CHRISTCHURDCH HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1632, 14 May 1879, Page 3

CHRISTCHURDCH HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

The annual general meeting of tho above society was held at tho Commercial Hotel, last evening, Mr E. O, J. Stevens, president of the society, occupying the chair. The minutes of the last meeting wore read and confirmed. ANNUAL REDOUT. The annual report, accompanied by the usual balance sheet, was read as follows : The committee have pleasure iu reporting tho continued prosperity of tho society during tho past year, and the satisfactory progress in the number and quality of the exhibits at the various shows, as well as the steady increase to the list of members. The November show, held in the eronnds of tho Agricultural and Pastoral Association, in spite of the unfavourable weather that preceded it, was a success, and for pot plants was the best that has been held at that season, and there was a marked improvement in t. e class of exhibits, whilst the attendance greatly exceeded that of any former year. The great improvement in tent accommodation was felt both by visitors and exhibitors. The rose show was also preceded by exceedingly bad weather, to which must be attributed any deficiency in the quality of exhibits as compared with some other years. It is, however, satisfactory to notice that the number of exhibits in competition exceeded that at any preceding rose show. It may bo hoped that the exhibition of pot roses may iu future yeai a bo a more pro minont feature of this show than has yet been the case. Such an improvement would tend to make the show exclusively a rose show, a result very much to bo desired. The autumn show, which was held in tho Oddfellows’ li all, brought out the finest display of pot plants that has been scon in Canterbury, and the fruit and vegetables were, considering the unfavorable season, highly creditable, the department of cut blooms suffering most by the weather. The ai t union in connection with this show was repeated with a success quite equal to that of last year. In connection with the monthly meetings several shows were he’d and a number of interesting exhibits brought forward which would not have been in sc-son at the ordinary shows of the society. Especially may be im ntioued tie auriculas and tho new varieties of pol anthus, &c., shown in October, and chrysanthemums in April. The superior ity of the latter wore so marked that it mav be hoped that a considerable advance iu our exhibits of chrysanthemums may be looked for in future years. George Read, Chairman. The statement of receipts and expenditure gave tho following totals Receipts, £129 7s lOd ; expenditure, £282 Is 9d ; showing a credit, balance of £147 6i Id. r lhe assets of the soei- ty amount lo £lO5 2s Id j liabilities, £46 to ; b Luce, £llß 16 Id. Mr Read, tho treasurer lor the past year, in commenti ig on the halame-ihect n? iend, remarked upon (lie satisfactory nature of the position disclosed by the facts set forth, Tho society had during the past year had aa

additional expenditure, one way and another, of emu tiling like £3O, at Iho same time if members looked at the actual profits for the year I hey would find that the profits had been equally as large as those of the previous year, when, after paying off all liabilities, there was a cash balance of about £B4 j last yeir it amounted (o about £lls, and deducting from that the amount of additional expenditure, the balance came to about £BS. Under (ho circumstances, ho thought members would have no hesitation in coining to the conclusion that the transactions of the past year * ould bear very favorable comparison with those of previous years since the society's existence. The President, in accordance with the usual custom, moved the adoption of the report and balance sheet. The motion was carried without discussion. ELECTION OE OFFICEBB, The election of officers being the next business before the meeting, was then proceeded with. Mr Eeado proposed that Mr E. 0. J. Stevens bo re-elected president for the ensuing year. The motion was carried unanimously. Mr Stevens, in returning thanks for the honor conferred upon him, said he had been for a long time connected with this society in the days of adversity, and now he was happy to say, in the days of its prosperity. They were not going backward in their career, and ho looked forward to the society proceeding every year to show an improved condition of things—an improvement in the exhibits, an improvement in the state of the finance, and an increase in the list of membership. If they achieved these results, he conceived they would have attained the end for which the society was established. He believed the past season had been marked by an improvement in every respect on what came before, and ho congratulated the society on the progress made. The following gentlemen were unanimously re elected—Vice presidents, Professor Bickerton, Messrs G. Gould, W. Norman, W. H. Wynn W illiams. The election of committee resulted as follows ; —Messrs F. Jones, S. Manning, H. Nairn, Crooks, J. Gra.y, Guntrip, T. Allen, A. Duncan, C. Marsh, T. A. Bird, W. Q-imblett, S. W. Fereday. Mr G. A. Reade was re-elected treasurer, and Mr J. Greenaway, secretary, Messrs Alport and Garrick were appointed auditors.

Votes of thanks were accorded to Messrs Reudo and Greenaway, for their able services during the past year, and to the auditors.