HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume III, Issue 627, 4 May 1882, Page 2

HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

The annual meeting of the members of this Society was held last evening at Mr Jones’ room. There was a good attendance. Mr Alfred Harrison was voted to the chair. The following report of the outgoing Committee was read and adopted : Your Committee have much pleasure in presenting you with the annual report, and also with being in a position to show a fair credit balance. Your Committee have held twelve meetings during the year, at most of which some member has read a paper on subjects connected with Horticulture, and we are Sony to say the attendance has been small at the meetings. The annual show was held on March 4th, and, as you are aware, was a pronounced success. A new feature in the Show was a distribution of gifts, etc., to all visitors by lot. Although this has shown no appreciable increase to the funds of the Society, it has nevertheless caaued a spirit of interest in the Society by the outside public, which there is no doubt will show perceptibly next year. The accounts have been duly audited, and are S now before you. In resigning into your hands the office you conferred on us at the last annual

meeting, we should suggest that new blood should be imported iulo your next Committee, if only to awaken a larger interest in the Society itself. Through the liberality of some gentlemen, your Committee were able to offet prizes for the best kept gardens, considering in this direction they would be furthering the best interests which the Society was established to promote. ; The following balance sheet was read : Expenditure, L 99 18s 8d ; receipts, L 125 2s 9d ; balance in hand, L255s Id ; a.id assets to the value of LlO 18s 6d.

Or. the motion of Mr Geo, Andrews, seconded by Mr Potts, the balance sheet and report were adopted. The election of President resulted iji the unanimous election of Mr E. G. Wright, M.H.R.; and, Vice-Presidents, Messrs Harrison, Trevor, Zouch, and John Orr.

Mr J. Seaty was elected Hon, Treasurer, and Mr S. E. Poyntz Hon. Secretary, and the following were elected as a Committee —namely, Messrs Simmonds, T. Sealy, Potter, Lewis, Hunt, Col'ins, Mayo, Stephenson, Andrews, Davison, Permain, and Elston.

Mr Simmonds proposed, Mr Porter 1 seconded —“ That by-law No. 2 be altered* to read—•' That all flowers and exhibits be in the possession of exhibitors at least', three months before the show.’”— Carried.

It was decided that all protests against awards, etc., be lodged with the Secretary not later than 9 p.m. on the evening of the show.

It was decided that an honorarium of L 5 5s be awarded to Mr Poyntz for bis services to the Society during the year. Mi Sealy stated that a gentleman had given L 5 5s for a prize for best kept garden by boys over fourteen years, with the provision that two other prizes of a similar amount were given by the Society to boys under fourteen years. After a vote of thanks had been carried to the outgoing Committee and the Chairman, the nieeting terminated.