The Temuka Leader. SATURDAY, JULY 15, 1882

Temuka Leader, Issue 978, 15 July 1882, Page 2

The Temuka Leader. SATURDAY, JULY 15, 1882

OUR ACiIICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATION. Turku was a meeting ol' tlic Tom aka and Geraldino Agricultural ami Pastoral Association last Thursday afternoon. At Hie time appointed fclici'e was only one member present, but by going l about the town, the Secret ary succeeded in. brinyiag together four members besides himself. it is very unfortunate that more interest is not taken in the Association by the farmers in the di.3i.net, nm:v especially non- (liar, '•V - i lio, V. ■ ■■■ o • InC) Oi-fO-.sh . < g. . , .0 .'..a o- ■:v, h,o:> m eng- i ; OSoS .‘O', ;0.0 ■'' O' ‘ ’ !i'O 0 ! 1.0 ’ rue 1..

vanceraent of the district. In the first place, there can be no doubt that Agricultural and Pastoral Associations hare done an inconceivable amount of good wherever they have been established. This everyone is willing to admit, and therefore it is not necessary for us to dwell at great length on their importance. The question then naturally arises, why are the farmers in this district so careless about their own local Association ? What has the Association been established for but to promote the interests of the farmers, and why therefore will they not lend a hand to help it along ? Is the cost more than the gain to them? or do they think that it is not worth their while to bother about it ? Every farmer knows very well the importance of this institution, and there is not one of them who would not regret exceedingly to sec it go down, but they will not take the trouble of even attending the annual meeting, or do anything towards keeping it together. They say to themselves when the hour for the meeting arrives, “ Oh, I would ho no good to them. They can get on very well without me. I cannot make speeches, and 1 would not be one bit of help.” They know, and acknowledge, the importance of the object in view, but they will not put themselves to any trouble about it. This is a great mistake. if every member of the Association argued in this fashion what would become of it ? Nothing more nor less than that it would cease to exist, and there is not a farmer in the district who would like that it should have such a termination. Instead of saying that the meeting can gee on without them, every fanner who feels an interest in the institution should say, “ Well, if I do not go perhaps there will be no quorum, and it may be that I can be useful so far as to enable a meeting to be held.” If they thought of the matter in this light we are sure more members would attend the meetings, and that their presence would infuse spirit and energy into those who are struggling at present to keep it together. There is a great deal in largely attended meetings. They give greater importance to the object for which they are held, they stir up to greater activity and waken the enthusiasm of those who take a leading part, and foster wider and deeper interest in the movement, whatever it may be. Let no one stay away boo..use he feels he can be of no use. If he sat as mule* as a mummy be is bound to do good by his presence, and anyone who is a member of the Association and fools an interest in it makes a mistake if ho thinks o thorwisc. Another point which we would like to put before our readers is that an hour or two spent at those meetings is not time misspent. Besides the good done in promoting the interests of the (Society, there is always something to be learned at these meetings. Sir Walter Scott and Charles .Dickens drew their characters from life, inmost cases, and the way they used to uo it was to get into conversation with, and “take stock” of everybody they met. In the same way would farmers learn many things, and get many bints at these meetings if they did nothing more than listen, which would come in useful to them, in their own business, in the same wsy that the characters met by Sir Walter Hcott and Charles Dickons came in useh.il hi writing their novels. In fact what wc think is very necessary for this district is a farmer’s club, where fanners could meet and discuss questions of importance to themselves. Merchants in towns and cities have their Chambers of Commerce at which they meet and discuss subjects of interest to themselves. Would it not bo well for farmers to have a club also, where they could discuss matters of interest to them. Only that wo I;are quoted Ashburton so frequently aheady, wc could point out the good a similar institution has done for that district. But. we will content, ourselves at present with reminding fanners that the annual general mooting of the Agricultural and Pastoral Association will be bold—if a quorum can be got together—next Friday evening, the Fist inst. The animal meeting has

lapsed, or next door to it, on two different occasions for want of a quorum of five members, and, really if there is any interest felt in the Association ai ul., the -members ought not to allow it to go to the wall altogether on account of giving it an hour or two of their lime W<> Jvrpo fbcrelev!! find, for t!••• ; 1 : ; ii\ V l:o o "0 f 0 ‘ . 1 o.'O■ Vlt 10 a i ■!■■.l i o o. ■ - o. ; 't .. . I j V r

LOCAL AND GENERAL. o Winchester Fortnightly Fair. —The above fair takes place next Thursday. The English Mail. The outward English mail will close at the local Post-office this afternoon at 3 o’clock. Illegally Grantee. —A license has boon granted in a country district to an hotel near a church, to which the inhabitants objected, at the taking of the local option poll. The legal opinion obtained states that action must be taken in the Supreme Court, and funds are to be raised to upset the Committee’s action. High Notions.— They hare high netions iri Dunedin, The Socisty for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals there has nominated the Queen as patroness, Mr Justice Williams was elected President, and the Hon. T. Dick and Mr E. B, Cargill, Ylcc-Presidauts. The meeting was an influential one.

R.M. Court, Tehuka. —At the above Court last Thursday, William Healy was brought up before S. D. Barker, and J, Mendelson, Esq; s., J.P.'s, charged with being of unsound mind. The evidence of the police, and of Drs Hayes and Campbell proved the charge, and Hoaly was committed to the Lunatic Asylum.

Butter and Cheese Factory. The Butter, Cheese aud Bacon-curing Factory Company may now be regarded as floated. Already between 400 and 500 shares have been taken up, aud there are many more promised. With this amount the company could easily be started, so that there seems no fear of it now becoming an accomplished fact.

Interesting to Working Men. —A Hokitika telegram says; —A contractor named Eyan lia» been advertising for a hundred men for road work at Paringa, offering eleven shillings per day and a free passage from Hokitika. Only three or four men hare applied, so few being unemployed owing te the Woodstock rush. Eyan offers twelve months work at the above wages. TKiHTKA AND GeKALDINB A. AND P. ASSOCIATION, —A meeting of the above Association was held on Thursday afternoon, at which there were pi’esent Messrs E. A, Parker (President), M. Quinn, K, F. Gray, Mcßratney and Wills (secretary.) The minutes of th» last annual meeting wore road and confirmed. The secretary made a statement to the effect that the receipts for the year weie £44 ISsTd, and the expenditure £35 5s Gd, leaving a balance in hand of £9 12» lOd. He also stated that there were other sums of money clue to the association. A letter was read from the Colonial Secretary asking to he supplied with a report of the proceedings of the association. It was decided to appoint a sub-comraitteo consisting of Messrs Gray, Quinn, and Paterson to draw up the report, and to interview Mr George Cliff with regard to his agreement with the association in respset of the lease of the grounds. The meeting was then adjourned until Friday, the 21st inst, when the annual general meeting will be held for receiving the report and balance-sheet and electing officers for the ensuing year.

The Majesty or the Law. — Dr Hayes and the local bench of Magistrates had a stiff set-to in. the K.M. Court last Thursday over a guinea fee. Mr Barker pretty well agreed with the doctor, and th« combat‘consequently lay principally between the doctor and Julius Mondehon, Esq, T .l > . The contest, however, was unequal. One was vested with tho mighty power of a magistrate administering the law ; the other was an humble supplicant before the bar of justice, asking for substantial recognition of his services. John Shaw Hayes, Esq., M.D., ought to have known that he was no match for Julius Mendelson, Esq., J. 8., when sitting magisterially in the awe-inspiring capacity of Justice of the Peace. And then to quote law out of the latest edition of tho Medical Jurisprudence for Julius llendelson Esq., J.P. Oh! John Shaw Hayes, Esq.,, M.D:, you ought to have known better ! You ought to know tl at Julius Mendelson Etq., J.P., knows more about law than your latest editions could tell him. Didn’t ho actually foretell the decision of tho B.M. in the Franks v. Grant Cow Case, and you quote law for so gifted a magistrate. But Dr Hayes must try conclusions with him. Before being sworn lie claimed expenses for an extra day. He stated that on the previous evening ho had been lerred with a subpoena issued by Mr Mcndelsou to attain! the Magistrate’s Court. Dr Hayes stated that he had never been served with a subpoena before, and read extracts from Taylor’s Medical J urisprudence to show that such a course was unnecessary. Mr Wills, Clerk of the Court, on being referred to by Mr Barker, stated that bo had never known a subpoena to have bon . served on u medical man under such circumstances, Mr Momdclson said a medical man was bound to attend and give evidence when called upon by the Court. Dr Hayes agreed with Mr Mendelson, and said that he hao. no desire to evade] appealing, but thought it a great hards]dp to have to attend day after day without being paid for it, He contended that he was raid a guinea for the use the State made of his medical knowledge (and little eu. ugh, too,considering the responsibilities incurred) and that if he was required to lose extra time over a case he should receive extra pay. Such was the case in the Supreme and District Courts, where a witness received payment for every day he Jo-.t while attending Court. Mr Barker was of opmkm Hi at Dr Hayes was entitled to a day's expense*. Hr Meudolsou objected, and it w.is finally decided to drier the matter for • ■■■: r • v i V -. e :■ . i : ■ r i. 1 , . , i e, ’. l ! vj. I’iv J'-mt (

of Mr Mendelson to refer the matter to the Resident Magistrate, but he did it probably to show that in his greatness he can be amiable and condescending. It was a pity the doctor did not refuse to give evidence. Taylor’s Medical Jurisprudence told him he could not be forced to give evidence on matters of opinion unless he liked, and why did he not take his stand on that ? Probably the gesticulations, grimaces, and Jack-in-the-box deportment of Julius Mendelson, Esq., J.P., contrasted with the easy and quiet behaviour of Mr Barker, struck terrer into the heart of the doctor, and he thought it was better to give in than he arraigned on a charge of contempt of Court before such a tribunal. That must be it, or ho would; not have lost sight of theguinea so easily. Still ha was not bound to give evidence if ha did not like to, and it is a pity he did not refuse, to see how Julius Mendelson, Esq., J.P., would have got out of the difficulty. The Mount Peel Road Board invitee tenders for several works. Tenders for clearing 25 acres of niggerheads and rushes, the property of Mr John Paterson, close today. Messrs R. Wilkin and Co. will sail by public auction at their yards, Timaru, \tod»y» horses, drays and harness. On Monday at Washdyke Yards, cattle and sheep. A A number of horses having been impounded from Mr Thomas Palmer’s, Cade Bay, Mr John Lawson notifies that they will be sold next Saturday unless previously released. Messrs Maclean and Stewart will hold their usual sale of horses, etc., at Timaru* today. At Washdyke Yards, on Monday, they will offer a number of cattle ■ and sheep. Maclean arid Stewart notify an important sale of a 100-acre leasehold farm at the Washdyke, and a lot of superior houseld furniture. The farm is now in the occupation of Mr Gillespie.