THE FARMERS’ CLUB.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2218, 23 October 1907, Page 3

THE FARMERS’ CLUB.

A SUCCESSFUL SMOKE CON CELT

The club rooms of the Poverty Bay fanners C'lub were crowded to excess last evening, when a smoke concert tendered to visitors and friends took place. Mr. W. D. S. Macdonald, 1 resident, occupied the chair. Alter the usual loyal toasts had been honored the Chairman proposed tile health of “Tile Visitors, J ’ which he coupled witli the names of Messrs H. Gillies, It. Gray, Mcltue, and J. Grant. Mr, Macdonald, on behalf of the club expressed bis pleasure at having so many visitors amongst them and trusted their stay would be thoroughly enjoyable and that they would go away with a favorable impression of tho district and its people. In responding,,Mr. Gillies took the opportunity to express his appreciation of tho courtesy that had been extended to the visitors during'their brief stay in Gisborne by the officials ol the A. and I*. Association. They had been shown round the district, and ho could say that, personally, he had never seen a better sheep district in tho Dominion. It had a great future, though a grave drawback at present was its bad, harbor. Mr. Gray endorsed the remarks of the former speaker as to the future possibilities of Poverty Bay. Said ho: "It must come, for it is the best sheep country I have ever seen.” Mr. Mcßae spoke in a similar strain, and said lie would never forget tho hospitality and kindness of the Gisborne people. Mr. Grant, in tlio course of some brief remarks, said that in a 10 years’ experience extending over all parts of the Dominion and also South Australia, Victoria, and South Africa, lie bad not seen anything to equal fill's part of the country as an agricultural district. In proposing the “Poverty Bay-'A. and P. Association,” Mr. Cedenvall said that two or three facts which lie would mention would sufficiently indicate tho progress made by the Association. Four years ago the membership had been 212 ; to-day it was 600 (hear, hear), and in the same period the entries had increased from 722 to 1420. Four years ago there were practically no fat sheep classes; now the entries for this section totalled over 400.

Mr. IT. M. Porter, in responding, reminded Ills hearers that each one of them had an individual responsibility to do all- that was possible in advancing the success of the Show, which was .really the property of the public. If ho were asked to mention the chief value of the Show ho would refer to its educative faculty. Young men were .able to attend and see the best sheep of this and other districts pitted against eacli other and had the opportunity to note the preference shown ill regard to typo by the best judges of stock in the Dominion. With this information at their disposal they were able to note the opportunities for improvement in the flocks at homo which would subsequently bo their own. Mr. W. Lissant Clayton was next called unon to propose “The Dominion.” In doing so the speaker srapl ■he felt n nticularfly honored in dieing entrusted with the toast, inasmuch as lie believed it was the, first occasion unon which the Dominion had been 'toasted at any public function in Gisborne. There were ■differences of opinion as to the advantages of otherwise of changing the name from “colony” to “Dominion,” but Die significance of the change really lay in the fact, that it provided official recognition . that we had now attained our majority as one of tlie young nations that helped to make the British Empire. He reminded ids hearers that it was a ■privilege to acknowledge allegiance to tho glorious British ting, for it was a flag that symbolised the .mightiest power the world had known and the greatest achievements on behalf of humanity. There was no nation yet that had shown the ability to colonise as Britain had done, and this was a chief source of tho Empire’s greatness. After pointing out the infinite possibilities that lay before the new Dominion in the building of a nation, tho speaker drew attention to the urgent need for the ■Government and the people of New Zealand to give serious attention to the necessity for increasing our population. It was not likely, he urged, that such a highly-favored country as this would.be indefinitely left in the occupation of a comparatively small number of people. If this problem were tackled "in earnest- he had sufficient- faith in the possibilities of this country to believe that it would yet become one of the great- nations of the world. Mr. Woodward, in responding, paid a high tribute to tho pioneers who had developed New Zealand as ■a colony, and trusted that however we progressed we would-,; never fail to recognise the immeasurable debt wo owed to our forbears who shaped the early destinies of the country. The toast was honored by the singing of “Rule Britannia !” and “God Save the King.” Mr. Hindmarsh with soma brief remarks proposed “Commercial Industries.”

Mr. J. AV. Bright, responding, said that any man who had been as long as be had in the district, namely 20 years, must marvel at the wonderful strides that had boon made. People had talked about changing the name of Poverty Bay, but he contended that they should glory in the name. (Hear, hear.)

“AA'liy,” remarked the speaker, “in ten years the County has more than doubled its capital value, rising from £2,300,000 in 1890 to £4,700..000 in 1900. Look at that for Poverty Bay! Take our exports! In ten years they have jumped from 4.370.0001bs to 12,740,0001b5. Our .exports of lamb have increased in the same time from 23,0001bs to' 2,238,0001b5. This is the place we call Poverty Bay, and the name is known from the North Cape to the Bluff as one of the finest parts of the Dominion. Our beef exports have risen in the same time from 130,0001 b few odd cattle straying over the country—to 2,447,0001h5, and I say that, this is a district we have a right to be proud of and to be pleased to live in.” (Loud applause.) Touching upon the point that had been raised by Mr Clayton in regard to the population, Mr. Bright said lie looked upon this as a Very serious matter. His own personal opinion was that unless strenuous efforts were made to substantially increase the population of this country, it would at some time or other he made the objective of some other people "ho would decide to occupy an appaicntJy unoccupied land. Other toasts honored were:-- ihe President,” proposed b.v Mr Imlconcr, and “The Ladies,” proposes oy Dr. Collins. , . , An exceptionally, t? 1 ’"' 1 musical pro- * Tam me was coutnhutod by the c-iii*) orchestra. Messrs. A- Laurenson, A. T. HooTcey. Bar ow, Griffiths, A. Zachariah, J. Parker, 11. liiU, and B. Powell, and rent itions were giveu bv Messrs. AVoodward, Bright, and AA'alker. The catering was exeellently carried out by Messrs Dustin and Co.