The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-10-23
THE COMING SHOW


Competition" is said TO be ''the soul
Of trade" and whether carried on
through the medium OF the ordinary
business relations, or that Of a great
international exhibition or local show
in which the products OF the surrounding
country are placed side by side In
friendly rivalry, its effect is the same.
All exhibitors strive to excel, and the
result is an improvement in the quality
OF the articles produced, and in some in
stances an extension OF the field Of
national industry which ramifie5 into
branches hitherto unthought Of Ia a
word, a show is calculated to promote
the increase Of national wealth. The
outcome Of the annual meeting Of the
Royal Hawaiian Agricultural Society is
therefore a matter for cOnuatulation.
It's hitherto lethargic condition, TO which
Mr.. Justice McCully made reference,
seems about to undergo some ameiiora-
ton. That, at least, is the intention Of
the Board Of Management; but the few
gentlemen Of whom it is composed, in
fuential though they be, cannot do
everything. They must receive public
support or their efforts viii be in vain
The meeting on Thursday evening,
though sufficiently large to form a
quorum, was but a small one. At that
meeting the Board was authorized to
make arrangements for the holding of 8
horticultural show in May next, reso-
luton in which such members thereof
as were present heartily conceded A
recommendation was also tabled favor
ing the simultaneous exhibition OF live
stock. That the Board of Management
will give effect to the decision of the
meeting in a manner as efficient as the
funds at their disposal viii admit of their
doing we have no doubt, but the meas
ure Of success which will attend their ef-
forts must be gagged by the amount OF
public support accorded them. The
agricultural, pastoral and horticultural
capabilities of these Islands have been
but partially developed. There is much
virgin soil which may be proftably de
voted to such pursuits, and the periOdi-
cal gathering together of such results in
these directions as have already been
achieved will be one Of the best means
of drawing attention to the subject.
Even the played-out farming interests OF
Great Britain derive much benefit from
the annual show in the Agricultural
Hall at Islington, while other examples OF
the many advantages accruing may be
seen at the antipodes, where every town
in Australia of any magnitude has its
annual or semi-annual exhibition OF
those farming products for which the
particular district may be best adapted
The reason given by the Secretary OF
our local society why such a show was
not held in Honolulu during the twelve
months just ended was a potent one so
far as liz officers were concerned. The
funds at their disposal were inadequate.
But this reason is a less consistent one
on the part of the interests represented.
1t is like man saying he cannot afford
to advertise because business is bad,
when, as matter OF fact, advertising is
his surest remedy; for what are these
shows but "bold advertisement" 1t
is true that horticulture is little more
than luxury-one, certainly, which
exerts refining infuence-but if a hor-
ticultural show successfully carried out
there is reason to believe that it will be
the prelude to something more sub
stanGal from an industrial point of view,
viz, the exhibition of agricultural and
pastoral specimens. Let us hope then
that the promised subscriptions of which
the Secretary spoke on Thursday even
ing will be augmented by many more, !
so that periodical show representative
OF all three branches of industry-agri- /
cultural, horticultural and pastoral /
may become a recognized feature here /