NORTHERN AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATION.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 361, 9 August 1875, Page 3

NORTHERN AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATION.

The annual general meeting of the members of the foregoing association was held on Thursday afternoon, at the Road Board office, Rangiora. There were present— Messrs Maofarlane, Buss, Rickman, Dalziell, Blackett, Threlkeld, Mulcock, M'Gregor, W. A. Burt, Coleman, Parsons, Bramley, Stevenson, Wheeler, Hinge, M. Jones, Skevington, King, and Cone. The president (Mr J. McFarlane) occupied the chair. The chairman briefly opened the proceedings by noticing the success of the association during the past year, and called upon the secretary to read the report and balance sheet.

Mr W. Buss said it gave him great pleasure to read the followirg report for the financial year ending July Ist, 1875: " The Council of the Northern Agricultural and Pastoral Association, on making its first annual report, has to congratulate the subscribers on the success of the first exhibition held at Rangiora on November sth, 1874. " The entries of sheep and horses were very numerous, the former both in number and quality bearing a favorable comparison with other exhibitions held in Canterbury. "In cattle the entries were not large, and although in some classes there were traces of good breeding, the short time owners had at their disposal from the inauguration of the association, and the scarcity of feed, did not give them a fair chance to bring their animals out in fair show condition, but generally speaking this description of stock showed signs of great neglect. "In horses, all classes were fully and fairly represented, although more attention might be paid to draught stock, and especially to good hackneys, which are always saleable at remunerative prices to the breeder, if they are to be found. " In implements and manufactures, on account of the short space of time between the forming of the association and the time fixed for the show, and the uncertainty of the financial position, the council did not see its way clear to open many classes, although it is its intention to pay due attention to agricultural pursuits as well as pastoral, and also to certain manufactures and produce benfieial to the district.

" From the amount of interest and support shown by subscribers, donors, and others, this council has every confidence that an annual district show is required and appreciated, and will become as great a boon to the Northern district as the Canterbury show is to the province at large. "The accounts of the past year are attached to this report. From these accounts it will be seen that there are upwards of two hundred and seventy-nine subscribers, and that the attendance of visitors on the day of the show was very large. Permanent cattle yards have been erected and other necessary work done on the ground, and that about £2OO was awarded and paid in prizes, and that, after paying all calls and expenses, there is a good balance to the credit in the Banks, as shown by the financial statement. " The balance-sheet showed the receipts to have been —Balance in hand, £1 12s; subscriptions and donations, £279 ; entrance fees, £6B 10s; gate money, £B6 19s 4d; publican's booth, £lO 10s; confectioner's booth, £5 ss; horse yards, £3 10s; sale of catalogues, £10; surplus timber sold, £4 3s; carriage of hurdles returned, £l7 12s ; J. McFarlane, prize money returned, £l3; M. Jones, do do, £1; Government grant, £SO, cash by J. C. Porter, £1 Is; W. Buss, honorarium returned, £10; total, £572 7s 4d, The expenditure was—To timber, £33 Is; erecting yards, £2l 13s 4d; railway charges, £l7 12s; J. J. Robinson (timber), £8 Is 6d; C. Anderson, sundry work on show ground, £1 2s 6d; Biinz, services of band, £l2 12s; C. Jennings, taking entries, £1; R. Aherne, making prize list, £1; books, stationery, &c, £6 3s lid; Lyttelton Times, £35 14s 8d; Press, £23 6s 4d; J. Anderson, 10s 9d; Canterbury Agricultural Association, £6 19s 6d; J. Sinclair, dinner and wines, £ll 16s; J. E. Brown. £3 6s; W. A. Burt, carting hurdles, £6 3s; B. Hale, hire of tent, £3; E. Good, ribbon, &c, £1 13s lid; Boyd and Keir, hire of office, £3 18s 6d; F. Lilly, pump, £7; re moving office, 8s 6d; luncheon tickets, £7 10s; T. Weston, Irst prize, jumping, £3; W. Buss (secretary), honorarium, £lO ; J. C. Porter, making agreement, £1 Is; sundries, £3 18s 6d; advertising meeting, 6s; prize money, as shewn on lists, £195; total, £426 18s 10d; balance in bank, £135 8s sd. The reading of the foregoing was received with applause and evident satisfaction by the members present. On the motion of Mr G. Cone, seconded by Mr W. A. Burt, the report and balance sheet were unanimously adopted. Mr J. Stevenson moved, Mr W. McGregor seconded, a vote of thanks to the president, treasurer, and secretary, which was carried nem. con.

Mr 0. J. King moved, Mr S. Coleman seconded, the re-election of Mr John McFarlane, as president. Unanimously agreed to. Mr Cone, in proposing the re-election of Mr Wm. Buss as secretary, recommended the incorporation of the ofliee of treasurer with that of secretary. Mr J. Wheeler, in seconding the motion, observed that Mr Hickman, the late treasurer, was now very much away from the district, and he considered the two offices ought to be amalgamated. After some discussion, the motion was put that Mr Buss be elected secretary and treasurer, and carried. MrColeman moved,Mr W. Bramley seconded —" That Messrs R. Aherne and H. Blackett be elected auditors." Carried. Mr Bramley moved, Mr H. Hinge seconded —" That Mr Blackett be elected a vice-pre-sident." Mr M. Dalziell moved, Mr B. Mulcock seconded—" That Mr A. Parsons be elected a vice-president." Mr Buss moved, Mr Hinge seconded—- " That Messrs J. E. Brown, E. L. Higgins, H. Blackett, and A. Parsons be elected vicepresidents." Agreed to. The following members of the Council

were re-elected, viz,;—Messrs W. Bramley, W. Hurt, G. Cone, b. Coleman, M. Duncan, M. Dalziell, J. Guild, W. McGregor, J. Hurse, H. Hinge, M. Jones, C. J. King, G, H. Lee, J. Lilly, J. Luxton, C. Merton, F, M. Rickman, J. Stevenson, C. Skevington, P. 0. Threlkeld, L. C. Williams, and C. Young. Mr Threlkeld moved the addition of the names of J. Walls and J. C. Boys. Mr Cone moved the addition of J. Wheeler, and Mr Blackett moved the addition of B. Mulcock, which were all agreed to, the number of members of the council thus being brought up to twenty-six. With a vote of thanks to the chairman the general meeting terminated, and a meeting of the council was then held, the president in the chair. The question of the date for holding the next exhibition was then discussed. Mr Cone considered the Bangiora show should be held before the Christchurch one. Mr Rickman recommended that it be held on the first Thursday in November of every year. Mr Threlkeld stated the Canterbury Agricultural Show was this year to be held on November Bth and 9th. Mr Bramley advised that the Northern exhibition should always take place about a week before the Christchurch show. Mr Rickman moved— " That the annual exhibitions be held on the first Thursday in November of each year, the next show taking place on November 4th, 1875." Mr Dalziell seconded this motion, which was carried.

Mr S. Coleman moved, Mr Bramley seconded—" That all cheques be signed by the treasurer and countersigned by the president, or in his absence by one of the ricepresidents." Mr Mulcock moved, Mr King seconded—- " That in the absence of the president, Mr Blackett countersign the cheques." The amendment was carried.

On the motion of Mr Parsons, seconded by Mr Mulcock,itwas resolved that the secretary advertise for 300 hurdles and that Messrs Jones, Bramley, and the secretary draw up a specification of the same. A letter was read from Mr P. 0. Threlkeld offering a cup, value £lO, to the exhibitors of horses, not less than four in number, showing the greatest comparative amount of merit; to be judged by the judges of heavy and light horses combined. The foregoing subject to the association obtaining similar prizes for the exhibitor of cattle whose exhibits—not less than six in number —sbow the greatest amount of merit; to be judged by the combined cattle judges. And the same amount for exhibitors of longwoolled sheep, whose exhibits—not less than eight in number—shall show greatest merit, to be judged by the combined judges of the long-woolled sheep. The prizes to be open only to persons in the district, or he would give £5 each to above three classes, provided the association provided or obtained an equal sum. He was led to offer these amounts, subject to the above conditions, because his experience of last year at various shows (he was not modest enough to say at Bangiora) clearly showed him that the system of giving a cup to the greatest taker of prizes was a farce, more particularly at Timaru, where cups were given to the greatest prizetakers m separate classes, as Merino, Cotswold, Bomneys, Lincolns, &c. On the motion of Mr Buss, a vote of thanks was passed to Mr Threlkeld, and the letter was deferred for further consideration till next meeting of the Council. It was resolved next meeting be held on Thursday, August 19th, at the Boad Board office, Bangiora. With a vote of thanks to the chairman, the meeting ended.