AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATION.

Globe, Volume V, Issue 563, 7 April 1876, Page 3

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATION.

The usual monthly meeting of the committee of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association, was held on Thursday at 2.30 p.m, at the secretary’s office. Present —Hon John Hall (president), Messrs Headerson, Norman, A. Duncan, M‘Beath, Fergusson, Garforth, Aynsley, Washbourn, Wilkin, Bishop, Norman, J. Deans, and J. Anderson, junior; The report of the sub-committee appointed to make enquiries as to a suitable place for offices for the Association, was brought up and read. They reported that up to the present they had been unable to see any room which would be suitable. Mr A. Duncan moved—“ That the subcommittee be a standing committee for the next three months, for the purpose of endeavoring to procure suitable office accommodation for the Association.” Mr Fantham seconded the motion, which was carried. The chairman reported that in accordance with the resolution of last meeting, the secretary had procured cards shewing the dates of the committee meetings throughout the year, and they were now ready for distribution to members. Mr Wilkin said that owing to his time having been very fully occupied of late, be had been unable to prepare his promised paper on “ The Grasses and Forage Plants of New Zealand ” in time to read at the present meeting. Besides this, he thought it was necessary, as this was the first of, he hoped, a long series of papers, that the committee should make some arrangements with regard to the reading. He intended, he might say, to read the paper he had promised on the evening of the last Thursday in April, and he would endeavour to obtain the use of Mr Charles Clarke’s room for the purpose. It would be for the committee to decide who were entitled to be present at those meetings, but he should like to suggest that all members of the association be eligible to attend, and that they be allowed to introduce two friends. The chairman said he thought meetings such as those spoken of by Mr Wilkin, and the reading of papers of interest on the various topics connected with farming, &c, which came within the province of the association, but were really of great importance to the province generally, would tend very much to enlist the sympathies of the public with the association, and perhaps enlarge their list of members. He did not think it would be at all opening the doors too widely to allow of members bringing two friends to the readings, and they certainly should be open to the whole of the members. There was one thing he would like to ask Mr Wilkin, and that was, if it was intended to have discussion on the topics raised by the reading, following the paper. Mr Wilkin said it was certainly his idea that discussion should follow, as this was the most important part of meetings of this character. Mr Duncan thought it would not be right to allow Mr Wilkin to provide a room himself for these meetings, and he would therefore move—” That a suitable room be provided by the association on the occasion of Mr Wilkin reading his promised paper.” Mr Norman seconded the motion, which was agreed to. It was resolved that the paper be read at 7.30 p.m on April 27th, and that it be advertised ; also, that members be informed that they were at liberty to introduce two friends. Mr Duncan brought under the notice of the meeting the advisability of a quarterly magazine or journal being established in connection with the association. In addition to publishing the papers read, such a medium might be made very useful m disseminating information, After some little discussion, the further consideration of the matter was adjourned to a future day. Mr WiJktn, in accordance with notice previously given by him, moved the following series of resolutions, viz. : —“ 1. That to meet the contingency of a deficiency in the amount of entrance money at any of the shows, caused by inclement weather or otherwise, it is desirable to create a reserve fund. 2, That to form such a fund 10 per cent, of the money received at the gatas at the last show be set aside, and invested as the committee may determine, and that a like proportion of future takings at the gates be

similarly appropriated until the sum has accumulated to £SOO. 3. That whenever a deficiency arises in the entrance money, the same may be made up to an average amount from the reserve fund. 4. That whenever the reserve fund has been broken in upon, it shall be made up to £SOO in the manner provided by clause 2. 5. That after the fund has reached £SOO, the interest thereon shall be used as the part of the ordinary funds of the association.” It had long been a matter of serious consideration with those carrying on the work of the association how to avert the consequences of a rainy day on the occasion of their annual show, which would, as members knew, put them all wrong in their calculations as to the financial matters of the association. Last year had the second show day been like the first one, their takings at the gate would not have been one-tenth of what they were, and they would have been placed in a very peculiar position, relying, as they did to a great extent, for their revenue on this source. It might be that the Government would see their way clear to give them a large grant in future years, but he, for one, would like to see the association placed in such a position as to enable them to carry on without Government aid at all. [Gear, hear.] The course he proposed would he thought, enable them to pursue a self-reliant policy, which he took it, was the proper one. Therefore he would like to see a reserve fund created out of the takings at the gates, so that the association might be prepared to meet any unforeseen depreciation from wet weather or othercauses, without inconvenience Mr Henderson seconded the resolutions. Mr Murray-Aynsley supported the resolutions, as he thought it was a very wise course to pursue. The resolutions were then put seriatim, and agreed to without amendment. Some discussion arose as to the appointment of a sub-committee for the revision of the premium catalogue for the November show, and a telegram was read from Mr J. T. Ford on the subject. Mr Wilkin said he would give notice of the following motion for Mr Ford, viz “ That at the next meeting of the committee a sub-committee be appointed to revise the premium catalogue, to report at the May monthly meeting.” Mr Fantham thought it was advisable that the sub committee should be appointed at once, as there was a great deal of work to be done. He should therefore move —“ That a sub-committee be appointed at the present meeting to revise the premium catalogue for the November show.” Mr Washbourn seconded.the motion, which was agreed to, Mr Wilkin withdrawing the notice of motion given by him. The following gentlemen were then appointed as the sub-committee, viz—Messrs Wilkin, Ford, Boag, Henderson, A. Duncan, Threlkeld, Fantham, Ferguson, Norman, Garforth, J. Anderson, jun, R. Sutherland, H. E. Alport, Washbourn, E. B. Bishop, and the officers of the association.

After passing some accounts, the meeting adjourned.