Alexandra Times at KellyGang 6/12/1873
KYNETON
Last week we visited this large, flourishing, and important township, and were pleased to notice the great improvements that have been effected during the past twelve years. Many of the original wooden structures have given place to substantial bluestone and brick buildings. The neighborhood of the Junction Hotel presents a mass of places of business well filled with merchandise, indicating that not only is there a large consumption of the necessaries of life, but that every imaginable luxury, in quantity and quality, to be found in the great city of Melbourne, can also be supplied at this inland township. Kyneton was in its holiday garb. Flags were fluttering in the breeze in every direction. Neighing, prancing steeds, bearing male and female riders, hurried to and fro. Family groups in gay equipages and humble carts, all in holiday attire, crowded the streets.
The occasion of this unusual bustle was the Agricultural Show , held in the show yards immediately adjoining the township. These have been well fenced in, and suitable refreshment buildings and subdivisions of yards have been erected, and made to meet every possible requirement. There was a very numerous attendance from all parts of the extensive district, and the dress, tone, and general manner of the people indicated comfort, easy circumstances, and respectability. His Excellency Sir George Bowen was present, accompanied by several members of the Executive and both Houses of Parliament, all of whom seemed to take touch interest in agricultural mutters.
The exhibition of short-horned cattle from the celebrated herds of Mr Morton was equal to anything of the kind we have ever seen. A yearling bull, valued at £600, was a picture; another pure white bull of the same class, and about the same age, would some years ago have been of immense value, especially on the Nile, where his coler alone would have commanded the worship of the people. A team of bullocks, each weighing 14cwt, was also a sight worth seeing. The horse stock was not quite up to expectation, especially the draught animals. The "Champion of Scotland" (an entire) is a splendid animal, and has hair enough on his legs to satisfy the most greedy in that way. The hacks were nothing remarkable; considerable amusements was created by their trial at jumping. Some of them took the leaps well, but there was a great amount of baulking, fortunately without accident.
The exhibition of Lincoln and Leicester sheep was grand, and could not be much excelled in Victoria. We need not go round the whole show, as the stock and agricultural implements would take too long to fully describe. Every modern improvement was to be found there, and as for the dairy produce and other exhibits, they were the finest that the colony can produce. The interest taken in the show was equal to that of any past year, and there can be no doubt but the general effect of such an exhibition must be to improve and advance the agricultural and grazing interests, not only of the district, but of the colony generally. In concluding these few remarks we would urge on the people of Alexandra the desirability of setting about making preparations fir an agricultural show. It will take a considerable time, no doubt, before the perfection of Kyneton can be reached, but every thing must have a beginning, and there is no telling what grand results may arise from small beginnings.
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