ASHBURTON AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1300, 28 July 1886, Page 2

ASHBURTON AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATION.

The anneal meeting of member- of the Ashburton Agricultural and P.atoral

Association was held at the Arcade (Joam

be s yesterdey afternoon At the hour appointed for thi meeting, 3 o’clock, there ware oriy 13 members present (the □ umber required to constitute a quorum is 20), but it was resolved to proceed with the business. Mr 0. T. Dudley, -he retiring President, occupied the chur. The Chairman said the report and

balance sheet had been considered at a

meeting of the Committee at which all those now in attendance were present, and he presumed it would not be necessary to go over the same ground again. The meeting assented, and the following report and balance sheet were taken as read :

BBPORT. Tour Committee in submitting the customary annual report desire to con-

gratulate members ou the steady progress made by the Association as evidenced by the increased entries made year by year at the annual exhibitions of stock, implements, etc. The figures given below show that the entries made at the last show were in excess of those received in

any former year, especially in the classes for horses, cattle, and pigs. Although the total amount received for subscriptions shows an Increase of £l2 your Committee regret that farmers take so little interest in the active working of the Association, and that such difficulty should be experienced in getting members together to discuss matters which sometimes are of great moment to the farming I community, and which should properly Ibe brought before members, and which for the reason above stated are allowed to pass over annoticed. Such questions as the “Small Birds Nuisance” “Irrlga tion” and other matters of this kind might often be talked over and discussed by members with advantage to themselves and the community generally. The depressed state of comm ere* which has BSistel for rome tins F*® : m>> 7 in some degree account for the apathy shown by fa-mors, but yon* JOommittee took hopefully to the future and trust that the anticipated advance In the value of stock sad) all farm products will be speedily redised and that greyer activity and Interest in the affairs of the Association will be the result The Horae Parade was hold on Oc ober 3, and the entry was considerably larger than that of the previous year, 22 entries appearing on parade. The annual exhibition of sto„k, implements, etc., was held on Oc ober 30 and attracted a large attendance, the entries in sheep, oa t'e, horses ani pig* being especially good For th ? iuformamatlon of members the following tabulated statement of entries for the past five years is submitted : -

In conclusion, your Committee desire to tender ftheir best thanks to those gentlemen who so liberally contributed to the private prize list, and to ask their assistance in connection with the forthcoming show.

BALANCE SHEET. Receipts : Balance, £lO 15s 6d ; subscriptions, £BS 17s 3d; horse parade, £4 18s; private prises, £sl 18s ; sale of privileges, £42 14s 6d ;■ sale of catalogues’. &c., £l6 13s 4d ; entry fees, £IOO la 6d ’ gate money, £solßs lid ; rent of Tinwald reserve, £3l ; total, £394 17s. Expenditure ; Prize money, £255 15s 6d ; advertising and printing, £47 11s 6d; hire of shed, hurdles, &c , £26 5s 3d ; luncheons, &c , £ll ; gatekeepers, £3 5s ; calico, ropes, &c, £3 16s ; veterinary surgeon fee, £2 2s; labor and material, £l3 ; Secretary, £22 16s 8d ; petty expenses, £4 Os 5d ; balance in bank, £5 4s 8d ; total, £347 17s. On the motion of Mr Silcock, the'report and balance sheet were adopted.

OFFICERS. The election of officers for the ensuing year was then proceeded with, and resulted as follows : President, Mr Matthew Stitt; Vice-Presidents, Messrs iG. Jameson, A. Harrison, C. J. Harper, and T. Bullock ; Committeemen, Messrs D. Oliver, O. Digby, W. Strachan, Stringfellow, E. (Cookson, D. Williamson, Reid, J. Hunt, J. Tucker, Lloyd. Bonifant, B. Millar, Strachey Purnell, Thomas, Cameron, Mayo, L, White, E, S. Coster, Herring, W. C. Walker, Lyttelton, Bullock, Grigg, Hawdon, P. Walker, and Dudley ; Treasurer, Mr J. G. Res tell; Secretary, Mr H. H. Secretan ; Auditors, Messrs A. H Shury and A. Curtis. J After the election of officers, Mr 0. T. Dudley vacated;, the chair, and Mr M. Stitt, the newly elected President, presided.

j COMPLIMENTARY. j On the motion of Mr W. J. Silcock, | vary cordial votes of thanks, were acco-ded Ito the retiring officers. Mr Silcock made espeeial refereroa to the invaluable services rendered to the Association by the President (Mr O. T. Dudley), Sec- ' petary (Mr H. H. c and the Trar surer (Mr 4. Harriaou)

PRIVATE PRIZES. The Chairman said he had keen requested by the retaryto Invite those gentlemen who proposed to give private prizes in connection with the forthcoming show, to indicate the amount and | nature of their donations as early as possible. Early intimation of their intentions In this direction would very moch facilitate the work of the Committee. SMALL BIBBS NUISANCS.

I Mr Silcock said he mast ompliment the I members present upon their very excel-/ lent beha vlour. He could not recollect a previous meeting cf the Association at I I vhfch so much amiability and unanimity J had been displayed. But he could not J speak in such satisfactory- terms of the { work of the Association. He thought they bad fallen very much short of the objects for which the Association was orignally I coustitued. It was I roe that they held

an annual exebition of stock and implements, which reflected very great credit upon the energy and management of their officers, but there were other objects, even of more importance to the-farmers, which were almost entirely neglected. He might instance the Small Birds Nasiance, a matter of very moment to every ‘ agriculturist in <h>- colony. As a body the In the suppression of this nusiance The I work had been left entirely to the pcblo bodies, and although a good deal was done it was not always done in the best manner possible. Some days ago he noticed bushels of poisoned wheat lying on the Alford Forest road In the Ashburtoli Forks, much of it ground to flour by osrt wheels and much more going to waste fie thought it would be much more effective nl certtln'y more economical if the poisoned grain were placed in small j troughs iu the plantations throughout the I county He proposed that a recommendation to that effect should be made to the ]

County Council. Mr Strachau agreed to B'me extent with the remarks which had fallen from Mr Siloook. He|thought the farmers were neglecting several important matters intimately connected with their own interests. They made no effort to send re* j

presen ative< to Parliata nt who would ioofc afte. their interests : there waa always the very greatest dffieulty in Nearing their attendance at public 'meetings. The irrigation proposals bad attracted some attention, mu there was little indication of a heait v .y desire to'help one another. He urged that farmers should co-operate and persistently demand the rights and privileges to which they were entitled.

Mr C. Strachey testified to the efficacy of the me'dod of poisoning suggested by Mi Silcoik.

The Chairman thought Mr Silcock'a suggestion should be acted upon. It would be advisable, however, for the Council to do the work, as they could have no assurance that every farmer In the dietrict would employ sufficiently vigorous means to obtain the desired end. Mr B. Millar said that much of the poisoned grain distributed by the Council had been very little good. Poultry would thrive on some of it, and, he had little doubt, it might safely be used for human food, Some, on the other band, had been quite strong enough and had destroyed great numbers of birds. Mr O. Digby sud the poisoned wheat was very efficacious, but the oats were really harmless. After some farther desultory discussion it was resolved to make a recommendation to the County Council aa suggested by Mr Silcock. The meeting then adjourned.

1 c* CO 00 eo 00 00 ■«s< 00 00 13 00 00 Sheep .. .. 87 89 89 102 123 Cattle .1 86 29 25 39 41 Horses |.. 94 130 97 115 136 Pigs 9 19 6 21 45 Poultry .. 37 34 11 79 8 Implements .. 75 67 94 79 Dogs .. .. 12 17 20 7 21 Dairy Prrdaoe .. 44 41 2 39 52 K.Z. Manufactures 1 15 5 3 13 Wool — — 4 — — Horse-shoeing .. Small birds’ heads — — — — 6 and eggs .. — — — — 2 Estra .. .. 33 81 54 16 7 Totals .. 438 522 428 421 533