The Clutha Leader. BALCLUTHA : FRIDAY, JAN. 11, 1878.

Clutha Leader, Volume IV, Issue 183, 11 January 1878, Page 4

The Clutha Leader. BALCLUTHA : FRIDAY, JAN. 11, 1878.

It was acknowledged on all hands that the recent exhibition, of the Clutha Agricultural and Pastoral Society was much tbe most successful ever held in the district. As numerous settlers have now got their homes thoroughly* established, have got over the firsfrstruggles incidental to the operation of: con vertr ing " waste lands" into- fruitful r fields ; and have by their industry ; and .perseverance attained to "easy circum-; , stances," it is gratifying to have: so con- ; A vincing evidence that they : a their minds towards the'"improvemQrit; of their flocks and; herds. ;;Thetcircuhi- A stances of climate,7soil, :etc.^here7are 1 undoubtedly fiivourable^andftherib exists v J ho- reason why* tlie^CluthavShyiv^sh^ld} ;i ibt assumea f^mbstjiiacein the^plon^l "j IVisl^ite settlers themselyelsitei 7make itUhis; *^nc[; t|

f S^lfia^!(Byery;cohfidence they will do 7 perform, and we -although the , ' annual show" is {over it willhot be regarded that the re;7^sponsibilitieß^aredone with for another year.^/vTiie'-'- ".-recess" is favourable for mature -on the part* of the work of the Society 7uhder "their^ care, and for placing its and affairs upon a sound : and permanent foundation. At presen t if only Exists from year to year. Its /members are ionly members for a year, " and it istslearthev roust pither re-enrol This circumstance pre- • Events the Society possessing the idea of X stability or t pei^anßntsy.i To remedy this -- state of ; matteirs^vwith all the Agricultural Societies througbouG the Colony i: a measure was passed during last session of Assembly. It is an Act entitled, "The A gricultural and Pastoral * Societies' Act, 1877." Clause 2 provides that any such society, numbering fifty or more, may, on petition of not less than two-thirds of the whole, be declared by the Governor, by Order in . Council to be a body corporate. Tbe incorporated society is to have a com- * mon seal, and will have all the privileges of corporate bodies, and all properties, real and personal, held in : trust for any society incorporated under the Act will vest in the incorporated society, under its corporate name and title.; Land set apart and reserved for the purpose of any society may be Crown granted to the body corporate. Clause; 6 gives power to an incorporated society to lease lands set apart for its purposes or granted to it, for any term not exceeding twenty-one years, subject to the proviso that a sufficient portion of such land sha?l be available for holding meetings and exhibitions and for the other legitimate objects of the society. Lands not suitable for the purposes of the society may, by tbe resolution of two-thirds of the members, he sold or exchanged ; but in the event of sale the proceeds must, as soon as conveniently may be, be invested in other lands for the purposes of the society. Rule 8 provides that the objects of every society incorporated under the Act shall be : — 1. To collect such information contained in •agricultural publications and in other works as has been proved by practical experience to be useful to the cultivators, of the soil. 2. To correspond with agricultural and olher societies, and to select from such correspondence all information which, according to the opinion of the society, may be likely to lead to practical benefit to the cultivator of the soil. 3. To pay to any occupier of land or other person who shall undertake, at the request of the society, to ascertain by any experiment how far such information leads to useful results in practice, a remuneration for any loss that he may incur in doing so. 4. To encourage men of science in their attention to the improvement of agricultural implements, the application of chemistry to tbe general purposes of agriculture, the destruction of insects injurious to vegetable life, and the eradication of weeds. 5. To promote the discovery of new varieties of grain and other vegetables useful to man or for the food of domestic animals. 6. To collect information with regard to the management of woods, plantations, and fences, and on every other subject connected with rural improvements. 7. To take measures for improving the veterinary art as applied to horses, cattle, sheep, and pigs. 8. At the meetings of the society, by the distribution of prizes, and by other means, to encourage the best mode of farm cultivation and to improve the breed of live stock. 9. Te encourage enterprise and industry by the holding of meetings for the exhibition of implements and produce, the granting of prizes thereat -for the best exhibits, and for competitions for prizes for inventions or improvements, or for skill or excellence, in agricultural or pastoral arts. Power is given (sees. 9 to 11) to make rules, regulations, and bye-laws, and by section 12 a set of general rules are enacted, which are to apply to all societies until the same are altered by the society itself under the provisions of the Act. The last clause provides that "the General Committee shall have power to cause actions or proceedings at law to be instituted against members in arrear of their annual payments for the recovery of such arrear?, and it shall not form a bar ofvalid defence against such actions or proceedings that the member has tendered his resignation. It appears to us that the Act is one exactly such as will meet the present position of the Clutha Society. For it a valuable reserve was set apart years ago, but from some cause or other no title to it has ever been got, nor has the society ever got possession. Thus a •considerable revenue has been and still is being lost to the Society. Were it incorporated under the Act referred to there should he nodirßcultyinobtainjng a Crown grant to the land. We commend the matter to the attention of the j officers of the Society. ] * The new regulations for the New Zealand Volunteer Force are published iv the Gazette. According to these the maximum of every corps is fixed at 100, and the minimum at 50. Any corps falling below the minimum will be disbanded, and no claim for capitation will be admitted for any corps if there are less than 40 efficient members on the 31st March in any year, and such corps will be liable to be disbanded. These regulations will very seriously affect the position of the volunteer force of the Clutha, and many other districts. We do not suppose that any of the Companies here come up to the minimum mentioned at present, nor could they by the greatest effort secure that number. According to the new regulations, therefore, they mut^-be disbanded, and all their pass expense and labour will be lost, and the country will be deprived of their* services should these be required. Something, by way of,amalgamation or otherwise should be done to prevent Bachja calamity^' We, there-

for, call the attention of pur volunteers to the matter, and would suggest that they should meet and seriously consider what step? are necessary in order to prevent their sudden and total annihilation.