The Wairarapa Daily FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 1891.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3898, 28 August 1891, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 1891.

It was satisfactory to notice that the tone of the general meeting of members of the Masterton Agricultural and Pastoral Association, held on Wednesday last, was very favourable to at least partial amalgamation with the Wairarapa and East Coast Association. No doubt, the prospect of union is still somewhat remote, because on either side of the Waingawa there are many prominent members of both Associations who are animated by a strong spirit of localism, and who refuse to take the broader view of those who believe in one Wairarapa Show and one Wairarapa. Of course Masterton and Carterton are respectively strong enough and enthusiastic enough to run separate Shows, but this has to be done at the sacrifice of an annual exhibition which would be a credit to the North Island, and which would bring people from all parts of the country to this district. The evil does not end here, because the division between Carterton and Masterton induced certain Wairarapa settlers to start a third Show at the Hutt, so that the strength which might be concentrated upon one first class Show is frittered away between three inferior ones. Looking at the rapid settlement of the bush districts in Wairarapa Worth, it is evident that from this quarter valuable additions to a strong Pastoral Association might be obtained, but with the existing divisions it is «xtremely probable that the Wairarapa will, for Show purposes, surrender this important territory to Palmerston North. The existing Wairarapa shows are rather hollow affairs, fhey are necessarily got up on such a restricted scale that practically the same stock year after year is put into the same yards, and the make-believe art of exhibiting is drawn upon largely. A bull, perhaps, which has been displayed for half-a-dozen successive years has taken six first-class prizes, and if it survives another half-dozen shows it will probably carry to its grave the record of twelve first-plass prizes. Tliereisthat absence of competition which takes the grit out of a show, and it would be well if the district could make a united effort to get out of these old grooves, and hold a live Bbow at whjph awards could he given sufficient to induce entries from every provincial dia* tricfc in the Colony. Of course local enthusiasts on their own dunghill are wont to say, " what a gocd show this is, two thousand people on the ground," but we fancy that the few outside visitors who come amongst us speak of our shows, when they turn their backs, in anything but complimentary terms. Palmerston North, for example, knocks us into a cocked hat with its show which is really a united and representative gathering. The Wurarapa might' vie * with Palmerston North if it were to put its strength into one effort, but while it divides its exhibits between Masterton, Carterton and the Hutt, it will never approach the Manawatu exhibition.