THE AGRICULTURAL SHOW.

Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 578, 16 November 1871, Page 2

THE AGRICULTURAL SHOW.

THE DINNER

At 6 o'clock the company adjourned to the drill-shed, where covers were laid for about j 160 guests. W. T. Bassett, Esq., occupied the chair, having on his right his Worshipful the Major ; on his left, the Provincial Secretary, H. H. Lusk, Esq., and the Provincial Treasurer. —The Chairman gave "The Health of Her most Gracious Majesty the Queen." (Drunk with nine times nine.)--" The Prince of Wak-s, and t;e rest of <he Royal Family-" (Drunk with "the usual honors.)—" His Excellency the Governor." The Chairman behoved that His JSxpelloncy was anxious to do all lie could to advance the interests of agriculture. (Drunk with the usual honors.) —"His Honor the Superintendent of the Province." (Drunk with three nines three.) Mr. Joseph May returned thanks for the Superintendent. He thought that it w.-niid be found that Llis Honor was a very good Superintendent. If he had been present in: would have spoken for himself. —TheOhainnan next proposed " The Army, Navy, and Colonial Forces." Major Walmosley, in answer to loud call?, returned thanks for tho Army. Major Tisdall returned thanks for the Colonial Forces. —His Worship tho Mayor proposed the next t,ouM,"Tbe Agricultural Interest of tho Province of Auckland." The ; show had given him a great, de;d of pleasure. \ It had been a better aliow than <i:jy for some years past. ' He believed that, the show indicated a great advance on previous years. lie believed that when the agricultural in- j terest was prosperous the trade and j commerce of Auckland was prosper- j ous. When the country : was depressed, the town was depressed, lie ho- • lieved the prosperity of agriculture w;ls a far 1 more important element than scrip or . gold mining. The goldfiekl's had done a great ; deal for the Thames, but whether it was j an unmixed good for the province was a dif- j fercnt question. !Je had derived a great ; deal of pleasure ;from what lie had seen. He , felt bo much the importance of assisting in ; every possible funnne'r the prosperity of the ; country, that he would himself offer a prizu for competition at the next show. He was thoroughly aware of the importance of tho j agricultural interest. Jlo had resided in Auckland for twenty-five years, and had experienced the consequence that followed the j prosperity of the country interests.' He drank j with great pleasure, " Prosperity to the Agri- 1 cultural Interest." —Mr. John Wallace, of , Flat Bush, returned thanks, and said it might j be expected that he should givo something of the history of agriculture in the province. He believed that the depression had originated in . the dog-in-the-manger disposition of former , Governments, who couuneuctd lo traffic in land. Had there been no such Lraflic in ! land, there had been no such depression. If i there had been free trade in land, there would hive been no such complaints as were sometimes heard about bad land. Unde^ a sys- j tent of lrte-try.de iv land, orcry person would buy only laud that was suited to himself. The consequence would liavo been that all the good land would have been in cultivation, and there would have be. n. uj war with the Maoris (cheers). He regretted that he should havo to make any observations in respect to j tho conduct of the Press. Ho knew the great obligations all classes were under !o the Press. But in what ho was abiut to say he was not - going to rcllect upon the Press as a body. His observations would be directed rather to a particular writer. He was informed that the ! person to whom ho referred wrote for more ■ than one paper, and the Press must have 1 certainly come to a dillicult position when j sucli tulent served three papers. He had also heard that this person was a clergyman. But ' he had not only spoken evil of the agricultural interest, ai.d defamed the fanners, but he had written untruly respecting them. He thought that such a man should either give up writing lor tbe .tress, or g ;..., «.. r —,,.c.i«;i.g me Gospel. He had, however, heard that it wus for no other purpose than to support his catchpenny paper that he presumed! to write iv such a spirit. He-had heard that; some of the merchants rather liked it. The; paper was the Evening Strtr. The person writing in that piper had said that the reason the fanners had not succeeded whs because of their extensive patronage of Mr. Cawkwell s whiskey. (Laughter, cheers, and hisses.) The writer spoko of gentlemen1 of the Press Oeiug as superior to the farmers in intellect as the farmers wero to their own cattle. He Wallace) appealed to the members of ihe agricultural body whether anything had ever been said by the Agricultural League disparaging of the. Press. He hoped that most pesple would understand what the farmers had been doing for many years past. Let them go and look at the cultivation of tho vulcanic hills throughout the province. Let 1 hem go and see the increasing extent of land area placed under cultivation. He remembered a person wbo bore a great resemblance to this writer, who was exhibited in Pope's " Dunciad," und known as Orator Henley. The person came from somewhere about Meltoii Mow bray, with which Air. Eassett and Mr. Bent were acquainted. This Henley went to Clare Market to offer his talents to the Government of that day, but lie was refused. liis character was well understood by those who knew him best by a pedestal raised to him. At one corner was a pig, typical of the swinish multitude whom he influenced; a brazeu head, as symbol of his impudence ; and a purse, emblematic of the motive udou which he acted. (Cheers and hisses.) This man had referred to people here ns birds of passage. Ho (Mr. Wallace) had baen in Auckland for many years, He saw several friends who had lived and worked in the province many years. How long had this person lived in the province? Who was he? There were a great many changes in life. Ail were subject to vicissitude. There were a great many hard things said of camp-followers, but there was a kind of cur followed camps which could not bark like a respectable dog, and could only enarl in a kennel in Cjucen-street. He would again repeat that lie had no desire to disparage the Press. He pointed at tho conduct merely of one vrriter who had done every thing that he could Lo bring the agriculturists into contempt with tho people of the province. Ho could only quote a passage of Burns alluding to Pope's reference tv Henley in the " Dunciad " : —

Oh Popsl had I thy satire* darts, To gie the r >soals their deserts, I'd rip tlii'ir rotten Hollow hearts, And tell aloud Their lying biucus Ppcu3 arts To cheat ths crowd.. In gpUaof dick biailiUi's stabs • At worth and merit, ; By scoundrels clad in priestly robes But hellish spirit. —Mr. James Robertson proposed " Tlie Commercial Interest." — Captain D<ildy thought there was not anything in the arrangement; upon which they could congratulate themselves; Ho regretted to observe that there was sumo discontent that the commercial body was not moro largely represented. But it was probable that this arose from a want of cooperation, lie thought that the defects observable that day'should afford tho information to enable them to amend what was defective next year. He boliovod it was of the greatest importance that both the,, agricultural and tho commercial interest should co operate. He was glad to be able to state a , fact, and that was that the value of all produce in Auckland

province exceeded, during the past half-year, half-a million more than they paid for imp irt3. That was very important, for when there was wealth in the country every person in it must feel the effect of such prosperity. He thought that the object by townspeople and c.-iitntry people should be for their mutual benefit, aud next year get up such a show us would be a credit to the place. (Hear, and cheers.) In conclusion, he proposed " The Goldfield* of the Provinje."—:The Goldfields Secretary (Mr. Sueehau), returned thanks. He thought the object should be to hare an exhibition of all"industrial products, which all would be interested in supporting. —The Chairman next proposed, " Horticultural Committee."—Mr." llaeffarl:ii:e returned thanks, and, in doing so, complained that several gentlemen conu'octe'il with agricultural interest had not ri en to drink the health of: the commercial interest. He would a.=.k .who paid the shillings? who attended the show?—Mr. Every Maclean sail he was one of those who had not risen, lie would ask Mr. Mucffurhtne where were those commercial genfclerueil ? ife saw Capt. Daldy and his Worship the Mayor, who attended in his oilioial capacity. Where were ail the oilier commercial gentlemen ? O.ie could not help comparing this agricultural dinner with a country dinner, at which the highest gentry of England attended, as well as men most distinguished for commercial enterprise. Where wove the gentlemen of the commercial interest..—A good de;>! of discussion, of-a somewhat recriminatory character, , took place, after which Mr. Q-yrdon, secretary, j rend the list of prize?. —Mr. Joseph May propose.• the ht-nlth of "The Successful Competitors." -Mr. Every Maclean, in returning thanks, begged to b> nliowed to say a few words about the animals. He was glad :tp giythe fciiow had been a very great success. He was glad to ccc such an excellent show of Leicester sheep. There were some there which he admired very much. ' He alluded to tie sheep exhibited by Mr. Thoma3 iCussell. In competing against those sheep, they were' competing agrin-t one of the best breeders in England. Those sheep came, he believed, from Mr. Borion'e flock. It would be remembered that upon the death of Sir Tatton Sykes, his flocks were broke up. Slav borlou became Che purchaser of some of those Hocks. As a sheep fancier, when he laid hia bauds upon the sheep exhibited by Mr. liusse;l, hofound-they had the " red legs," the "fluting" down-the back, and the "cushion" behind the shoulder, which indicated the pure breed. He 'admired the Leicesters. Heregretted to hear that these sheep were likely to be removed. He would be willing to give £5 ea .'h to put twenty or twenty-five of his ewes to these rams. He believed there was nothing equal to the pure breed. —The ChuirDiun gave, " The unsuccessful competitors."— i The next toast was, " The Judges." —Majojr Walffisley, in returning thanks, said that he had been appointed a judge of horses | (thoroughbred). He was bound "to say that [ thoroughbred horses had gi'eaily depreciated hero. The number ot wretched screws in the province was not creditable. Jib thought them was one great error. This was that the , feurile (the mil re) was too much neglected. ■ They might put a thoroughbred horse to a bad mare, and the foal would be bad. They | might put an iv ifferent horse to a first-class mare, and the foal would be good. This was an error that should be corrected. —Mr. ' Edward Wool/ield agreed, to a, great extent, ; with Major Walmslcy. lie ihought also that blood was almost everything. Either in man or beast blood would tell. —Mr. Rust said that, the show of Herelords was a great success. The Short-horns did not present any groat advance. — iir. John Wallace spoke upon the show of agricultural implements. He spoke in terms of great praise of the ' plough made by young Mr. Walltce of Otai huhu.—The health of Mr. Wallace, jun., was drunk in bumpers.—The ■ •■■■-'posed 'a vote nf t.luLnka tn ■*!-. ------ ->.. X'ullen,' | Major Tisdrtll, aud Major Gordon.—Mr. Albyn. Martin thought that Dr. Pollen was the representative, of the General Government, and the (General Government had supported the interests of the agricultuists. He thought Dr. Pollen should: be named as the representative of the General Government. —The Chairman said the toast was - intended as an offering of personal courtesy.—l he toast was drunk with all the honors.—Dr. Pollen ;>VJ])o?jed the .health of " 'I'he Managing Committee, coupled with the name of Mr. John Gordon, the Secretary."— The toast was drunk.with the usual honors. — Mr. Gordon, in returning1 thinks, was anxious to put tbe Now Zealand Agricultural Society fn a proper light before the public. If it had not done all it was expected to do, it was because it wanted funds. If those who carped at the society wanted it to do more let them come forward with their money aud give their support. —The toast of " The Ladies," and the health of the Chairman wa9 drunk, and the company separated. —Heraid.