AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATION.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 963, 27 July 1877, Page 2

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATION.

A meeting of the committee of the above was held at 230 p.m. yesterday. Present— Messrs W. Norman (vice-president, in the chair), J. T. Ford, Grigg, Henderson, Duncan, Hill, Garforth, Money, Mcßeath, Gilmour, J. Anderson, jun., A. P. O’Callaghan, R. Sutherland, Henderson, Gebbic. Mr S. Garforth, moved—“ That in the event of any exhibitor of stock having any doubtas to the age, Ac., of the said stock competing, he shall be at liberty to enter a protest before or after the judges have commenced their duties.’ He thought it would be a saving of time and trouble if these matters were decided before the judging. His opinion was that the decision of protests in the middle of the show was a mistake ; it would also save the judges time to have the age of an animal decided beforehand. They might spend some time over an exhibit which, after all, would be thrown out. He thought also that the exhibitor should pay a fine if the protest were sustained. Ho would move that a fine of £5 Ije imposed, to go to the association,

Mr Grigg suggested that it would be much better to consider the two subjects apart. Mr Money seconded the resolution. Mr Ford thought it would be a good thing to make the protests to be entered before the judging, but as Mr Garforth’s resolution now read there was no alteration of the present rule. He wonld be very glad to vote for the resolution if Mr Garforth would strike out the words “or after.” If anything were noticeable in a pen of stock the matter might be looked into, and the judges, if the protest were sustained, would have nothing to do with these exhibits. Mr Grigg desired to point out that if this were carried the exhibitors would have to be on the ground before the judges, and this would limit the opportunity of protesting. This was the difficulty that he saw. Under the present rule the protests could be lodged at any time within one hour after the award was made. Mr Henderson supported the resolution, as he thought it would be a very good thing if carried out. Mr Grigg desired to point out that practically the committee would have to sit some hours before the judges began to work. Mr Hill thought that theoretically the project might look feasible, he did not think that it was practically possible. It would necessitate the owners being amongst their cattle, and would be a very bad thing to have them there, because the judges would then become acquainted with the names of the owners of stock. Mr Gebbie thought that they might get over the difficulty by having the stock on the ground two hours before the judges began their work. They might allow the owners to come, say for these two hours, and then their protests would be received before the judges went to work. Mr Ford thought that they should appoint an award committee, whose duty would be to consider protests, and that the protests should be considered early in the show, and not left until the last day of the show when the protests were considered a great nuisance and hurried over. Mr Gilmour thought that Mr Garforth’s motion met both parties of the exhibitors. It afforded those who were there early the opportunity of putting in a protest before the judges commenced their work, and to those who were not the chance of also doing so under the old rules. Mr Money supported the view taken by Mr Ford as to the appointment of an award committee. Mr Garforth would like to suggest that where the protest was lodged before the judging was done the onus of proof to be with the exhibitor; if after the judging is completed the party protesting to be compelled to prove his case. Mr Garforth’s resolution, after some considerable discussion, was ultimately proposed as follows “ Protests may be entered either before or after the judges have proceeded to their duties, and the committee will consider them as soon as possible. If the protest be lodged before the judges proceed to their duties the°onus of proof to be with the exhibitor; if after the judging is completed the onus of proof to be with the party protesting. No protest to be received later than one hour after the awards are made and the prize tickets affixed.”

Mr Duncan pointed out that this was altering the rules of the Association, and this could not be done except at a general meeting of the Association,

Mr Ford thought that this being only a general regulation, the committee had power to alter them and to make what regulations they liked for the government of the show. The motion, as amended, was then put and agreed to. A letter was read from the secretary of the Butchers’ Association, stating that they had not yet had an opportunity of considering the matter of giving a prize. Mr Money said ho was deputed by the Butchers’ Association to offer a prize of £l2 12s in money or plate, but the object to which it was to be devoted had not yet been decided.

It -was resolved to wait until Monday for the prize to be named. A letter was read from the North Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association, stating terms upon which they would be prepared to pay expenses of judges and giving number of judges required. The secretary also stated that they should be happy to send judges to the Christchurch show upon the same arrangement as that proposed by them. Mr Hill moved—“ That the committee accede to the request contained in the letter before them, and proceed to elect a sub-com-mittee to select the judges required at next meeting,” which was agreed to. Mr Duncan brought up the report of the railway tariff committee. They had gone into the matter very carefully, and had had a return prepared of the effect of the tariff upon various goods for 20, 50, and 100 miles, taking into consideration the reductions made since the tariff came into foi’ce. The committee wished to go into the question of the passenger fares, and therefore he would ask that they might have the matter left in their hands until Saturday next, when they would be enabled to forward the whole matter to Wellington to the Hon. John Hall, who had taken great interest in the matter. He would read them a few figures from the statement he held in his hand, to show the alterations under the new tariff. [Mr Duncan here read the articles upon which a reduction had been made, and those upon which an increase had taken place.] Flour, he might say, was peculiarly situate. From 10 to 50 miles the cost over two tons of flour was 5d per ton, but after 50 miles and up to • 100 miles it Avas 2s lid; sugar was 15s lOd per ton more after 100 miles, than the old tariff ; sheep, one floor truck, were noAv charged under the new tariff, 30s lOd more than under the old tariff, and two floor trucks 31s 8d more. He Avould now move —“ That the committee be empoAvered to proceed with the Avork of preparation of this comparative statement, and forward the same to the Hon. John Hall.”

Mr Sutherland seconded the motion, and suggested that the association should have two hundred copies printed of the comparative statement. It was a very full and exhaustive one, far better than the meagre manner in which the Chamber of Commerce had gone into the matter, The latter body had just picked out a few articles in which they were immediately interested, whereas the association had gone into the whole matter in the interest of the general public, and he thought that the circulation of these papers would do a vast deal of good. Mr Grigg quite agreed with the remarks of Mr Sutherland.

After some further discussion, Mr Duncan’s motion was put and agreed to. Mr Sutherland then moved— 11 1 bat the secretary be empowered to have five hundred

copies of the statement printed, and circulated for general information amongst the members of the association and the various agricultural associations in the colony.” Mr Grigg seconded the motion. Mr A. Duncan suggested that the best method of obtaining publicity for the statement would be to post a copy in each railway station in the colony. Mr Andei’son, junr., said he had heard outside some dissatisfaction at the time fixed for the coming in of private prizes. He thought that more time should be given for the coming in of private prizes, and therefore would move —“ That the time for reception of private prizes be delayed for six weeks.” Messrs G-rigg, Duncan, and Hill spoke against the delay as prejudicial to the interests of exhibitors, who wished the catalogues to be issued as early as possible. The motion not being seconded, the meeting proceeded to consider the private prizes offered. Several new members of the association having been elected, the meeting terminated. NOTICE OF MOTION. Mr Garforth to move—“ That the children of the Orphan Asylum of Canterbury be admitted free of charge to the shows of the association.”