AGRICULTURAL SHOW AMALGAMATION QUESTION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9060, 8 April 1908, Page 5

AGRICULTURAL SHOW AMALGAMATION QUESTION.

DISCUSSED BY WAIKARAPA P. AND A. SOCIETY.

AN ANIMATED DEBATEREFERRED TO ANNUAL MEETING. A largely attended meeting of theGeneral Committee of the Wairarapa P. and A. Society was held at Carterton yesterday, when the following motion, moved by Mr Quinton Donald, was discussed : That the question of combining with the Masterton A. and P. Association to hold one central Wairarapa Show at Solway be discussed with a view of making a recommendation to the general meeting of members.

Mr Donald said, in moving tha motion, that he would ask the Committee to look at the matter from a broad standpoint. For three years past he had been a member of tha canvassing committee which waited upon Masterton supporters annually for donations. These supporters were in the habit of asking which show the committee represented, and why the two shows did not amalgamate, stating that if amalgamation were accomplished their divided contributions could be given as a whole to one body, with obvious advantages. Amalgamation meant more prize money, keener competition in stock, and a larger, stronger, and better society in every way. At Solway, to where the Masterton Association had decided to remove, the grounds could be made the most attractive in the dominion. Agricultural and Pastoral Societies, moreover, could learn a lot from racing clubs, in the way of catering for the accommodation of vehicles, horses, etc., of patrons, and at Solway, with its large area of ground, there were unlimited possibilities for making the Show irreproachable in that respect. He thought that now Masterton had taken a step which aimed at a panWairarapa Show, and a show which would be one of the best in the whole of the dominion, the Wairarapa Society should, in the interests of the district at large, support amalgamation. Mr Donald sai 1 that the Committee of an amalgamated Association could be composed of one-half members from Wairarapa and Featberston Counties, and the other of members from the Masterton district. The speaker went on to say that he had a petition to present, signed by ninetyone members, asking the Committee to consider favourably the question of amalgamation with Masterton, the Show to be held at Solway, and two other lists were out and largely signed, which would not be presented at that meeting, as the holders were unable to be present. He asked the secretary to read the petition. The Secretary duly read the petition, which was on the lines stated by Mr Donald, the signatories comprising members of the Society in all parts of the Wairarapa, and a large proportion of South Wairarapa members.

Mr A. D. McMaster seconded the motion, believing that the time VM arrived for the holding of one Winter Show for the whole Wairarapa ui. - trict.

Mr H. A. Bunny said he regretted that he had again to speak on such an unsavoury subject. It was evident that the sole object which actuated the supporters of the present proposition was the necessity for the holding of a united Show for Wairarapa. Everyone knew that that was wanted, but was it the right way to accomplish such an end fcr members of the Society to go round and procure tl.e names of their own Society's members to a petition to give the Carterton Society a stab? He credited the Solway syndicate with the best of motives, but considered they were working under a mistake. The Wairarapa Society was not going to allow the Masterton Association to come down and pick up their asset, which the people of Carterton and district had worked hard to secure for so many years, and for such an uncertain financial project as a Solway Show. The speaker contended that the report on the financial prospects of a Solway Show condemned the project, an financially unsound. He urged that the proper step to take to secure amalgamation was for the two Societies to be asked to appoint sub-committees to confer on the question. Did the Waii-arapa Society know for certain whether Masterton wanted thorn? (Hear! Hear!) All the Carterton people did know for certain was that the Masterton Association wanted to get hold of a valuable asset of the southern,society. The speaker thought Mr W. C. Buchanan should have been consulted by the mover and supporters of the present resolution before they had gone so far with it, as it was largely due to Mr Buchanan's beneficence that the Carterton Society owed its very existence at the present day. He contended that Carterton had the larger population to draw upon, taking the question of radius into consideration. He believed the best plan was to negative the resolution, and let it be brought up again in a proper way.

Mr W. E. Bidwill opened a forceful speech by dwelling with emphasis upon the previously futile efforts made by the Masterton Association to secure amalgamation, and submitted that in face of these attempts it was hardly consistent to twit the present promoters of amalgamation with not going the right way to work if they desire such. What had happened, he asked, when a Masterton proposition had leen placed before the Wairarapn Society asking for amalgamation? It wa'a thrown out at the annual meeting without even so much a3 being discussed. The question at issue was not so muih one of a financially profitable Show so far as direct returns went, but whether the Wairarapa should stand in the forefront of agricultural and pastoral districts, and have a truly representative Show. It w?s asked by exhibitors in all quarters in outside districts, "What is the use of coming to your Show? There is no competition, and therefore no profit to us." Mr 'Donald's motion, far from being intended to engender ill-feeling, was formulated to have an opposite effect, in the amicable realisation of what was admittedly the best object ahead of the two Societies—amalgamation. He did

ot blamo Carterton townspceple for ,ny opposition they might show the icheme, but from a broad standjoint it wab essential that the jresent separate Show idea should be discontinued, and a united Show held at the most suitable place, which was, he thought, Solway. Speaking plainly, the supporters of the Wairarapa Show were dropping down to the fact that it was useless to continue that support any longer. Mr Wm. Perry said it was obvious to all that neither Show in the past had proved entirely satisfactory, and now that Masterton was starting out on batter lines it only remained for tha Wairarapa Society to co-operate for the general good of the Show and district. He adduced figures to 3how that Mr Bunny's argument regarding Carterton as being the most central pDint for a united Show wab wrong, the difference in population in a district ranging from Cross Creek on the south to Pahiatua on the north being nearly double in favour of Masterton. Mr Perry also traversed the criticisms of the Masterton Committee's report on the probable cost of a Solway Show, showing dearly that the figures were prepared with a view of including every contingency and to insure a safe estimate of probable disbursements. Referring to i Carterton Show, the speaker said that for some reason or other it was not now being regarded with favour from oucside. Personally (and he spoke as a breeder and exhibitor), he was never more disgusted in his life than to see the lines of sheep pens with only one outside breeder inspecting them. He handed the secretary letters from the following outside exhibitors, strongly advocating amalgamation, with one Show:—Messrs D. H. Potts, Mt. Herbert; Frank Moore, Kai Iwi; S. K. Lancaster and Slack Bros., Paimerston North. Mr W. C. Buchanan, in the course of a speech opposed to the motion, said he blamed Masterton for not allowing events to take their course years ago, when there was only one Society, contending that had they done so, time and public opinion would have insured that the present position would not have to be faced. He compared their action to that of an impatient person sowing a seed, and not waiting for the seed to germinate, but digging it up to see how it was getting on. He dwelt at length on what he considered the unbusinesslike action of the Masterton Association in doing as it had done regarding Solway, by sacrificing its valuable assets fur so small a return. He disclaimed any feeling of unfriendliness towards the Masterton Association, but thought they had not fully weighed the facts, and averred that in taking on the contract of providing accommodation for- the stock, etc. the Association hoped to see at the Show at its zenith they had a harder row to hoe than they dreamt of, and an impossible task, in such a limited area as 75 acres. What Mr Perry had complained of regarding lack of the public around the sheep pens was a common occurrence at all shows. * At certain times no one was to be seen round the pens, as all were looking at other attractions. While it was undeniable that one Show wad necessary, had the matter been approached in tha right way the question would have been settled amicably. He would vote against the motion, but hoped friends and opponents would nevertheless meet in the same friendly spirit after as hitherto.

Mr A. Anderson said it would certainly have been preferable if committees from the two Societies had been appointed to confer on the matter, but the best course now open was to let the matter go to the annual meeting, and he would support the motion. Mr Buchanan here mentioned, in explanation, that a remark of Mr Bunny's, in reference to Mr Donald not consulting him (the speaker) on the question, was made without knowledge of the fact that the speaker had told Mr Donald that he would meet with considerable opposition in his motion, which no doubt Mr Donald had considered as sufficient. Mr A. Matthews resented any reflections being cast on the manner in which Mr Donald had approached the question. He said that Mr Donald had taken the right course in interviewing members and ascertaining their views. The feeling had been strong for years past in favour of ■amalgamation, and when the question had previously been submitted to the Carterton Show people for consideration, what had happened? Although the leading exhibitors had expressed a strong wish for amalgamation, the Carterton votes had simply swamped them. The result was that many leading exhibitors had resigned, and he strongly hoped the same thing would not occur again. There was no room for Carterton criticism of the fact of Masterton Association assuming the responsibility attaching to the removal to Solway, aa the Wairarapa Society had bought a most expensive site at the outset, and its task then was more than equal to that now ahead of the Masterton Association, and, further, thn Wairarapa Society had not accomplished all that it might have done. The Carterton grounds were not suitable tor a Show which would be representative of a united district, as the time was coming wh«n material alterations would have to be made to many Showgrounds, and expenses would have to be incurred which a Society in the position of the Wairarapa one could not face.

Mr J. M. Lightfoot said that the hard fact which the Society had to face was that in the event of their deciding to throw in their lot with Masterton, the money derived from the sale of the ground must, under the Act, be handed over towards the purchase of Solway. Tho Society had during tho year made a profit of £263, and there was no reason why it should not continue to do so. The speaker said that while it was agreed that one Show was a desideratum, it should be arranged to the satisfaction of all concerned.

It was here pointed out that the discussion had ensued over a motion which had really no definite form, and Mr Donald amended it to read:--That a vote bo taken by ballot at the annual general meeting of memle's on the question of > amalgamation with Masterton, with a Show at Solway, tho name of tho combined Association to be the Wairarapa A. and P. Association, and the general committee to consist of one half members of tho South Waira-

rapa and Featherston Counties, and the other half of Masterton nepresentatives." Mr Buchanan said it was perhaps better to allow the matter to go before the general body of members if Mr Donald would amend his motion by striking out the reference to the constitution of the General Committee. Some further discussion ensued, during which Mr J. Strang pointed out that while all the opponents to amalgamation had admitted the need for such, they were not anxious to I allow the members of the Society to I settle it, an assertion which was met with denials. The motion was amended as suggested by Mr Buchanan, and put and carried unanimously.