Bay and Canterbury. That, he considsrsd, was something to be desired. The Hawke's Bay breeders, he was assured, would favour Masterton, if the Show were arranged as contemplated, in preference to exhibiting on the West Coast. This would give the Association's Shows a much higher status than they at present possessed as a local exhibition.

In reply to a question, the President of the Association admitted that the change would affect Masterton to some extent, but he thought the advantages would exceed the disadvantages. Referring further to the price at which the land was available, Mr Cruickshank refuted the assertion published in a contemporary that the estate had formerly been offered at a little more than half the price. "The offer made by Mr Renall recently," said Mr Cruickshank, "was actually in excess of the price at which the syndicate now offers the land." One of the three offers at present being considered, the President remarked, v/as for 90 acres, comprising; the most picturesque part of the land and including the stream and portion of the bush. "You think the offers made from South Wairarapa breeders to throw in their lot with you quite justifies the acquisition of the new site?" "Undoubtedly," was Mr Cruickshank's prompt and emphatic reply.

Asked as to what would be the difference of cost to the Association between the holding of the annual Show on the old site and holding it on the new, Mr Cruickshank said he was not at present in a position to state. There would certainly, he declared, be an advantage in the matter of emoloying drovers, and securing paddocks for stock. The cost of these two essentials fell upon the Association and amounted to a considerable sum. Drovers were paid £1 per day.

"What would be the cost of erecting buildings?" was asked.

"The whole matter will be submitted to an expert, and the result laid before the general meeting," replied Mr Cruickshank; "but my own impression is that the cost of removing the buildings, etc., and erecting them upon the new site would amount to about £1,000." Pie could not speak as to the cost of putting the grounds in order, but it was fiat and clean, and would only have to be laid down in gi-ass. It would be possible to irrigate the ground from the creek.

Referring to ' the statement that the homestead being put out of the proposed purchase would reduce the value of the land to .£3O per acre, Mr Cruickshank said that was absurd. The homestead was very old, and would require considerable expenditure upon it. There was a newer house upon the land under offer. As to the statement that five additional acres had been purchased by the Solway syndicate subsequent to the purchase of the estate, that was erroneous. This additional land was purchased before the estate was acquired.

Mr Cruickshank stated that in the event of the Wairarapa P. and A. Society continuing its Spring Show, the Masterton Association would remain loyal to it in the matter of its Show date. He also mentioned, as the interview was closing, that several of the judges of the late Show had visited the proposed new Showground and expressed approbation of its position for the purpose for which it was desired.