AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 1, Issue 46, 10 January 1880, Page 2

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATION.

A general meeting of tbs members of the Ashburton Agricultural and Pastoral Association was held on Thursday in the Somerset Hotel. John Grigg, Esq., presided in the chair. There was a fair attendance of members The first business of the meeting on the card was to consider the advisablcness of altering No. 4 of the Society’s rules, which provided that the annual general meeting of the Society should be held on the second Tuesday in September. An alteration was made from the above date to the second Tuesday in April. A letter was read from Mr. F. B. Passmore, advising that in offering prizes at the annual show for implements it was advisable to have as many classes as possible. Exhibitors of machinery and implements as a rule did not care for the money prizes offered, being more desirous of having tire machines, &c brought under public notice. This would bo more effectively done by the award of a greater number of cards of merit than was usually done, thereby drawing attention to machines and implements meritorious in themselves that might otherwise ho overlooked. The letter could not be dealt with at that meeting, which was a special one, but it was filed for future reference and guidance, and the Secretary was ordered to acknowledge Mr. Passmore’s letter with thanks. It was resolved to hold the reaper and binder contest on the 20th insfc., two offers of grain for cutting having been made—one by Mr. Hay T. Smith, and the other by Mr. J. Carter. The selection of the most suitable field was left to the Managing Committee, which was constituted as follows ;—Messrs. Hay T. Smith, Mayo, Silcock, E. Saunders, and Joseph Hunt. As judges of the reapers and binders —Messrs. Parsons, Black, Passmore and Caincroii, as farmers were appointed, and Mr. B. G. Wright as an engineer. The alteration of rule 4 having necessitated an alteration in rule 9 the needful change was made. The Chairman stated a petition had been drawn up and extensively signed for 20 acres of a reserve near Saunders’ mill, being set aside for a public market. The idea of a public market was hit upon, as a reserve for cattle show purposes having already been granted on the other side of the river, it might be difficult to get a second reserve granted fur these purposes. Tiie Chairman had spoken to Mr. Marshman on the subject, who had raised the difficulty of the .society not being enrolled, and therefore the land could not be crown-granted to them. It was eventually resolved —“ That steps be taken for the immediate enrolment of the Society, and also for having the proposed cattle market invested in the Society.” Mr. Garter wrote, offering a finely fenced paddock of five acres at Tur.vald, enclosed in a plantation of gums, for the use of the Society as a show-yard, at the rent of 10s an acre, with the reservation that he may graze sheep on the ground when it was not in use by the Society. The question of holding the annual show on the Ashburton side of the river was held over to be settled at next meeting. Mr. Zouch proposed that a Committee, comprising Messrs. Grigg. Carter, and Cox, bo appointed to frame a device for a Society medal, which proposition was adopted. On the motion of Mr. Edward Saunders an extra honorarium of LlO was voted to the Secretary, Mr. Jameson, for his valuable services in connection with the recent show, and the general business of the Society. The mover, the Chairman, and Mr. Hunt, all spoke highly of Mi’. Jameson’s attention to the Association’s business and. interests. After some other unimportant business the meeting adjourned.