FIRST DAY.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XLIX, Issue 12643, 2 November 1905, Page 8

FIRST DAY.

GLORIOUS WEATHER AND BRIL-

LIANT PROSPECTS

(Special to .''Chronicle.")

Palmerston North en fete once r.ore! Tha Big Show, with all its associate attractions is the magnet, pulling train upon train load of people in from all parts of the country, and from every city and town in the lower ■half of the South Island. On Tuesday night the streets were packed. lesterday (Wednesday) morning the invasion began with the earliest tram, and continued with increasing force throughout the day and until a late hour at night, and was then suspended, only to bo resumed again to-day, and still .again -to-morrow.. On that day..from present indications, and providing that the weather remains as delightful as it is at the time of writing, Palmerston North will hold by far the largest crowd of visitors ever assembled in any provincial town in the colony. In a word, New Zealand, from the North Ope to the Bluff, will be represented, and the splendid and well, appointed show ground of the Mana* watu and West Coast Agricultural and Pastoral Association will present a wonderful picture of humanity en masse. ... . As for the Show itself, it will, it may safely be predicted, amply justify the expectations of the most exacting patrons. The morning of the first day 13 not the proper time to judge of its comEleteness, for the reason that many exibitors are still busy in putting the finishing touches on their exhibits, and much of the iive stock'is not yet on the ground. But the. bulky catalogue, plu.*'the.evidence of hustling preparation, bears satisfying. testimony to_the • fact that the Association is race to race with a record-breaking success. And i£ enterprise, energy, foresight, and • perseverance—indeed, all those qualities which may bo pertinently described in the pithy phrase, "push and pluck"—count for anything, Secretary Lane and his tireless officers well deserve the .greatest possible measure or success. , The first evidence of the Association's enterprise which strikes the visitor is the new offices—a handsome two-storey structure-just above the.pu.blicoentranoa gates. The offices are complete in every respect, and provide ample accommodation not onjy - tor Mr. Lane and his clerical stair, but alto for the various officers of the- Association. In addition to the secretarial suito there are committee rooms, and library, telephone cabinet, and a large well lighted, and well appointed meeting Kail, the whole costing no leas . than £1100. Further enterprise, ot the same sort, is manifested in the new sheep pavilion, in which the Lincolns arc housed, and which represents the initial stage of a complete scheme tor providing covered accommodation for all sheep exhibits. Despite these heavy expenses, and other outlaying of a similar arid incidental character, the prize money has been considerably extended, and this year totals the substantial sum of £1810. In connection • with the live stock classes, the Association consistently adheres to the practice of restricting the cattle and sheep entries to registered stock. That is, that all battle entered in the competitive* classes must be registered in the Herd Book, and all sheep (other than those in the fat classes) must bear the official endorsement of the Flock Book. The aim of the Association is to get the "cream" of the live stock of the colony, and not merely to fill the pens, and the result is that the animals which face the judges at Manawatu include the prize winners from other shows, seeking as it were, the hall mark of the metropolitan arena. Several new fea- • trres are noticeable among the competitions, in which, as in the other departmente, considerable additions-have' been made to the prize money. ; v. The new eroatß'-.lnclu4e'the;-flr6(y..'of-^;series of competitions for the fManawatu: Ladies' Challenge Cup, and an interesting competition . for members of_ mounted rifle corps,- endqwed witli prizes "To 'the amount ot,£46,rplus a'valuable cup. There; is a splendid display of agricultural machinery'and. implements^-one- , of the bast, if. not; tß e ; best, ever, seemon the ground; the permanent stalk are all filled, with excellent displays, while the big Exhibition Hall (a show in itself) is; crammed with interesting exhibits. To-day the judging was limited to the poultry,' pigs, produce, homo industries, art, and industrial classes. The total entries this year number 8293, an increase of 877. The different classes represented are as follow:— Competition 250, horses 470, cattle 211, sheep 482, pigs 110, dogs 237, poultry 232, vehicles 140, industrial, etc., 491, implements, etc., 567. Mr., W,. B. Dustin, of Wanganni, is responsible for. the luncheon and refreshment rooms, and Ms excellent catering met with general approbation.

PIGS. • Mr. E. C. d'Auvergne, of Makikihi (Canterbury) had the task of judging the pigs, and he put in the best part of the day at his work. His patient .and conscientious examination of ©very animal was the subject of favourable comment on the part of more than one bystander. He was pleased with the exhiibts, as a whole. Theßerkshires appealed to him as a* particularly good class, espacially^fche-aged; sows and the sows under 12 months.; The Tamwortha were a good representative lot, bred true to type, >but somewhat deficient in show condition. Messrs. Slack Bros., of Palmerson, were the principal prizetakers in the Berkshire classes, carrying off nekrly all the firsts and tlie sow championship.! E. C. .Woolfender, who annexed the boar championship, and E. White and S. R. Lancaster were also well represented. John Jaryis virtually scooped the pool in, Tamworths. The Yorkshires were a very good class. B. Gray secured first.-awards, for boar and breeding sow respectively. W. S. Harris secured similar honours for boar 9 months and under 12 months, and sow of the same age. Ei White obtained first for boar under six months, sow over six months and under nine months, and sow under nine months, and H. J. Haynes secured first for sow and litter of not less than six pigs. Chas. Hopping hail»a "lone hand" in the Poland and China classes, and Mrs. B.H. Slack occupied a similar positioi with regard to Black JDevons. J. Medwick's entry was awarded first class for two pigs most suitable for bacon, E. White's entry being given the same honour, in the class for two fat porkers. Slack Bros.' Berkshire sow, Empress Queen, carried off the prize for best pig in the show.

Kerizie's c.h. Secrecy, and Mrs. D. G. Riddiford's br.g. Cinders were each very highly commended. Thirty-one competitors were catalogued for this event, and the judge expressed the opinion that they were a very high class lot for maiden performers, and an allround lot of clean and clever jumpers.