BLUESKIN AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATION.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2095, 22 January 1870, Page 2

BLUESKIN AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATION.

The annual dinner of the Blueskin Agricultural and Pastoral Association was held at the Waitati Hotel last evening Although a week has elapsed since the Agricultural Show, the interest in its proceedings was sutlicient to draw together a very goodly gathering of members of the Society and several friends from Dunedin and Waikouaiti. They were regaled with an excellent repast, served in very good style, and supplemented with wines of first-class quality, supplied by Mr Souness. Mr J. 1). Pitt was chairman, and Mr Jas. Green, M.P.0., was vice-chairman. Among those present were Mr J. Ashcroft, M.P.C., and Mr H. M'Dermid, M.P.C. The usual loyal toasts were drank, and then followed those more immediately connected with the doings of the Society. The Chairman, in returning thanks for his health having been drank, gave a short history of the rise and progress of the Society. He said it began with forty members, who, on application to the Government for a share of the grant, had twenty pounds awarded, the balance of the vote in aid to Agricultural Associations. With this small beginning a successful Show was held in April last, since which time the number of members had increased to nearly one hundred. This had enabled them to award prizes sufficient to induce competition, and there was every prospect of the Society increasing in usefulness and prosperity. Its success was mainly attributable to the efforts of MrPorteous, the.Secretary, who had been indefatigable in his labors, and to whom was owing the excellent arrangements that were so admirably carried out at the late show. He remarked particularly on the superior dairy produce of the district, as evinced in the quality of the butter and cheese exhibited, and pointed out that although the superiority of manufacture must be conceded to the skill of the wives and daughters of the settlers, even that could not have availed had not the pasture been good. The meeting partook, on the whole, more of a social than a special character. Politics, it is needless to say, were excluded from every speech, and very little allusion was made to passing events. As thus every irritating subject was ignored, the most perfect harmony and cordiality were manifested. The visitors were heartily welcomed, and the proceedings were enlivened with a number of songs, which, if not sung with the tone and culture of a Sims Peeves, were sufficiently pleasing to contribute largely to the enjoyment of the evening.