REMARKABLE GROWTH.

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19895, 26 May 1936, Page 3

REMARKABLE GROWTH.

FAITH OF EARLY PIONEERS. DIFFICL'LTIES SURMOUNTED. THIRTY YEARS IN REVIFAV. Inseparably isociated with the distriot's progress and development. the history of an? \Vaikato \V'inter Show Association slime its inception 30 years ago is a story or obstacles surmount—ed. and a'piumph over many vicissi—tudes. Ité‘ remarkable growth. and great success to—duy stand as a monument to the pioneers of the aS< sociation who had faith In its future. and confidence in the district which saw its birth. The show owes its origin to the foresight, of the late Mr J. 5. Bond. who. in 1906. when he was Mayor of Hamilton, visited the Manawatu \Vlnter Show at Palmerston North, and returned to Hamilton greatly impressed with it and. in particular, with the exhibits of dairy and agricultural produce. The Manawatu exhibition had made great progress in tho coni—paratively short time 'it had been in existence and, realising the possibili—ties at such a show in the \\‘aikato, which had unequalled prospects or development', .\ir Bond initiated a mowment which resulted in the formation of the “‘aikato \Vintcr Show Associa—tion The Initial Show. The association did not come into existence immediately. although the proposal found. widespread support, and a vigorous campaign resulted in a meeting or the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce committee in Mr Bond's once on July 9. 1906, when definite steps were taken towards the formation or an association. The project was then taken up with enthusiasm in the town, and the Hamilton Borough Council showed its eagerness to help the enterprise by proceeding with a recommendation for the erection of n horse bazaar large enough to ac—commodate a show. ' The important. question of whether the new 'show should be adoptcd by the \\'alknto Agricultural and Pastoral Association. which had carried on an agricultural show in the district for more than i 3 yours. was dclmted at a meeting: of the general committee of the Agricultural and Pastoral Associa—tion on August ‘2. 1906. The townspeople of Hamilton had taken no ac—tive part in the. management. or that association and the, committee, comprised chiefly of farmers. werc reluctant to shoulder the burden of the new enterprise. Two men \\ci'c present who subsequently took a prom—inent. part in the foundation of tho new show, )tcssrs Allcn licil and Walter Chitty. At the outset the proposal to in—augurate the. now show found a cortaln amount at (iiscmirnxcmcnt and opposition, but the enthusiasm of a small hand of individuals hcalicd by Mr Bond prcmilerl. and on Urtohcr S. 1906, a. representative niccting of citizens was held, and a unanimous decision reached to form the \\'aikalu \Vlnter Show Association. liar!)~ in 1907 a poll for the llnl‘sc Raznar Loan. involving £3300, was iakcn. 'l‘hc scheme to ercct a horse bazaar was the subject. of n kcen routrm‘crsy, ai‘ though when the poll was tzikon, only one mtepaycr in clazht \‘oicil. the proposal being carried by :lt \‘ole to i‘.). A Successful Effort. \\‘ith thr- prospcci ut‘ suitniric ac» coininmiaiion twin: mmiu ii\‘|lltiit[t‘ for the Show. a campaign in \\ill.i:ll c\hiltHS for tho iniliiil \rninrv \\.is instituted by tho coininiitw- and tho sccrciar)‘. tlic litit‘ Mr it. lit llv‘stcili \ umni r-wpunsr “as i‘ni‘illi'nilliii.‘~ .iilii nri'angrml‘nts \\crr 111-illl' to hold iii.mxt show in Jul}. liiilT. it \\as in: ivipicil that this ~li-Illizi luv .i two—lla)‘ (‘H'llL hut actuall} ”ll‘ show n'\il‘illlwl “\nlr {our d~l_\.~. and it u.» .t ~:rmt sum-ass for it list \litl'iiiltl, 'l'iiu «li'lh cilii opcniuar l-mk ||l|r'-‘ Hn .ii|i\ ii. 1901 lilt' priiiripii simiitrr twin: lhc yummy \ir .'_ \. “"llil‘ m il-i- .¢1I~i‘ll"L‘ of mp i'w-suli‘ni, .\lr \Hl'll iii-ii, \\l|lt

11—; was attending Hu- Dominion confmu euro 0! the Farmers‘ I’lliou in Wellhurton. The first shnw was a great mn—lrnst to the romprohcnsive rxhihitinn onrnml this nflornnnn hy thv Prim" Ministrr. Although nwny hack in 1907 reports stutml that the horse. bazaar—which was at that time con—sidered tn hr the largest building under one span of roof in the country—\\'ns crowded with r‘xhihits, N “1311141 appr‘nr a \‘rry smnH anir rmnparml \\'in tho groni shnws nf rrrent years. \\'hrrms tho. dairy rxhlhils at. lht‘ first show, for insinnre. numborml ahuul, half :1 dozen. toqlay ”my haw n‘nrhrrl over ”on. and haw- Kainod for thr dairy sortinn lho \\'Pll»rm‘rilod lillo nf Ihr \\'nrld's grralrst dairy pruducr Shaw. \\'irh Hm passinz of lhn years [he ‘shnw has mmll‘ rn‘mm'kulllr‘ Ivrngross. um! n‘urh yrur h.» s-‘rn new rm'm-(h (‘.\Lll>lishl‘ll :md .L'rruh‘r rrumls in Ihr (mun, ’l‘his M'Jr's Shn\\’ has >1“ an own !li.'hrr Maud-Ird lhun its prr‘dvrrssnrs. and is mlsily thu- munltvst \\inlrrn‘\hiltitinll hrH in tho rnunlry. 'l‘hn {MI Hm 'l3 qwrial rail r.\rllr.~’inn~ arr "N';ll::' run. :nx'ludin,‘ from as far n\\u,\‘ us \\'rllilLA‘hm, fur llh‘ shuw. unrq 1w rvg.|r.lm| a~ .: lriivulu In its Impartunw‘. 'l‘n-ILI). lh<l pium‘l'rs «If [hr (l\.. Mu'iuliun \\hu hllll liu‘ In >V‘!‘ its grumllr um luuh IYIII'L \\ilh “I" kiln“— Ilvdgv lh.:l thrir mm in 2hr i'nlurr «If Ihr >hu\\ :Iml 0f 1h:- \\dikalu dizlrirl iu4s uul unsplarrd.