A WORD OR TWO ABOUT THE INCIDENTAL ADVANTAGES OF FAIRS AND MARKETS.

New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 779, 1 October 1853, Page 3

A WORD OR TWO ABOUT THE INCIDENTAL ADVANTAGES OF FAIRS AND MARKETS.

' * To the Editor of the New-Zealandeh. Sir, —The occupier of land is from necessity the dweller in a comparatively lonely house, —1 don’t say home, for an isolated house may contain a home of ever pleasant, and, to the rightly tempered heart, satisfying society. But this is not enough for the well conducting of the affairs of business, however conducive it may be to domestic happiness. In a new colony this isolation is still further increased by the smallness of the population, and more especially by the large breadths of unimproved land, which so frequently intervene between the several partially settled districts. With this compelled retirement comes necessarily a lack of communication with our fellow men; and, after a time ot ignorance ot passing events, and I am sorry to say not untrequently both mental and moral ignorance also. 1 nave, however, only to do with that ignorance by w hicn q man is incapacitated to judge truly of essential

matters in his own affairs; I shall now confine myself to the advantages arising from the frequent meeting of persons of the same profession, and the mutual information thus conveyed on points connected with that business, in the success of which they are all interested. It is quite customary for persons of the same trade, to hold meetings for mutual information, even in the trumpet-tongued communicating city of London. And in these cases the parties are competitors; hut farmers can scarcely be so denominated. The nature of their business never induces them to attempt to inveigle to their shop the customer of a brother tradesman. For tire effecting this desirable end of mutual information and instruction, I know of no means equal to the frequent meeting together at Markets, and occasionally at Fairs. The first will usually bring together the inhabitants of some particular district. The other will take in a wider range. Persons will often find it to be their interest to attend such places from considerable distances. At such places as these, information is elicited respecting the various breeds of stock ; the several varieties of grain as most profitable for particular soils; the best methods of managing stock of every description; the routine of cropping most profitable for the various soils; the necessity, or the contrary, of manure in agriculture; the success or failure of any experiments which may have been made, and the probable cause of such success or failure, together with a vast number of other subjects which must suggest themselves to the mind of any person conversant with the subject. I could off-hand fill a column, I fancy, of your paper, with a list of such subjects. I have, only suggested some which never would be thought of in England, but which, I believe, to be essentially necessary in New Zealand; if the soil is to receive that improvement which all soils should receive from the expenditure of capital and labour, or even if any thing like its present state of fertility is to be maintained. But besides this business view of the matter, I do think that an adjournment, after the affairs of the day are arranged, to a frugal market table, might be attended with both pleasure and instruction. lam no advocate for inebriation; but I have found that much information is frequently communicated when men are socially seated at the convivial (not intemperate) table. If any of your readers doubt my assertion, I refer them to certain hooks written by one Homer, some thousands of years ago. They may read them either in prose or verse now-a-days, i. e., the English of them. At these tables the same topics are usually discussed as during the business time of tire day; but in addition there is usually some notice taken of public passing events. The merits of persons, and of parties are canvassed, and frequently much shrewd information elicited. It should not be forgotten that it is the duty of the tiller of the soil to make himself informed, not only of the general line of politics, which any certain candidate will probably support, but also the^ capabilities of the candidate, not, mark me, his private life ox* innocent foiles, but this capability to grasp the vital questions which may come before him, as a whole, and as they will act upon the total community, and for all time, and not as they may affect some trumpery present whim, or interest. When the elector has fully informed himself on these points he will require no canvassing, and it is his interest so to inform himself if he would give his vote conscientiously. This meeting together in social converse would also have the most desirable effect of encouraging feelings of good neighbourhood,and mutual wishes to oblige. To draw our fellow men to ourselves by the bonds of mutual kindness and good offices, is indeed worth much solicitation. But perhaps I may be told that there is already a Farmers’ Club in Auckland, and that this will answer all the purposes of disseminating information among the tillers of the soil. I must sincerely dissent from this conclusion. In doing this I beg leave respectfully to observe that I have had some experience in this matter, having had the pleasure of sitting at many of the most respectable market tallies, or ordinaries, in some of the very best cultivated districts of England, and also the honour of having seen a member of various Farmers’ Clubs, or Societies, from the Royal Farmers’ Society of England downwards; and have bad a pretty fair knowledge of their proceedings. Unlessthe members generally ofFarmers’ Clubs be thoroughly acquainted practically with their own business, and also from communications with others, with the various practices, and the results of such practices in their districts, they are in great danger of becoming mere debating Societies, or clubs of theme writers. Fairs and Markets are the feeders of Fanners’clubs. In those, the results of various matters relating to practical stock keeping and farming, are seen and discussed. In those such results arc methodised, and such as are believed to be of general, or of even extensive, practical utility are given to the public in their printed proceedings,—which even them arc too often a.strange mixture of accurate knowledge and true science with ill disgested notions and empirical conclusions; much of the knowledge and science result from constant communication with others employed in similar pursuits. The contrary from the want of it. But so far as Auckland is concerned, from the population being so dispersed, or some none other cause, it appears that very few persons indeed take advantage of the facilities hold out by the Farmers’ Club, Its meetings are held, I believe, once a month, but the attendance of members at each, I fear, docs not average a score; possibly a dozen, or a little more would represent the number present at some mecliifgs. It farmers met oftenev to chat over matters in which they are so much interested, more would be induced to join this dub, and thus to extend its benefits. They would begin to feel that it was their interest, and consequently their duty to themselves and families, to learn as much connected with their profession as possible, and to practice as much as was adapted to their own particular soil, or circumstances. But there is another point in which to view this matter. There arc in this colony a great number of persons, who, from previous education, smallness ot means, or other causes, will never think of becoming members of a Farmers’ Club. Such men would not either be the usual frequenters of the market table. But no class of men in the colony would benefit more than this by the establishment ol frequently recurring markets. They would have opportunities, now almost entirely out of their reach, of ascertaining the value ot their produce according to its quality; and however small the quantity, a fair and certain means of disposing of it. I have found the small farmer to estimaie the privilege of the weekly recurring open market to the full as much as his wealthier neighbour. I have troubled you, I fear, too long, Sir, this time, and I pray you to excuse me for it. But neither the space in your paper, nor my time in writing will be thrown away, it the good people in the Auckland district are thereby moved to think about the matter. Let them after full consideration adopt or reject the recommendation as to them may seem best. —1 am yours truly, K.