Wairarapa Daily Times. [ESTABLISHED 1875.] MONDAY, MARCH 12, 1894. THE MASTERTON PASTORAL SOCIETY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4667, 12 March 1894, Page 2

Wairarapa Daily Times. [ESTABLISHED 1875.] MONDAY, MARCH 12, 1894. THE MASTERTON PASTORAL SOCIETY.

The annual meeting of the Masterton Pastoral Snoiety showed itsell on Saturday last a little sensitive to very mild and innocuous criticism. At the present time it needs in its own interesta soraewbat more draatio strictures, The time has not yet arrived when Masterton people oan feel proud of their show, and till that period is reaohed it is wholesome for them to be reminded of its weak points, and to stimulate them to further efforts than' they have put forth of late years.: We take it that the: two more palpable drawbacks at present ato an attenuated prize list and a new show ground, whioh so far has rather resembled a whiteelephant..But before taking exception to these detrimental features in the Society, it is only just to premise that the business management of the Society during the paaf year has been good and that the affairs are no longer embarrassed by the special pecuniaiy difficulties whioh previously beset them. The prize list of the late show can only be justified by a desire to cut the coat of the Society according to its cloth, but the Booner the settlers of this district recognise that the said cloth is scrimpy and despicably narrow, the sooner will the coat be improved. If settlers wantagood coat,' they must put their hands in their pockets, and furnish a sufficiency ofoloth. About the new show ground we know but little. If it be a right piece. of ground in aright place, the sooner it >s turned fcto a working elephant the better; but if it doss not answer the special needi of the Sooiety the sooner it is got rid of the better it will be for one and all. Probably the show will not make any very deoided i step in advance till it secures ! ■the servioes of a Secretary who , possesses nob only ability but i has ample time at his disposal i to work up the interests of the ' Sooiety, The present Secretary, Mr J W. Lowes, unquestionably possesses, the requisite ability,- but he has nol much leisure time at his command and only accepted office reluoiantly till some suitable person was found as his successor. It might now be a way out of this difficulty if he were willing to train an assistantrSeoretary to. help' him in the work and when efficient to succeed Jiim. . We, do tot suppose anyone, not even the most enthusiastic supporter of the Society, is quite satisfied with it on its present scale even though it be financially strong with its' head" well above water, Its real friends must desire to see it extend and develop and should welcome all comment and criticism whiob' may. he fair and honest. If our neighbours see our faults and defioieuices and tell us of them we ought to be thankful and to mako an effort to mend them.. We trust yet to eee the day when Masterton. can take a legitimate pride in its annual pastoral show.