NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 786, 30 June 1877, Page 6 (Supplement)

NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.

(From the " Auckland Evening Star.")

To say it is a fine day is like saying '" Queen Elizabeth is dead,". but it really is a very fine day, though cold. A'number of .gentlemen left Auckland by the 7 o'clock train. I noticed the heads of Messrs Whitson, ICirlcAVOod, and Cruiclcshank peeping above the.horizon of Havannah fumes m the .pmokingj cars, but have not heard tjiat they are going to take any part m tlie ploughing match.' Tempted by the Aveather, a niiriiber ; 0f, sporting gentlemen also came by this ' train ; Councillor. Masefield, Avho is; a crack slfot, being one of the party. . Also, 'm the tiaiu is that crack politicalshot, Councilldr Wallis, M.H.R., but as I have not seen the energetic'D.ocWs double-barrel, I cannot say if lie is going m for, pheasants this trip. Game is not so plentiful as m former years. Oil Saturday, seven crack sportsmen Avent pheasant shooting m the district. They Avere armed with double-barrelled guns,\ had .abundance of ammunition, .were protected by.game licenses, and had ten clogs. Such a hunting party, under ordinary circumstances, and m previous years, would have bagged a t large number' of. game, but on this ( occasion. th,ey: : scarc^,, ,saAV ;! , signs of pheasants, and, report " .themselves, lipme Avithpiit luck. ,It Avillthu^be-sepri tij^t the! birds are, not increasing^sb , fast "a,£ it Ayas : th'onglit they , Avould, nor is ; it' so easy arid inexpensive -• to> ' bag pheasants . as , niany suppose.; Here, Aye have a, party,, the value of, whose, outfit must' be. considerable^ * The. guns may be.ainderestimated at' £50; seven licenses, £li ; teuidogs,' £50; am : munition, &c. , ; throwii m, leaves, a moderate, 'eitirtiate of £1 lfi, ,as the valu.e of , the, campmeiit Avith Avhich thjis' sporting party spent a'portion pf Saturday m pursait; of pheasants Avithout success. , |, , The event Pf this day as sefc , forth m last night's Star, ■, is the NvZIA. Society's Annual Ploughing., Match,, m Mr' John's paddbeks . it,,is creating great interest m the country, although, but little talked of m Auckland. The indifference of the masses m town is due. j n6 ( to the suicidal policy of the maiiagemeht m not more fully publishing the ; coming event. If Syell advertised, and arrangements made for ,a special train, liuncl rods Avould have' come from toAvn, and enjoyed 'the trip this lovely Aveather. ; Besides kindred, ties Avhich bind ', many, toAViispepple ,to people m the country, ithere, are busiudss relations Avhich create feelings of sympathy for tli,e farmers operations. , There lies also m the human constitution a , natural affinity to the soil, all our ' nourisiimeut proceeds ' directly or indirectly from the earth, atad the earth receives it all back m condensed or mortal form when Aye cease tobreathe. Thisperhaps explains a natural interest taken m cultivating: '50i1.,, Agricultural pursuits are connected Avith the ; earliest history of man ; Job asks "Canst thou bind the unicorn witii his band, in the furroAV? Or will he harroAv the valleys after tliee?" A jockey tliinks that if Ovven McGee got hold of the unicorn he'd make him harrow Papakura Valley before he'd donewith him. Such is the ■ spontaneous testimony to pluck and ability. • While the Onehungians ar,e hiakingAvarlike preparations, jieople on tlie South ' Road are for the beatihgsAvbrds into ploughsharers, and .. ,■ ; .. The, land with daily ca^p., Is exercised, and with an Iron war Of rakes and harrows. ' j Agriculturalists are said to be ■ the backbone of the colony. To-day there is gathering together a, fine sample of backbonea, or to speak poetically after the imnwrtal Dryden. .'','!. Who call cease t' admire? The ploughman c&nsul m his coarse attire. Such a sentiment, liOAvever, scarcely had been expressed by amau Avho had seen a large proportion of English ploughmen, unless cloclhopping feetj aud general uncouth appearance was the bean -ideal of the "Ploughman Consul." Here, hoAyeyer, the i ploughmen, to .use <Mr McQee's prpfessional'term, are fiye, upstanding fellows; regular ploughmen consuls^ and open to plough the rest, of the colony for any suni they like to mention. . '■'.'",. It is currently reported that the Other day a sportsman at Orakei shot a carrier pigeon with a message attached, to its leg. Such an act, though|,it may not haye been done Avith knowledge of the birds .qualitieSj, was an act to be .regi'etted. If the beareVs of .this day?s ,news ; from, the Pioughing • Match Avere toget shot,. it is not duly, tlie loss. of. valued, messengers. to be deplored," butitds also the detention of, news 'from the many thousands leaders of the. Star. The law should protect ]by,, every .meaii^ m its; poAver, such valuable . adjuncts of the presp, ( and such admirable substitutes for telegraph and post-offices. ■'..'.' A large number of farmers are arriying,. and' all the arrangements are most' satisfactory. r Twerity-three ploughs "are-hard, at wprk, ; 'and 1 owing to- there : being moi-e , enjtries than Avere expected, an extra'paddq'ck had to be used; • ■ The Committee are :]yCess'rsAv Harris, Robertson, Owen McGee, Ap.dersdn', 'Bainbridge; and Boovery, Avho have" worked hard aiid well: The increasing price' obtaihecHor wheat' is 'stimulating the fai-niers to go m for more" ploughing, and • thje constant Avorlc of late has taken the condition out ;of the horses, but the teams are' all' in favourable ! working : trim.. One o| ■' Sam . Davidsons; liorses frisky,, and appears 'to be practising for the juraping matches. Harry . 'Broom; < the champion -ploughman kfor tAvo years, has dangerous opponents m the single furrow- match m furrow Donald Clark is thought to haye a, good chance for ; standing first; Morris, for second prize. Gray; • Avinner . of the tAvo prpvious y ears, is sure tb Avin the B.a^s match, barring accident,: aud Gillard i« shaping AA r ell' for second. Harper and I^emp are the favorites m the drawing. ' The horse- jumping is likely to cause ■' great diversion, ' and Mr • •' : ■ Harris has thoroughly' worked : up -this '■ department. Robert White, who is here, is said to have umped a 14-feet wall last week. The; folloAving horses are entered :—''• jMr O. McGee's, Connauglit Ranger. • I Mr Harris's Kangaroo;' «'''''• 1 Mr McLean's- Dainty, V d ■ ,; • - ;ij Mr Gillard's Rocket. ! < i Mr'Foley's Tomniy, ■■■■.;- --; Mr Filling's Waikato, ■•■ -■ ••• - r ; ■i i ' : / j Mr' White's Tamaki/ r ' .;.;:. ..i .Mr Laughlin's Devil's Gprner. ' i AIL are' cbn'fideht of Avinning. j The greasy pig, given 'by Mr de; Rose, is j expected to be Avon by either Mr Bainbridge br Mr Joseph May. . ;; = •■■■'■ : i The prizes given' by, Auckland friends were displayed to great' advantage, 'and are ihuch admired by the' spectators. < ) The judges are Messrs Jeffrey, McLean, W. T, Bassett, John Wallace, and Niccdl. j Dradning^-Kemp^-finishad at 1.4. o'clock, and' Harper at 1.15. i ;..,• . , •'■ J The- single plough 1 match, :Avas not fin. 1 ished— Harry >or Fredrick BroAvn is cx r . ' pected to Avi*. .. iV;r: : , : j. In.' the Double Plough. Match, Donald Shapes for winner,' and> the Mack's Man second. ' ; ; V . Isleman and Cocky arrived, m time .to contest the jumping match. :: The shaved and greased r pig has just arrived -without a tail.: „•-, . , . „ I ; ); ! SERIOUS ACCIDENT. - ; A serious accident happened to Migmonette, the' Winner of "the Henderson'^ Mill's poney race. Mcßory was giving, her a .preliminary jump our the furze hedge. She baulked someAvhat, and Avas throAvn upon a pointed stake, Avhicn entered her abdomen. ©Aven McGee put the protruding part m again, and seAved up the wound. . .