This ought not, however, to be a surprising consideration.
The farmers, who for the most part supply the exhibits, should be in good heart.
They will benefit most directly by the fortunate position which this dominion occupies, when compared with other countries and some other parts of the Empire.
This world-war has many melancholy results over and above the dreadful sacrifice of life and treasure that is being offered up on land and sea.
The economic disturbances produced by so tremendous a conflict are exerting a woeful influence upon standard values, and the end is not yet.
Up to the present New Zealand has hardly suffered at all from this cause.
The welfare and prosperity of this dominion are largely dependent upon the prices realised for primary products, and the immediate effect of the war has been to make the demand keener and market values higher for these.
Moreover, the main trade routes between New Zealand and Great Britain have been kept open, and there is every reason to believe that this happy condition of things will be maintained.
Recent news discloses a great need in England for crossbred wool for the manufacture of the khaki required by the troops; there is an equally keen demand for frozen meat; and other primary products are likely to be at a premium for some time to come.
The sight of the exhibits at the show must compel a feeling - selfish, perhaps - of thankfulness that while New Zealand is ready and willing to send her sons to the war to share in the conflict with a desperate and redoubtable foe, the dominion is so favourably situated that the extremities of other countries will operate to the advantage of her primary industries, the success of which is as the life-blood of the country.
• Friday evening was a gala night at Kaitangata, the occasion being the holding of a patriotic meeting there to raise money for the British-Belgian Relief Fund.
The meeting was under the auspices of the Otago Patriotic and Welfare Association, and needless to say, the event created a great interest on the part of the mining people of the town, the hall being crowded to the door.
• The St Clair Esplanade was visited by a large number of people to witness the effect of the recent storm and high tide on the beach.
Most of the sand in front of the esplanade wall, immediately opposite the pavilion, has been washed away, leaving nothing but the boulder beach on which the esplanade is founded.
The high seas of the spring tide, helped by the low barometric pressure on Wednesday night and subsequently, put the structure to a very severe test.
Waves licked the coping for almost the whole length of the wall.
The sand under the stone apron along the front of the wall has been washed away, allowing the stones to subside on to a permanent bottom.
This effect of the storm was pointed out at the time of erection by the city engineer.
The subsidence has now been made good by the addition of more stone, as was then arranged in anticipation of the present denudation.
It is thought that in future the sand may come and go as it will without in any way affecting the esplanade.
There was evidence yesterday that the sand has already commenced to return. - ODT, 26.11.1914.
• COPIES OF PICTURE AVAILABLE FROM ODT FRONT OFFICE, LOWER STUART ST, OR WWW.OTAGOIMAGES.CO.NZ
