Untitled

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 15 December 1880, Page 2

Last Saturday a meeting of shareholders of the Canterbury Farmers' Co-operative Association was held at Mr. Henry Green's store, Timaru, on which occasion nearly 200 persons were present. While responding to a vote of thanks passed by the meeting to the provisional directors, Mr. Postlethwaite, the Chairman, said that it was the duty of the meeting to propose a number of persons to act as directors for the ensuing year. He said that the directors must be men who would carry out the programme before them, otherwise the movement would be a failure. If they did so the Association would be one of the greatest boons ever conferred upon the people of South Canterbury. He could say confidently that such bodies had been the salvation of farmers in many parts of England. The Association must be carried out on purely co-operative, that is, cash principles, which meant that they must not go beyond their depth. Ho y/as glad to see such a large attendance, and hoped that by next year it would be increased ten-fold. He was convinced that the scheme was the right ope to forward the interests of the agricultural portion of the community. Mr. Hamersley then occupied hours in reading the proposed articles of association, after which the lateness of the hour rendered necessary the postponement till next Saturday of the election of directors.

A large number of members of thp Artillery Corps fired this morning for the district "prizes. The weather was simply wretched ; the light was bad, and there was a stead}' fall of rain. As a natural consequence the shooting was poor, so poor that those in charge of the score-book determined not to hand the scores to the Press. The ranges were 200, 400, and 500. yards, with five shots at each. Gunner Sinclair headed the list with 40. Another squad was to fire thi3 afternoon.

In order to afford residents in the country an opportunity of visiting Cole's Circus and Menagerie on Monday next, the Railway Department have made special train arrangements, the details of which may be found in our advertising columns. Mails for the United Kingdom and Australian Colonies, per Te Anau, close at the Bluff on fritlay, 17th inst., at 11.30 a.m. Telegrams will' be accepted at the Oamaru olihe accordingly.

It is scarcely necessary to remind our readers that Professor and Madame Haselmayer will give one of their entertainments in the Volunteer Hall thi3 evening.

In our advertising columns appears Rule 20 of the Benevolent Society, which it is purposed to amend at the special meeting of the Society to be held on the 22nd inst. We understand that the Committee of Management at its last meeting, in compliance with the resolution adopted at the general meeting in November "last, tcok into consideration the rule in question, and recommend the deletion of the latter clause of the rule and t!-e insertion of the words " for the Home" after ".supplies" in the first line. The inspection parade of the Head-quarters Companies will take place on Friday, at the Volunteer Hall. The proceedings will be more than ordinarily interesting, as several prizes and commissions are to be presented by Major .Sumpter. Waimate is en fefy. A concert has just been given there under the auspices of the School Committee to raise funds for school prizes. An entertainment, it is rumored, is to ho given for the benefit of the Fire Brigade ; the Horticultural Society's show is to be held on the 27th inst., and a bazaar gift auction is to be held on New Year's Day. Pedestrians who intend competing at the Kakanni Caledonian Society's sports on Christmas Day should bear in mind that nominations for the Ivakanui Handicap and Hurdle Handicap must be lodged with the Hf-n, Sec. (Mr. J. A. Algie), atKakanui, not later than eight o'clock on Saturday evening. The liberality of the programme should bring forward a large number of competitors. The prize money in connection with the Kakanui Handicap (100, 220, and 440 yards) amounts to Ll2 12s, and liberal prizes are given for all other events. Entries for the Friendly Societies' Cup, Societies' Competition, Handicap Hurdles, and Walking Handicap, to take place at the Friendly Societies' sports on Boxing Day, must be lodged -with the Secretary not later than Friday evening. The full programme is published on the first page of this issue, and it will be seen that tlie prizes offered are well worth contesting for, and the entries for the several events should therefore be numerous.