The Patea Mail. (Published Wednesdays and Saturdays ) SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1878.

Patea Mail, Volume IV, Issue 380, 7 December 1878, Page 2

The Patea Mail. (Published Wednesdays and Saturdays ) SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1878.

On Sat uni ay, the 23rd November, a meeting of delegates from the various Agricultural and Pastoral Associations in the Middle .Island, was held at Oaraaru, the Hon Mathew Holmes, President of the North Otago Association, being voted to the chair. The Canterbury Times gives a pretty full report of the proceedings, and in a short article expresses great satisfaction that the National Agricultural and Pastoral Association has at length come into existence, and says, “ Its beginning is small, but most beginnings are not large, and a beginning in this case means the disappearance of a vast number of difficulties. The necessity for the Association has long been recognised, for the reasons so ably and comprehensively set forth in the speech of the Chairman of the meeting of the delegates from the various Agricultural Societies of Oamaru.” The speech delivered by the Chairman had been carefully prepared, and set forth the advantages and necessity for banding together in order to secure the best possible return for the enormous amount of capital now invested in New Zealand in agricultural pursuits. He stated that there were now in the Colony 13,069,338 sheep, 578,430 cattle, and 137,768 horses, besides 3,523,277 acres of English grasses upon which to feed them. There were, he continued, 26,205 holdings, and in 1877 the cultivated land extended to 226,354 acres of wheat, 204,254 of oats, 21,795 of barley, and 18,875 of potatoes. The crops for the present year promise well, and indicate a return of about fourteen million bushels. He argued that the large extent of Crown land fit for agricultural settlement, and the cutting up into farms of many large estates, would largely increase the returns of produce and stock—that, in fact, the present was merely a prelude of what might be expected in the future from the industry, enterprise, and ability of the colonists. He referred to the Associations of Great Britain, and read the following comparative statement of shows held under auspices of the Highland Agricultural Society as illustrative of what might be expected in much Jess time in New Zealand—- ; the first show, in the year 1822, the exhibits were : 69 cattle and 8 sheep, and. the prize-money offered only amounted to £7B. In 1842 there were 259 cattle, 179 horses, 487 sheep, and 53 swine ; total, 1014 exhibits ; and the prize-money amounted to £1,200. In 1863 there were 2,315 exhibits, and the prizj-money amounted to £1,300. At last exhibition there were 4,416 exhibits, and the prize-money reached the sum of £2,763, thus showing the steady progress this show had made.-—lie then proceeded to say that ; —“ The Royal Society of England was established in 1837, and includes amongst its members most of the landowners, farmers, and men o£ science in the Kingdom. It has already done infinite service to the country by inducing a better style of farming and improving the quality of Jive stock, and its career of usefulness is only commencing. The Royal Irish Society has also done good service. From his own observation he estimated that the average value of all the cattle in Ireland lias been increased by at least £4 per head within the last twentyfive years through the operations of the Society.” The large increase in wool and grain in New Zealand, it was mentioned would drive producers to seek new markets. The sheep in the Australian Colonies now number about 65,000,000, and the South American States have close upon the same number, while the Cape of Good Hope comes in with ten millions. New Zealand could only hold its own against such competition by the production of a superior article at the lowest possible cost. Mr Holmes held that New Zealand could successfully compete in the English wheat . market against either California or South Australia, as this Colony had certain advantages over either of those referred to —in regard to climate, more especially—which rendered it possible by rotation of crops and good fanning to maintain or improve the condition of the soil while taking off the most valuable crops year by year. The average yield for New Zealand for a series of years has been 31 bushels per acre, South Australia 9| bushels, Victoria 14f, and California about the same. His contention was strongly in favour of the establishment of a National Association, and in concluding his remarks the position was thus summarised —“ The natural advantages of the Colony such as climate and fertility, place us in a position to compete with all other countries in the markets of the world, but to do so permanently, and with anything like an adequate return for the capital devoted to the purpose, it was necessary that they should have everything of the best, and do everything in the best possible way. He had already pointed out how in Britain similar Societies tended to secure this result, and analogy would lead to the best antici- i pationsfor our own, and justly so, for such such societies meant placing the knowledge and results of the best at the disposal of all.” It was agreed by the meeting that a National Association for the Middle Island should be formed to be called the Royal Agricultural Association of New Zealand, and incorporated under the provisions of the Agricultural and Pastoral Societies Act of 1877, andthat periodical exhibitions of live stock and agricultural produce and implements, and of various manufactures connected with agriculture, should be held. Christchurch, being the centre of the greatest agricultural district, was made the head quarters of the Association, hut the shows are to be moveable, in order that the agricultural public, each section in turn, may share the benefits to be derived from personal inspection of the best stock and implements in the Colony. Of course it is impossible that the North Island Associations can at present think of joining the National. The want of roads and railways for the ready transport of stock and produce presents an insuperable barrier to a peripetic show on a large scale in the North Island. The wonderful growth of the Hawke’s Bay Association may he taken as an indication of what may in a few years be looked forward to in several places on this coast. As roads and railways progress and population increases, the number of visitors from distant paits will increase., Patea men, in considerable numbers, were to he seen at the late Wanganui Show, and during the present week Pateans are well represented at the Taranaki Show. The Patea Show had visitors from both Taranaki and Wanganui, as well as'from the Wairarapa and other parts of the Wellington provincial district. Facilities for intercommunication will tend to swell the number of visitors, and we should hope increase the good feeling which is already developing. The various Associalionshave shown a disposition to work together for good in the matter of selecting Judges one for the

other . We think this might be carried a step further by Associations agreeing one for another to select and forward the best representative animal in any one class which the district can produce—horse, cattle, or sheep—for exhibition purposes only. We do not mean the best of an average lot, but best in the highest sense of the word. It is impossible at present to arrange for large peripetic shows, but we do think representative animals con'd be travelled for show purposes, with very great advantage to all engaged in stock breeding, and at comparatively small cost—the expenses being divided amongst the various Societies at whose Shows the animals were exhibited. ■