THE AGRICULTURAL & PASTORAL ASSOCIATION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 2, Issue 164, 12 October 1880, Page 3

THE AGRICULTURAL & PASTORAL ASSOCIATION.

i To the Editor. Sir, —While seated in my chair on Saturday evening, October 2, and wading into tlie mysteries of your journal, my attention was drawn to an article evidently written to spur up the sleepy farmer, and to make him more obedient to the call of Agricultual and Pastoral Association. No doubt it is very pleasant to spend an evening in hearing a paper read, and at the close of it to put the reader through his facings by asking all sorts of questions you can think of that will puzzle him, and then to trot home in ten minutes. But it is quite another thing when you have to sit in you saddle for an hour or more, and not reach Jiome before twelve o’clock. By the timeyou would reach home all the paper and the discussion are frozen out of you. Besides, I notice you are very liberal to admit members or non-members. I was under the impression that none but members were allowed in the hall. But, sir, I think it is only wise of the farmers to let the Ashburton merchants and tradesmen have the benefit of the paper and discussion, for as far as I can gather the people of Ashburton town have entire control of all the business in connection with the Society, I scarcely can call it an Agricultural and Pastoral Association, I think a more proper name would be IWncultural Association for the farmers’ interest only stands second, and that far behind. As long as the townspeople try to lord it over the interest of the farmer, the Society will not be a success. Then, sir, I suppose all the merchants and gentlemen that attend to the call of the Society have paid their guinea and have been presented with their members’ ticket, which is not the case with all farmers. I have paid an annual subscription of one guinea from the formation of the Society, but never received a member’s ticket, nor was I ever enrolled a member of the Society. I write this as one proof of the working of the Society. The other day I Received a poster very politely requesting my annual subscription, also stating that a member’s ticket would be forwarded, but I have come to the conclusion that I shall be a wiser man by keeping my money in my pocket.—l am, ilc., A Farmer.