BANKS PENINSULA FARMERS' CLUB.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume VI, Issue 613, 30 May 1882, Page 2

BANKS PENINSULA FARMERS' CLUB.

A meeting of this Club was held on Saturday. There was a good attendance but neither tbe President or Vice-President be'ng in attendance Mr E. S. Chappell was voted to the chair. MINUTES, The minules of the previoßS meeting were read and confirmed. THS CBSGSE PER MATAUBA. Mr Chappell said he had not sent the cheese per Mataura as he had received news regarding the state of the cheese at the Exhibition that had induced him to go to Christchurch at once. He had returned too late to be able to ship it. He was extremely soriy that circumstances had thus prevented him f. ova carrying out his intention.

Mr Checkley reported he had sent his case of cheese on Thursday. He had sent 10 small cheese of 141bs each (or 1401bs in all) in the case. Tho cheese was packed in «40lbs of oatmeal, which he thought would be as saleable as tbe cheese when it arrived in England. He had advised the Company that the cheese was to be opened in London, and if it would fetch 60s per cwt or more, sold there. One cheese might be cut for a sample, but j not more. If the cheese failed to fetch 60s per cwt in London, it was to be sent to his friends in Lincolnshire to dispose of as they thought best. Of course he should receive advices of what the oatmeal fetched as well as the cheese, and would lay both before the club. He was not sanguine about the matter, as a friend of his had recently sent some good sound cheese Home that had only brought 5d per lb retail in England, and his idea was that they would never get cheese Home right tiil they could arrange to have a current of air passing over it. However, some other cheese sent Home in care of a steward arrived all right. He quite expected lo lose by the cheese, but thought it right to try the experiment.

-mi.cd out that the ex-

periinent of sending the cheese in a cool chamber was quite a new one. Mr Chatfield did not think it fair that Mr Checkley should bear the whole expense of an experiment which was for the general benefit.

';/•. vote oi thanks was passed to Mr Cherkley for the ac'.ion he had taken.

Mr Checkley said that he was sure tbat as long as they could get 5d per lb in the colony it wou'd not pay them to export, but ihey would not always be able to get that sum, and therefore in these prosperous t : rues they should endeavor to ascertain what they could depend upon getting regularly at Howe, so as to establish a minimum price. CORRESPONDENCE. The fo'lowing letter from Mrs E. Shadbolt was read :— '• Head of the Bay, May 23, 1882. " To trie Chairman, "Dear Sir,—l beg to offer a site of about 2£ acres of !and for Agricultural and Pastoral Show purposes, that piece of land nest to the two cottages above the school giound and fronting on the valley road, the Club to have the sole use of the piece of land mentioned on a lease of seven years. The Club wonld be required to fence off the site and the Club to have the power to remove «1| buildings, and. pens erected by theft].," with 'the exception of .the boundary fences. I will leave it entirely to the Club to fix their own price per annum for the sole use of the piece of land for site. Should you accept my offer be kind enough to let me know.—Yours, etc.,

" E. Shadbolt." Consideration deferred till the next meeting.

Mr Joblin wrote, saying he had received draft of petition and would do his best to get signatures.

THE PETITION. The Chairman asked those who had taken round tho petition, for incorporating the Farmers' Club to report re signatuies obtained. Mr Checkley reported he had'obtained the signatures of Messis J. Glynan, H. Rhodes, F. Narbey, Wm. Rhodes,*A. Jones, W. Curry, W. Browi, J. Gracia, W. 11. Henning, F. A. Anson, C. Haylock, and J.Ajlmer. Mr James Goodwin announced that he had procured the following names, viz:— Messrs W. Lyall, Jno. Petiigrew, W. Paton jun., D. McKay, G. C. Knox, James Petti - giew, J. Pitcaithly, J. S. S. Savage, J. Hunt, Thomas Orr Hay, W. Cross, R. Paton, A. White, H. Farmiston, T. Alexander, W. Innes, and Miss C. Marshall. Mr Jacobson reported having procured the signatures of Messrs W. G. Sandys, Joseph Bates, G. J. Black, T. Adams, H. L. Aylmer, A. Lyon, J. Sunckell, jun., J. D. Garwood, J. Dalv, A. I. McGregor, J. Curry, A. H. Westenra, W. JoMy, H. Sagar. A. Rhodes, J. Gebbie,R. R. Bradley, W.T. Masefield, J. Boleyn, T. S. Baker, W. H. Hargreaves, H. Billens, R. Bayley, S. Fyle, and W. Chamberlain. The Clerk stated that the names of those who had originally signed the petition we»e: —Messrs J. McKay, G. Vogan, Eli Scoit, James Goodwin. H. C. Jacobson, H. Piper. G. Check'ey, E. S. Chappell, W. C;>aifield, J. Boothroyd, and P. David. He had received intelligence fiom Okain's Bay and Little Akalon. stating that no signatures had been pioured there. Mr Goodwin said he could procure seve al more hignaiinea in Pigeon Bay. M>.' Budua had objected to sign as lie was af a*'d by doing ko he would lender himself liable for £5 or £6. He was quite willing to subscribe a guinea a year. Tbe c was an imp'ession abroad to this effect.

Mr Duxbuiy said that many were of opinion that they would become legally liable for the payment of £250, borrowed money, by tdgniug tho document. It was all ve>y well to say that a man after signing could withdraw, but if thai were done the iiu'-oen would be left to a few. Suppose afrer the £250 wee borowed the thing failed as it had before. The yards would be on leasehold land, and would probably be sold for a trifle. If they we eon freehold land ho believed many more would As to saying a guinea subscription would suffice he did not believe it. Even if ihey had 100 members ihere would not be sufficient money to pay interest on the money borrowed, rent for the land, judges expenses, and prizes for ihe show. The Farmers 1 Club had succeeded well, but now they were trying to go too fast. Tnose would indeed be in a nice posiiion, who had stuck to tho socie.'y for 10 years, to find at the end of that time they were liable for £250. Mr Jacobson said that signing the petition merely mennt asking the Governor to incorporate'lhe Farmers' Club, and those signing weie only morally liab'e till after the incorporation. Mr Duxbury was arguing from false premises. He seemed to think that signing the petition meant * authorising the Club to borrow £250 to put up yards and do all sorts of things. Now, the fact was the incorporation was merely a preliminary step, and committed them io nothing. It had been proposed to revive the Agricultural and Pastoral Show, nnd a com mi i tee of ways and means had been appointed. They.-.met* and. decided , ■ it was belter to fry and get the society incorporated before taking any steps ever, their reason being, that if money were borrowed by an incorporate body, a few members would have to become liable; whereas, if the body were incorporated, and then decided to borrow money for the erection of show yards, or any other purpose, all would share the joint responsibility. He wished to distinct y impress on them

that by incorporating themselves they only gained the power of suing or being sued ; they did not render themselves liable to pursue any course of action ;, hut they could do this, they could force eveiy member to pay his subscription, which he believed a good thing, as experience had shown them that Borne were willing enough to share the benefits conferred by the society, but very loth to pay their subBCiiptions. There was one thing certain, and that was, that if they wished to hold a show, and otherwise extend their sphere of usefu'nesß for the encouragement of senciculture or any other industry, they could only do it by forming a strong combina ion," armed with the powers specially provided in the Act, by a Government anxious to aid the people in adding to their powers for the advancement of agricu'tural and pastoral matters. He believed that there would be no difficulty in meeting all engagements (even if £250 were borrowed for Ihe erection of yards) out of a guinea subscription. He was sure that a bliow properly managed would more than pay for it self and as to a few people finding

themsolvos liable at tho end of 10 years for tho payment of tho borrowed money that was ridiculous, for any persons with the slightest knowledge of business would take care there was a sinking fund paid as well as the interest, so that at the end of the time there would be nothing to pay at all and tho yanls would be an asset to the Club. Ho wished again to impress on them that signing the petition merely moaut incorporating the society and that it was after that had been done that the question of holding a show, erecting yards and borrowiug money would come before them for discussion and decjmicn. At the request of Mr Duxbury the beading of the petition was read. It is , as follows :— I "To His Excellency, Sir H. A. Gordon, Governor of New Zealand. "ThePetilion of the undersigned residents of Banks Peninsula sheweth— "That they are desifioiiH of being incorporated into a Society under the style or title of 'The Banks' Peninsula Fa.me.s' Club' under the provisions of " The Agricultural and Pastoral Societies Act, 1877,' and they therefore pray Your Excellency to incorporate the Society." Mr Duxbury said that he and many others had not read the petition previously. It threw quite a new lignt on the matter. Mr Checkley said that they bad now some 67 signatures, quite sufficient for all the purposes of he act. He thought it would be foolish to delay matters any further, as he was sire there would be no difficulty in getting many more signatures. He begged to move : " That the society be incorporated under the Agiicullural and Pastoral Societies Act, 1877." Mr Anson seconded. Ho thought if Mr Jacobson published in the Ma-o what he had said himself all objec.ions would be removed. It was no good anticipating all sorts of dreadful calamities. They ; might fairly suppose there were enough good men on the Peninsula to see the society properly managed and ensure its success. (Hear, hear.) The resolution on being put was can led unanimously. RULES, It was resolved: " That a commit lee be appointed, consisting of Messrs Checkley, Anson, Chappell, McGregor, Duxbury, Piper, and Jacobson, to prepare rules for the incoiporated society, to be submitted at the nest general meeting of the club." . Pti.EBESTATION. In answer to a question, it was stated that Mr Piper had been intrusted with the charge of procuring a suitable present for Mrs Duxbury, as resolved at a meeting of the club, in recognition of Mr Duxbury'a ber vices. SALEOFCBEESE. After discussion it was agieed—" That at the close of the Exhibition the cheese, with the exception of tbat whose owners give special notice within 10 days, will ■ be placed in the hands of Mr Chappell to be sold to the best advantage and that all < exhibitors pay the ad valorum charges as arranged by the Clnb." Mr Chat field said that hi« cheese had been packed six weeks before it was opened at the Exhibit : on. It had been . packed in cocksfoot s'evings, and had turned out \ery well though one was slightly moulded; ADJOURNMENT, ( The meeting then adjourned till Satur- \ day, June 10, at Bayley's Hotel, Aka.oa. j