MANAWATU A. & P. ASSOCIATION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 458, 17 March 1909, Page 5

MANAWATU A. & P. ASSOCIATION.

BIENNIAL CONFERENCE MOOTED. ; A PROPOSAL FOR FARMERS. The ordinary meeting of the Manawatu A. : . and A. Association was held yesterday,- the president, Mr. S. R. Lancaster, occupying the' chair. The following correspondence was re-' coived:— ■' ; ; From the' Hawko's Bay Agricultural; Society stating that they approved-of the' proposed conference between the various A. and P. .Associations, pnd stating that it would be'convenient for them if it could bo held cithor on June 24 or 25. From Wairarapa, Wanganui, Horowhenua, and'Feilding A. and P. Associations, also agreeing to the., conference. Mr. J. M. Johnston moved that the conference be held, and/the matter be left in tho hands of the Finance ' Committee, acting with the chairman of tho oth'cr /committees. Mr. Pringle moved that tho recommendation of the Finance Committee jthat the. conference bo held on Thursday, Juno' 24, at 9 hi adopted, and that a sub-committee, consisting ot the chairman qf. tho-.Live Stock Committee, the president, and tho secretary bo set up' to make arrangement* for the conference... Canied. .From of tho. Wairarapa A., and -P. Association advising that their next spring show would be held on October 27 »nd;2S. /:: / From tho secretary of the Hawke's Bay A. and P. Association advising- that their spring show ! would' be' held on October 20 and.2l. ' The secretary of the Auckland: A. and P. Association wrote stating that he had received a letter from Mr. J. G. Wilson, president, of the. biennial conference of representatives of y j;ho. New ..Zealand Agricultural. Associations,''' suggesting,' that lib' ascertain ■> whdthor tho Manawatu A. and P. Association (thought that steps should'bo taken to another conference this year, lie also-masked whether they thought that it would bo practicable to federate the A. and P. Associations of tho Dominion so as to form a representative body. This body might be called the Royal Agricultural and Pastoral... Society ,of -New Zealand,' as*, was suggested by Mr. Jackson at the last conference. He also desired to know what stops they (thought should be taken. to formulate a scheme for'doing, so. '"■ '■' Mr. Wheolor stated that it had been usual to hold this conforenco every two years, and it would be as well to continuo to hold it. ' Mr. Johnston suggested that,,'as'they had already decided to hold a" conference, it would be better.to bold over. Mr. Wheeler ; thought : tho' two' conferences had no common ground.on which 1 to meet.' •• Mr. Birch.was of qpinion, that.it would be. a great pity if the proposed conference were. allowed to'drop. '" ''■•'," Mr. Wheeler moved that, in the opinion of this society, it waß desirable to hold a biennial conference. He thought that it would be better to hold'it alternately, in the South and North Islands, always in the same two towns. The motion was seconded by Mr. Birch and carried. - Mr. Hodder considered that the conference should bo held in Wellington. Mr. Jacobs held that it would.be better to hold it in Palmerston, but apparently it was .the turn of Christchurch this year..', Mr. Wheeler moved that, as it' had been the: habit to hold . these conferences alternately in the North and South Islands, it bo held in Christchurch. Carried.

Mr. F. D. Opie, director of the Technical i School, wrote with regard to the recommen J < dation that the Lincoln College scholarship ; of £20 per annum should be used to assist the , ;technical school at Palmerston North. Ho .[suggested that-, the .money. bo"'used in. either of the'-following ways':—(l) Three- one- .'. yearly scholarships of £6 per annum, or. ; one scholarship tenable !forthreo years; (2) ■■ a courseiof..lectures'-.during:tho';year.; The.' '■; yearly scholarships, ho suggested, should be ' open to farmers' sons only,. tlie entrance examination _to bo conducted by the' A. and i P. Committee in November of each year, , and tho examination to be oral, and based on a general knowledge of farm .work. The successful candidates should begin the course immediately on the opening of the Technical School.- The following courses , wero suggested:—Mensuration, agriculture, agricultural* book-keeping, wool-classing, mechanical engineering, and chemistry, the student to . be allowed to choose his subjects each year. The alternative course was that the association ' grant a subsidy of £20 per annum to the ; Technical School towards the expense of -a course of practical lectures on the following subjects:—Veterinary science, general agriculture, agricultural chemistry, dairy- stock , and 'sheep, and sheep-breeding. Mr. Cohen stated that he did 'not agree with the scheme as laid down, and ho would like the ruling of the committee as to whether the prime clement in the scheme should be that it be confined to members of the association only; on the grounds that, if thore were fanners who were interested and who were not members, they ought , -to be. Mr. Jacob moved that the matter be referred to last year's sub-committee to report at the next meeting. Ho stated that the proposition had merely bee"i a suggestion, and not a recommendation. The'motion was carried.' ■' ■ • Mr. J. M. Johnston moved that Messrs. D. Thomas and J. Balsillie he elected to fill tho vacancies on tho general committee caused by the appointment of Mr. Aldworth: as a vice-president, ■ and tho resignation; of Mr. J. T. Lang. He referred to tho useful work done by both gentlemen. A ballot was taken, and both were elected.