The Evening Mail. SATURDAY, JULY 13, 1878.

Oamaru Mail, Volume III, Issue 725, 13 July 1878, Page 2

The Evening Mail. SATURDAY, JULY 13, 1878.

Tiik If-n. M.vth::\v Hor.Mrs is p:rfi"mi!ia service to thisdistrtcr and v> the Cotiti;r\that will ii--r in; easily forgotten. The idea of establishing National Agricultural Leagues-may not be altogether new ; bur it is new as applied to this Colony. J; may be true that the qnesrion lias been mooted for some time past : for the suggestions of the people are usually the precursors of every public movement. Be this :>s it m:iy. it is a generally acknowledged fact that there must be someone to take in hand the responsible and somewhat arduous task of working into a practical shape these Mens. The Hon. j M.vthev Hor.Mf.s has led the van,and now | that gentleman and the North Otago Agri- ! "cultural and Pastoral Association are in j the very thick of endeavoring to prumote the project. That Association has communicated with tiiose kindred Societies throughout the Middle Island which anin any way interested in the movement, and has met with encouragement to such | art extent as to warrant us in expecting that the National Island Agricultural League will before lonic have something more to mark its existence than a bare title. It is obviously to the interest of all agricnlruat communities that a Society such as that proposed should be establish ml. This is so self-evMent that, in making'this assertion, we maybe charged bv some with questioning their intelligence. It is a singular fact, however. that there are thostj who are hoMiicr a!oo f from tdv-r-g .'he scheme their conn- • tenance. .VII sni/h things share the sa»'fate : but that these waverers will eventually realise the momentous advantages derivable from concerted effort in agricultural and pastoral matters, as in everything else, is riot open to question. The shock occasioned to their systems by the mere suggestion once over, they will evince as much interest and enr-rgv as anybody in promoting'the success of the undertaking. It is not jealousy that others might get more than their share that causes them to gaze in at the open door at the repast which has been prepared for them. AVe, at all events, cannot believe that any such feeling is rankling ir: t\\t; minds of those who have not readily accepted the invitation of the North Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association to assist them in their endi avor to carry the matter in question to a successful issue. If cold water had been thrown upon the ardour of the N. 0. A. and P. Association by the Dunedin Association we -would not have been surprised ; but, instead of treating the overtures made to them cavalierly, they so thoroughly approved of the idea that they claimed it as ' their progeny, and exerted themselves to persuade the public that such was really the case by following the example of the originators and inviting co-operation with. , them (the Dunedin Society) by means of j printed circulars in their efforts to carry , it out. It must be satisfactory to .- the Hon. Mathf.v Holmes and the .- Uorth Otago Agricultural and Pastoral J

Association that the idea they have initiated should so meet with the approval of the Dnnc-din Society that the last mentioned institution lias not the least objection to relieve them of the honor attaching to it. If we mistake not, the promoters of the National Agricultural and Pastoral League would be quite satisfied to bestow the honor where, perhaps, it is required, if they were assured that in doing so the scheme so, dear to tln-m would not suffer, if appears to us —n;:d no doubt the r:\uin id-:; liar, suggested it.- -If to others—that the Dunodi-.i So-.-ietv was not horn v:bl> a silver spoon iii ii.i mouth. Why. it is as much as it can do to keep its thrice-started iiis';.;;ition from failing to pieces ; and would it be productive of flie interests of th" larger project that (.laniaru should hand if over to tliein to endeavn*- to carry out { Of course if the Duiuditi Society, labored under an impression that the North Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association lacked the ■prcxtrji: necessary to ensure the success of their undertaking, stepped in with the object of li-iluii.-.' them a li!th>. v,'> appreciate the motive lu.re tiian tin; resuit. Dmiedin and 'Jiuisiehurch will, judging from app""ratices, have a skirmish over tile question of the head-quarters of the contemplated Association, and, from their geographical positions. O.nnaru and Tiniaru will be able to look on nnnioved by any fee-lings of jealousy. However, let such matters be left to the decision of a meeting of delegates to be held at some central spot, say Oamaru or Tiniaru. It is to be hoped that the question will bo viewed broadly, and that petty jealousy will not have the ■ effect of arresting further action, or of neutralising the benefits that should accrue from the establishment of the-pro-posed Suciety.