In the spring of every year, New Zealand has a sort of epidemic of agricultural shows breaking out in the far north at Auckland, running down the coasts, east and west, jumping across Cook's Strait and re-appearing in the Middle Island at Christchurch, and running in a sort of irregular fashion (like a volunteer feu de joie) through the towns and villages, down to the south at Invercargill. First on the list this year came Napier, then Hamilton, then Auckland, then a leap to North Palmerston and Hawera, then Christchurch, Waimate and Oamaru; Timaru and Wellington lag a little, as if the priming of their guns were damp, and we shall doubtless soon hear of Palmerston, Waikouaiti, Dunedin and Invercargill, with many an intermediate sputter.

In the opening of this literary effort, we quoted some remarks by a British peer on this country, we will now give the views of a Scotch earl, our present Governor, Lord Glasgow, to which he gave expression at the Waimate Show, held on the 15th November, 1892, as reported in the "North Otago Times," of the following day:

"The great gala day of the year for the Waimate farmers and settlers took place yesterday, when the Waimate Agricultural and Pastoral Society held their annual show. The weather, which was threatening in the morning, fortunately cleared away, and the day was beautifully fine. The president read an address of welcome, and Lord Glasgow replied as follows: Mr. Morton, I have to thank you for the hearty address of welcome you have just given to me in the name of the Waimate Agricultural and Pastoral Association, and I beg you to make known to that body how much Lady Glasgow and myself appreciate the kind manner in which we have been received this day. I am very glad that we have been able to be present at this meeting of your Association, impressed as I am that it is from such local gatherings as this, and from the experience gained from them year by year that the success of the future of this great colony will be built up. Wherever I go in New Zealand I meet a class of farmers and breeders of sheep and cattle second to none—worthy sons of their forebears in the Old Country—bringing a vast amount of skill, energy, and experience to bear in the noble task of reclaiming this beautiful country and turning it [unclear: nto] beautiful pastures and fields of waving corn such as cannot be beaten in any other colony. I page 38 can imagine no more worthy occupation; and I sincerely trust that the bright future which appears to be dawning upon this colony may be more than realised. It certainty will be so if your perseverance and toil meet with their due reward. I again thank you most sincerely for your kind welcome, and I wish every success to the Waimate Agricultural and Pastoral Association. (Applause.) At the instance of Mr. G. Morton and Mr. W. J. Steward, cheers were given for Lord and Lady Glasgow; and Mr. Morton conducted Lord Glasgow over the grounds. During the afternoon the Waimate band performed a number of selections upon the ground, enlivening the proceedings thereby."

Transport yourself, reader, the bright day, the band playing, from far and near the settlers have come in by the country trains converging at Waimate to shake acquaintance by the hand and vie with one another, not in the relentless competition of trade, but as to who has done most to make this earth best worth living in.

The best sheep shown were the Border Leicester, the Lincolns were extra good. In cattle, Polled Angus, Ayrshire, and Alderneys were well represented. Of draught horses there were 40 exhibits. The show of pigs and dogs was very good. The farmers' wives showed butter and home-made bread, and the millers wheat and flour. Cured meats and agricultural implements completed the list.

Oamaru held her show on the 17th and 18th November, and we were there.

There is a fine breakwater, where a couple of ships are lying at their moorings; very large grain stores, and perhaps one of the best waterworks in the world, for the Waitaki River has been tapped, and supplies power enough to drive several flour mills and the local freezing works.

The climate of Oamaru is exceptionally fine. The high mountain ranges at the back intercept the rain, and the part of New Zealand beginning at Oamaru and running up to Banks' Peninsula, has perhaps more cloudless skies than any other, except the Napier province.

As in Waimate, the sky was cloudless, and about 4,000 people assembled in the Show grounds just at the back of the town, and there was not a poorly-dressed person in the crowd. The show of Clydesdale draught horses, and of long-woolled sheep, was as fine as you would see in England, and there is good reason why they should be, as no money has been spared to import the very best class to breed from. Mr. McAuley's draught horse Wallace, just imported at a cost of 500 guineas, only took the third prize—that will show what the others were. Of horses there were 74 draughts and 10 thoroughbreds. Of cattle, 54 Ayrshire, 11 Polled Angus, and 12 Alderneys. Of sheep, 79 Merino, 69 Border Leicester, 11 English Leicester, 34 Lincolns, and 10 Romney Marsh. There were also, of course, exhibits of dairy produce, grain implements, dogs, pigs, etc. The show lasts two days, which is about as long a time as the settlers can afford to be away from their work, as the shearing is now on.

The Oamaru Show is far from the largest in New Zealand. At the Christchurch Show, held on the 12th November, 16,000 paid for admission, the takings for two days being, £840.

With an extract from the "Otago Daily Times" of the 11th November, 1892, we close the subject of agricultural shows, of which the reader will by-this time probably have had enough