TOLD ON LAMBTON QUAY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5187, 21 November 1895, Page 2

TOLD ON LAMBTON QUAY.

♦ [Br The Ancient Mariner.] "Anftims tpake on that ancient man, The bright-eyed uiarwer."—Coleridge. Wellington, Tuesday. FEATURES OP THE BHOW, Wellington's annual adoration of sheep and cattle, horses, pigsttHl dogs is now over, and by ge«pß consent tho Show is voted better than its predecessors. To begin with the number of entries exceeded that of tho previous year by very nearly 50 per cent., but large entries count for .nothing if there is not a good attendance of the public At : ten o'clock on Thursday morning the committeemen placed their fat thumbs in their mouths and pondered on what would be the loss if the rain continued pouring. It was calculated that the loss would run into three figures; but sprp: showers are unreliable, and We Wellington Show Oommitteo will havo tho ploasuro to announce a surplus, a small one perhaps, but still a surplus. The people of the City have uot hitherto patronised the Shows as they deserved to be, but the people made amends last week, the attendance from the City being fully 1000 more than last year. The surrounding country districts however did not send their full quota, but tho steady downpour is answo ■ able for this. A

KOUK SUPERLATIVE FOISTS. Taking tho show as a whole there wero four points of special merit, The exhibition of Ayrshire cattle, which by the way appear' to bo recognised as the best for tho dairy, was second to none in tho Colony, and is proved by the prices realised at the stock sales the day after tho show. In Romnoy sheep, it is believed no such show has over been seen in the Colony, the quality in this class being exceptionally good. Hacks and hunters mado a brave show, exceeding in merit similar exhibitions in other parts of tho Colony. The produce show was tho i fourth superlative point of the exhibition, and was a magnificent illustration of the capabilities of the j country. In the above four departments the Wellington show was, in I the opinion of experts superior to [any other Agricultural and Pastoral Show held in the Colony, THE JIAXAOEMEXI. . 4 The arrangements of the S& were in good hands, and I sayffs, not for the purpose of pleasing™ gentlemen connected with the Exhibition, The Committee on whom • the bulk of the work rested were more or less experts, and carried out their duties intelligent}'. Tho Secretary, Mr Geo. Scales, when dealing with stock and produce, is in his element, and what would to any other person have been a severe strain, was to him mere child's play. ' The Committee, however, very wisely decided that extra clerical assistance should be given the Secretary, and although this might have been obtained in tho City, still, to make sure of getting qualified men,engaged the services of Mr W. Sellar, of Mas- » terton, and Mr J, Moncricff, of Carterton, two gentlemen who appeared to have the Show business at their lingers' ends.

SOMK WEAK I'OIXTS. There were several weak points in the Show, and it is a woll to mer • tion them. The grandstand mjk> , grand joke, and on Show day W&& very much likeaframeforpot-phi'.its. His Excellency the Governor, who patiouised the Show, and held a commanding position on the alleged grandstand, reminded one of an exquisite pelargonium surrounded ' by a lot of common geraniums. The grandstand at Carterton could ' give tho Wellington stand many points, aud then beat it. Another feature of the Show (o which objection seemed reasonable, was the woman boxer. If a woman cares to spar with a man in public, for the sake of the gate money, she \ x has a perfect right to do so, but one goes to an Agricultural and Pastoral Exhibition to see the nw cows and the new mares, but not the new woman, The woman pugilist would have been better left out of the programme. WOIITII IMITATIXIi.

*' The Driving Competition was ono '' of the features of the Show, and • • although the conditions were not sufficiently stringent, still it was well worth watching. This should take a prominent place in all exhibitions, and the Wairarfoa people will do well to include driving in their next programmo. TII9 Polo Match was very interesting, but would have been more so if ive *" - had more of the mutch and less , plain galloping. This is hardly worth copying unless thoro are ■ sufficient players in the district to 1 provide a real good game. I'ItITATE EJiTEHI'MSI'. Much private enterprisowasshown at the Wellington Exhibition, tho best of the private shows being that' 1 of the United Farmers' Co-oporatiyo Association. This company had a very superior exhibit of seeds and grains, artistically and conveniently arranged and was tho thorao of admiration. All the samples shown were of a very high quality, and extremely clean and bright, It was a really good advertisement for the " Farmers' Co-op," aud will no doubt briug in good results. The Wellington Woollen Company was guilty of a smart piece of advertising, rivalled only by (he hog kings of Chicago, it is alleged, Mr PorkeUs thrust iu at one end of a appears at the other end in tho form of sausages. Wool that was being carried about in a paddock at (i . 0 clock in the morning, was, nine hours afterwards exhibited as a suit of clothes, and thoro was nothing of tho nature of slops about them. This little advertising feat must havo cost tho Company a tidy little sum, for when one looks into the matter, it is quite apparent that tho ordinary routine of the mill must have been suspended in order to allow this' special job to get through. Thecost,/! however, is nothing whon compared < with the good results that must follow such a smart odvertisemonfe Its direct valno to the Company will probably run into three figures, while it is impossible to calculato the indirect benefits.

HOOD CIUKR, Cider—youwill hearallaboutcider whon the Amateur Operatic Socioty gets on the job with Les Clocheafc Cornevillo. Cider played no sSi part at the Wellington Show, for two ' cider-making companies, the Golden Apple and the Styx cider, each hada plentiful supply of their brews on Show Grounds. Tho Golden Applo Company, for whom Messrs Levin and Co. are agents, mado a favourable impression on the public, so favourable that many developed sudden thirsts which eider alouo could

quench. The Golden Apple Company distributed the fitvoius freely,aud thus secured an excellent advertisement. Thore is, no doubt, oWer jg making headway, and will continue so, as "wo progress in the path of temperance. "wEUDOJiNE." A word of praise is due to tho Railway Department for tho excel- * lent arrangements on Show Day. Rod tape and sealing wax wero thrust aside, aud common sense and business talent allowed a little scope, with the result that tho Railway Department gave complete satisfaction. Tho Traffic Manager, Mr Donno, is making a strong feature of low second-class fares, and Show Day proved the correctness of tho new move. On Show Day all carriages wero regarded as first-class, and passengers travelling in these wero charged 2s each, Covered-in trucks wero provided for second-class paraengers, and tho fare was as sum) I ' as it could well bo, being only sixpence. Theso low prices wero positively tempting, and account largely for the increased attendance at tlio Show. Mr Donne's cheap fares are evidently right in theory and profitable in practice.

THE CItKDIT CBAZE. The bane of every tradesman is the inordinate amount of credit that is given. It is true that traders have in recent years curtailed credit, nevertheless book-debts still make a Ift good show with almost every business man. Itroaybe,andno doubt is bad business, but 1 am afraid that without credit there would bo much bursting. As illustrating the credit craze a little anecdote alleged to bo quite true, was given tome the othor day, The scene is laid in a Marlborough township where floods are not unknown. A stranger walked into a butcher's shop and surprised the butcher's-boy banging blue-bottle Hies, " I want a pound of chops please," said the stranger and the face of tho lad became suffused with his best business talent. The chops were chopped, carefully rolled up in newspaper and . handed to the customer. " How much ?" asked the stvanguv. "I don't know, Sir," was the reply of the boy. " But I want to pay you for these chops. How do yon manage ?" This was as good as a smack on the chops to tho bright butcherhoy, for it knocked him silly. "Wc never take any cash bore Sir, I always tell the boss when he comes in fand he books it," replied the lad, The customer was obliged to set bis own value on the pound of chops and giving the boy the money left the place. The story looks as thin as a wafer, for Colonial kids generally and butcher boys particularly are not built on such " no savee" lines.

aniiiiMi a nonnv. Amateur photographers have multiplied in number and the man with a camera may be seen at every corner,espccially where there are tit-bits of scenery. The Wellington Camera Club which was formed a few years ago by a few enthusiastic photographers now has a roll of 108, and

is steadily increasing. Next week i the Club expects to open its own club-room, where the members may see the recent photographic journals and publications and meet for mutual improvement and the cultivation of the "taking" hobby. During the summer months competitions aie held and prizes awarded, and thus the interest of the members is always kept simmering. The judges of tho H'orknt the monthly competitions are invariably judged by the competitors, and the awards are fair or . otherwise according to the success or failure of the individual who expresses an opinion. To cause an extra attraction a photographic competition was held in connection with the Kennel Club's Show, when dog photos were plentiful. The award of the judges, though accepted as correct, has not pleased some of the competitors, one of whom appears to be particularly displeased with the results. The Camera Club is doing good work, and there is no doubt the club has been instrumental in raising the level of amateur photographers so far as this city is concerned.

THE rEXALTV OK A I'EXSIOX. There is an Imperial pensioner in this Colony, who in '55, and ' in the Crimea, when clutching : a stone barrier and gazing ardently at the Russians, a Russian shell burst with terrific force close by, ' shattering the rocks and heaving a jagged boulder with marked effect '■&' on 8 ' iam ' of that stone is still visible on the hand of the pensioner, who, in consequence of this mishap, is in receipt of £2 4s per month from the Imperial Government. In the 40 years that have elapsed the pensioner has progressed, diligence and perseverance well applied have enabled him to lay in a store of wealth, and he is now able to take it easy. The pension is received at the Colonial Secretary's office on the 2nd of each month, but its receipt involves a great expense. I had it from the 4 pensioner himself that it costs him between £'i and £4 every month' Jt comes about in this way, as soon as the pension is received thirsty souls are found, picked up, or met with, and a thirstyepidemicinvolves an enormous expenditure in the curing process. The pensioner runs through his pension, and a pound or two besides, and by the time he * reaches home the pensioner is as ''drunk as a lord." The pensioner, it must be understood, however, is not a common " tank," on the contrary, except on pension day he very .a seldom touches liquor. W Tin; remits.. The punters on the mining market are in better spirits this week, all stocks showing an upward tendency The snid punters are not ut little anxious to know what caused the depression, and for some reason or other attribute it to the bears. The punters are pwbably not far wrong in their calculations, and the knowing ones are working upon the theory that the bears of to-day will be the bulls of to-morrow and arc therefore s buying up all likely stocks. If the depressed market is due to the action fe of the beam, and they have secured the stocks they desired, it will be to their interest to " bull" the market, so that an infliction in the values of scrip must follow. The punters hold that those who buy in now will stand in with the balls and make a good profit. This is the gospel of tho punters and my readers can lake it for what it is worth.

OKAKOE BLOSSOMS. W 1 A wedding of some interest to you in the Wairarapa, took place at St, Paul's pro-Cathedral, Thorndon, on Monday last, when Mr George A, C. Itobieson, the popular Relieving Officer of the Wellington District Railways, was married to Miss Ida K, M. Hawk, of Wellington. The bride was attended by Miss Edith Hawk, her sister, and by Miss Etiiol JPsufaffi a cousin; and thecoremony

at the Church, whereat ouly the more intimate relatives and friends of tlio young couplo had assembled, was conducted by the Rev. Mr Sprott, Subsequently the wedding party adjourned to a light ilejmer at the residence of tlio brido's mother: in Tinakori Road, from whence tlio newly-united pair, with many good wishes, set out by tlio afternoon Manawatu train en ronle for Auckland and the Hot Lakes, where tlio honeymoon willbespentmidstlhedelightfulsnrronndings of that charming tourists' paradise. Mr Robieson, the bridegroom, it should bo mentioned, is the eldest son of an esteemed pastoralist up your wayMr James Robieson, of" Cavelands." He is also the senior grandson of that respected and gonial oldidentity, Mr A. W, Ronall, of Masterfon.