AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 184, 8 September 1909, Page 2

AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY

The Taranaki Agricultural Society's committee met last night. There were present:—Messrs 'W. Anibury (president), H. Okey, M.P., J. R. Hill, F. Watson, A. H. Street, J. S, Oonnctt, G. Colson, K. Webster, G. Bishop, W. Stanley, A. W. Wood, and S. 'J. Smith. ST. GERMAIN'S SQUARE.

The meeting discussed at some length the report of the sub-committco -which had recommended that a Bill be prepared and presented to Parliament to empower the Society to lease St. Germain's Square for 21 years with perpetual rights of renewal. Upon its being explained that the empowering to leaso would not prevent the Society from dealing with the land by sale, or from looking out for more suitable showgrounds, all opposition to the recommendation was removed, and ; the sub-committee in charge of the mat- ! tcr was authorised to have the Bill preFERTILISER EXPERIMENTS. The sub-committee which had been in charge of the top-dressing tests wich basic slag on the showgrounds reported that the fertiliser had been applied. Mr. Stanley said the principal grass on the land was "rat tail," and if basic! Blag was good enough to make that valuable, then it wouldjie good indeed. —Upon the recommendation of the subcommittee it was decided to ask the Star Football Club upon what terms the Society would bo allowed to plough and grass-the football enclosure. MILKING COMPETITIONS.

The president reported that the suocommittce had not yet made a choice from the four suitable farms offered lor the milking competitions. He suggested that the committee should be enlarged and that the committee should then be authorised to carry out the competition. This course was adopted, and the following gentlemen were appointed to manage the competition:—Messrs W. Ambury. S. J. Smith, H. Street, J. S. Connett, G. Colson, and K. Webster. THE WINTER SHOW.

The president, on behalf of the Winter Show Committee, recommended that the winter show be held on Bth, Oth, 10th and 11th of June next. He understood that the Auckland dates would b" from 24th May for four days, and exhibitors there would have ample time to get here. Palmerston North followed a fortnight later, and Waikato two weeks later still. Enquiries ha 3 Been made relative to buildings, but nothing definite had been decided on that point. It was proposed, however, that the show should be held in the Drill Hall, and that an endeavor should be made to have Kawau street temporarily closed in. He moved that the report be adopted. The motion was carried. THE DOG CLASSES. The secretary of the Now Zealand Kennel Club notified that the challenge classes allotted to the" Society for the dog classes were curly-coated retriever*, field spaniels, and old English (or "beardics") sheep dogs. GENERAL. Messrs Wright, Stephenson and Co. forwarded £3 3s for special prize for the butter classes. Mention was made of the danger to tie public and to exhibitors caused by the public having access to tho ring and saddling paddock, and a committee was set up to have the enclosure more socurely fenced. VOTES OF THINKS.

Mr. G. Bishop was accorded a vote of thank's for his services as delegate to the Agricultural Societies' Conference. A vote of thanks was accorded to M>. F. Gillanders, manager of the Moumahaki State Farm, for his recent addresß on fertilising grass lands.