THE RECORDER.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 952, 7 May 1879, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE RECORDER.

N. O. AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATION. The annual meeting of the members of this Association was hold an Saturday last. There were about thirty members present, and Mr, JI, Morton, one of the VicePresidents, occupied the chair. The minutes of the hist annual meeting and other general meetings were read and confirmed. The following annual report was then read by the Secretary (Mr. Church) annual report. In submitting their report, your Committee hsxvtj sfiitoh pleasure in stating that unusual success has attended the important work of the Association, as its objects have been more fully carried out, while at the same time its funds are increased to some extent. The usual parade of entire horses took place oti the 4th October last. Hie number exhibited was small, but the quality of the draught liurses was good. There were ten entries of draughts and three of thoroughbreds. No action was taken in reference to the recommendation of last year's Committee, that a valuable bonus should be offered at that period of the year, to secure the services of a superior horse for the district, but your Committee are of opinio,n that this subject is worthy of your consideration. The annual show bf live stock, implements; grain and seeds, and dairy produce, was held on the 21st and 22nd November last, and was pre-eminently successful, inasmuch as the entries were far in excess of previous years, while the quality of the exhibits as a whole 'was equal to that of former years. The entries were as follows: —Horses, 214 ; cattle, 139 ; sheep, 161 ; pigs, 5 ; poultry, SI ; dairy produce, 290 : cured moats, 16; implements, 48: buggies and harness, 7 ; flour and bread, 29 ; grain and seeds, 97 ; dogs, 11 ; showing an increase of 103 over 1877, and realizing for entry money L 252 10s Gd, an increase of LSO 10s Gd over the previous show. Your Committee have pleasure in stating that the exhibition of implements was somewhat better than in previous years, but think there is still scope for improvement in the number of exhibitors and in the scarcity of labor-saving implements. Tho show of dairy produce was large, and the competition close. To give full justice to the display of such exhibits, larger and better adapted accommodation is much needed. As was to be expected from the greater facilities for travelling, the number of visitors to the show from all parts of New Zealand was greater than in past years, and there ist no reason to apprehend a falling of in the attractions of the show if liberality and good management are | maintained iu the programme of succeeding years. _ | The liett money received from the sale of the gates and booth privileges was L54112s 3d, an advance on 1877 of Lll9 15s Gd. The value of the prizes awarded was about L4GO. A prize was offered for j the best reaper and binder at the show, but the judges declined to award a prize without a field trial, and accordingly your j committee deemed it expedient to carry out such a. trial. The trial took place at Totara on 22nd January last. Unfortunately, the competition was limited to two machines, and therefore the trial failed to some extent. The hon. treasurer's accounts and the books of the Association have been duly audited by the auditors—Messrs. Aitken and Taylor. A cre'dit balance in the Bankis shown of Llll 18s 7d, together with cash in the hands of the Secretary of L 22 16s 6d, making a total cash credit of L 134 15s Id on the 31st March last. There is also lodged in the Bank a deposit of L3OO bearing interest at 6i per cent. 3?rom the statement of assets and liabilities attached? to the balance sheet, it will be noticed that the total available balance is L 293 5s 6d, The amount of subscriptions received up to Slst March was L 155 Is Od. Further returns for 1878 are still to be made, which your Treasurer roughly estimates at L6O. It is to be regretted that subscription lists with amounts are held over the end of the financial year, and some steps should in'future be taken to remedy the evil.

Your Committee have to record their t.banVa to the donors of private prizes,

which are found to enhance the cm™ .• tion and add greatly to the interest the snow, . w At the suggestion of your P residen , (Hon. M. Holmes), an eSbrt has V made to establish a National Associat A conference of delegates from various societies in the Middle Island » held at Oamaru on the 23rd of when general unanimity prevailed aat' the desirability of the object, and sten° were taken by the appointment of a Pro visional Committee to give effect thereto" Owing to untoward circumstances, how* ever, the requisite number of members has not been enrolled, and it seems fo this yearat least not much further progress can bo expected. Your Committee however recommend that the Association should not abandon its determination to havo such an Association established, believing as they do that it would wonderfully promote the objects which all lesser Associations have in view.

The attention of your Committee has been seriously given to the subject of acquiring a new and larger show-ground Various meetings have been held, the result of the last meeting of members called to consider the desirability of selling the present grounds, being that it was determined not to sell them at least for the present. Your President (Hon. M. liberally offered a prize of LlO 10s for ai ( essay on "Rotation of Crops," suited to the "SYaitaki District, resulting in g To essays being sent in for competition These havo been published in the Agnail! turist, and, it is hoped, will have tended to excite inquiry on the subject 0 f rational cultivation. Mr. Jones, of the Oamaru Mail, Invito made an offer to print and publish, free of expense, a monthly journal of agricultm* your Committee accepted the same, and appointed Mr. Church to be the editor for the remaining period of the year. Your Committee have no recommendations to. make on the subject, but they express their belief that a journal of such a nature cannotfailto be beneficial to the agriculture ■ of the district and Colony, and do record i their thanks to Mr. Jones for his liberality and enterprise in carrying out his offer# well and effectively. Your committee, in now their position, have to express a confidejt hope that nothing may occur to retard ' the success and progress of tho North Otago Association, and that it will over aim at leading the way in developing the agricultural and pastoral capabilities of the district and Colony. Mathew Morton, Chairmain. Mr. Diehl moved, and Mr. Kitchen, seconded the adoption of the report. The motion was carried unanimously. The Treasurer (Mr. Ronayne), in reading the annual statement of accounts, remarked that members would notice that, the Association was in even a better financial condition than it was at the end of the previous year Balance-sheet of the North Otaco Agist. CULTURAL AND PASTOAL ASSOC'IATIOX, March :i 1 j 1579. receipts. To Balance in haud on April 1, 187S £lO7 1 G Rents from ground S 0 0 Prize money returned as donation ... 212 G Derby entries ... ... 3 10 0 Dinner tickets ... ... 2 3 6 Interest on deposit... ... 8 5 0 [ Entry money IS7S ... ... 236 8 0 Gate money 273 0 0' Subscriptions 1577 ... ... 123 6 0' ! Booth money 2-1S 12 3 j Subscriptions IS7S ... ... 13S 1 0 Donations IS7S ... ... 17 0 0 Private prizes ... ... 41 0 & Entries for private prizes ... 21 17 6 Deposit of IS7S renewed ... 150 0 01 Outstanding cheque ... 2 8 0 £1383 5 3 EXPENDITURE. By Outstanding cheques 1877, ■ 5 paid ... ... ... £35 14 6 Advertising and printing account 1577 10 Ifi 0 Advertising and printing account IS7S ... ... 12S 12 8 Luneh'on account 1577 ... '-5 0 0 Luncheon and dinner account 187S ... ... Si 11 0 Prizes paid in cash 1577 ... 83 10 6 Prizes paid in cash IS7B ... 38 12 0 Private prizes 1877... ... 10 10 0 Private prizes 1575... ... 10 10 0 Timber account IS7B ... 11 0 5 Salary account 1577 ... 20 0 0 Salary account IS7S ... 40 0 0 Jndges' expenses IS7S ... 40 11 0 Engraving of medals 1577... 23 16 0 Cu. s IS7S 248 19 9 Labor account IS7S ... 25 9 9 Express hire, &c., 1577 ... 0 7 6 Postages, telegrams, Ac., 1877 2 18 8 Dog trial 1877 ... 8 0 0 Express and cab hire IS7B IS 14 0 , Postages, telegrams, and sundry expenses IS7B ... 13 10 3 I Rents and rates 1877, L 5 ; IS7S, LS 14s 13 14 H Stationery, &c., IS7S ... 38 t I Nails, &c., IS7S 3 7 S Ribbons, &c., IS7B ... ... 1 16 2 Band 187S 35 0 0 Bellman, &c., IS7S 2 15# Repairs to plant 1878 ... 1(5 0 Deposit in bank ... ... 300 0 0 Balance in bank ... ... 11l IS 7 Balance in hand ... ... 22 1C 6 £1383 5 3 \Y. H. Ronayne, Hon. Treas. J. Church, Secretary. Audited and found correct. He sky Aitken j Auditorg . Georoe R. Taylor \ 20tli April, 1879. ASSETS. Doposit in Bank ... ... ...£3OO 0 0 Balance as per statement ... 134 15 1 Rent from Caledonian Society... 20 0 J Do grounds, Grant ... S0 0 Subscriptions payable by sundries, say 60 0 0 Medals on hand, 23 bronze at 2s 6d W 7 6 £537 2 7 Available balance, L 291 10s sd. liabilities. Young's account, engraving ... £7 8 T M'Corkindalc's account, cups ... 60 6 Prizes due for IS7S ... ... 143 It ® Private prizes due ... ... 10 10 0 Reaper and binder prizes ... 13 15 0 Salary of Secretary -to 0 0 Postages, telegrams, &c. 2 1 1 Sundries, say ... 15 0 J Balance ... ... ... 291 10 5 £537 2 7 On the motion of Leigh, seconded by Mr. Menlove, the balance-sheet was adopted. The following office-bearers were elected : President, Mr. John Reia (Elderslie) ; Vice-President, Mr. T. HeJ" derson; Hon. Treasurer, Mr. W. " Ronayne (re-elected) ; Auditors, Mesfi 4, F. Dunlop and D. S. Montagu ; Co®' mittee, Hon. M. Holmes, Messrs. E* Menlove, J. Findlay, A. Hedley, Little, R. M'Auley, W. Easton, H. Nell, C. Todd, T. Y. Duncan, P. Orr, JGemmell, J. Reid, J. Kitchen, D. Borfl e > J■ | Jack, J. Mitchell, W. Young, J kenK-j.ad, J. Donaldson, E. Diehl, *• Jbroftiley, Wm. Robertson, J. Stevenson. The customary votes of thanks havioS been passed, the meeting terminated.