IN the lead-up to the 1908 show season, the South Coast was reeling under the effects of a severe drought that had gone on for seven months and was said to have been the worst in 60 years.
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The Berry Show was abandoned for this reason, but the Shoalhaven Agricultural and Horticultural Association decided to go ahead with the Nowra Show.
This proved a good move when 16 days before the show the drought broke and over the next six days 763 points (almost 270 mm or rain - over 10 inches in the old scale) of rain drenched Nowra.
While it was too late to have much effect on crops, fruit, vegetable and flowers, the ground was freshened up to “a rich mantle of green”, and looked a picture come the opening of the 34th annual show.
It was held on Wednesday and Thursday, February 12-13, the second day being declared a public holiday.
A special train ran from Wollongong on the Thursday, while people coming from Sydney between the Tuesday and Thursday were offered a return ticket for the price of a single fare.
Despite threatening weather on the first morning, there was no rain and the takings were considered highly satisfactory.
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The cattle sections were dominated by three exhibitors.
David Hyam won all 11 classes of Jerseys; Alex Lamond won 10 of the II Holstein classes; and Charles Lamond took out 12 of the 14 Ayrshire classes.
The Shorthorns saw more competition, and it was from this breed J.W. Cole’s cow Gold was adjudged the best on the ground.
A third breed of pigs was introduced for this show, and the winner exhibited by Zaccheus Bice of Comerong Island was also named as champion boar.
As usual there was an extensive program for horses, while dogs and poultry were also catered for.
Local businesses were among the prizewinners in the dairy produce, where there were classes for the heaviest hen eggs, taken by W.H. Watts; and for the best can of cream fit for churning, won by Thomas Binks.
Henry Weigand won with his agricultural implements and Alf Brodie and Woodhill and Co. for their leather work.
While the number of entries from school children was down on previous years, the pavilion must have been packed with the large number of fruit, vegetables and flowers, jams and preserves, bread and cakes, along with sewing and art work.
There were two classes for a collection of scones, one made with Brunton’s flour and the other with Crago’s flour.
Encouragement for new exhibitors came with the sections for those who had never previously won a prize.
Among the non-competitive exhibits was one put together by the Shoalhaven Co-operative Bacon Curing Company, which showed the array of goods that could be produced from a pig.
Albert Woods also presented something notable - a miniature bus, perfect in every detail, that had been made using 187 separate pieces of timber.
In officially opening the show, local MP Mark Morton praised the show committee headed by president Hugh McKenzie who had erected a gate he predicted “would stand for many years as a monument to his generosity”
Mr Morton also noted that the association had spent about £2000 on land it did not own, and had reduced its debt to about £450.
Mr McKenzie’s gate, built at his own expense, was erected at the entrance to the showground gate with a brick ticket selling officer.
Nowra Council converted the ticket office into a men’s lavatory in 1937 and it remains at the showground today.
Another interesting story from the period was Patrick Colin .C. Mackay, manager of the Nowra branch of the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney, 1901-11.
He was farewelled by the show society but his departure was delayed until after the show following representations made to the bank by show president High Mackenzie.
At the time Mr Mackay was also the show treasurer.