NORTH OTAGO AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATION.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 932, 12 April 1879, Page 2

NORTH OTAGO AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATION.

A special meeting of the members of this Association was held this afternoon, for the purpose of considering a proposal to sell the present show ground, with a view to purchasing a new site, and to transact other business. There was a large attendance, and Mr. Connell, one of the Vice-Presidents, occupied the chair.

The Chairman read the advertisement calling the meeting and the clause of the Agricultural and Pastoral Societies Act empowering the sale of show grounds and the investment of the proceeds of the sale in the purchase of new grounds. • The. Secretary (Mr. Church) suggested that the first thing to be done was the adoption of rules under the Incorporation Act.

The Chairman having read the portions of the Act prescribing the rules under which the Society was to act, some little discussion took place as to the necessity of adopting rules, while it was pointed out that the Act compelled the Society to act under the rules laid down under any circumstances. No steps were taken in the matter.

The Chairman then called upon some member to move any motion he had to propose with reference to the sale of the ground.

Mr. Gemmell asked if a resolution authorising the sale of the ground had not already been passed, and whether it was necessary to pass another resolution on the subject. The Chairman explained that no resolution had previously been passed. The question was at the last meeting simply brought up as a recommendation of the Committee, which was adopted. By the Act it was necessary that a resolution authorising the sale should be passed by a majority of two-thirds of the members present, at a general meeting.

After waiting some time, Mr. Fleming said he would move that the present show ground should not be sold. His reason for doing so was that there was nothing to show that they were going to have a ground anywhere else, or where they were going to find a ground. The last show was a highly successful one, and there had been no difficulty in finding room for the whole of the stock, and he believed it would be large enough for ten years to come. Farmers at the present time had qnite enough to do to attend to their own business, without being bothered with the selection of a new show ground. He wonld therefore move, " That the present show ground be not sold." Mr. Honor seconded the motion.

Mr. Gemmell moved, as an amendment, that it is advisable to sell present ground. For the last two years, it had been considered by the Committee that the ground was too small; and partly on this account they had never been able to get any of Messrs. Boag and Walls' Christchurch stock to exhibit. Of course, so long as Mr. Fleming could take away all the prizes, the ground was large enough. The money they would have in hand over and above what was required to purchase the new ground would suffice to put up substantial yards, sheds, &c, the want of which was felt on the present ground. It had been said that the public would not patronise the Show to the same extent at Deborah as at Oamaru, but he did not think there was any truth in that. Besides all this, exhibitors would meet with increased facilities owing to the direct communication which would be established with the Show ground at ' Deborah.

Mr. Morton seconded the amendment.

Mr. Fleming, in replying, denied that the present ground would fetch so much as to enable them to go in for all the improvements spoken of by Mr. Gemmell, and stated that, no matter how large their Show ground might be, they would never get either Mr. Boag or Mr. Walls to show a single animal. He thought the day on which they removed their Show from the town would mark the downfall of the Society, and he was confident that if the votes of all the members were taken, there would be a large majority in favor of keeping the Show in Oamaru. After some other remards, the Chairman put the amendment, when it was found that only three voted for it. The motion was then put and carried, and after a vote of thanks to the chair, the meeting separated.