NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 621, 13 May 1876, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.

'The adjourned aamnal meeting of fhis So <ciety was held yesterday afternoon i\b the Criterion Hotel, Otahtilm. Present : 3less«Q James Wallace, M M Taylw (ao•crotary) A >R Harris, E, McGea, J Bum(bridge, E SBorej, 'C A divert, A Ander- ' .-son, J Andert-on, H T Andrews, Wm Mitchell, T Johnson, Woodward, ilobertB on. — The proceedings 'commenced with the moving of Mr James Wallace into the A long and somewlhat acrimonious 'discussion is reported as having preceded ,tbe Tegular .business, as to the charge of «extra<voganoe against the <conamitfeee, made by the <chairman of the last annual 'mooting, Air liobeilson. Our readers •will xemember that about <one-f<jurtih the annual income was alleged to have *bean eay>ended in refreshments for the «coramittee, judges, friend*?, &c. Members rpreeem; mow refused to accept office for the <cuirent year -unless a public apology <weve unucie by -Mr Rohcrtbon, who, it is allegod, "had confounded the leependituie-of a ])reTious year wiih that uf 1875. Mr Ko- > v Tjertflon withd-rew tlte statement as to the expenditure on " cigars," but only on that vitem. Sir Rdbertson fiuid. he would explain liow he got into a mistake. When ho was rauditing rtlve accouats, he f<nmd "fault A\ith the amount expended, and the secretary showed him accounts of previous years, in '■which the osperKlitui-e was umch liiglier. -At the lastJneefcing -he had quoted from ijncmory, and given the exti avagancc -of 187Ainst«Jid ofthat-of 1-875- As far as 'thewine was .concerned he had been right, but had been wrong ia the liiattor of •cigars. He apologibed for quoting from but, at -the same time, he mn&t lay it did not alter the case vory much, .as it "was the earn© Committee in 187-1 as an 1&75. There were expressions <of dissent *nd chaiwnan -called -on Mr Bobertson for :» public apology through the papers. Mr EobortßOQ would apologias as far as the ■item of cigar 'expenditure, which was a and no farther. After some further remarks, the subject was .dropped, and the meeting proceeded »ta telect officers for the next year. E l eGtitt of officers. — Mr Woodward progx>sed,.Mid Mr Baitjbindge seconded, " That fSir/GeorgeGrey be President.*' This was innaniinously agreed to. Several gentleanon were then proposed as<vice president, Ibnt fhey all refused to accept the honour. At last Mr Joseph May, who was not ipresent, was unanimoubly elected, .on the «notion.of Mr A Anderson, seconded by JMr R. Robertson. The -member* preaont > •still persisting in their refusal to take any -office, Mr IBaiflbridge (proposed, and Hr H S Andrews seconded, u That the books uof tbe Bociety be closed, -and the society lie dormant for six months." This propo-sition-was aiot -agreed to. — After several had been made, one by Mr Woodward, seconded by Mr Harris, "" That '^the present officers tind managing oommittee 'bold office until after the ploughing :match," was unanimously agr-eed. Mr Taylor, "however, intimated that be would «do no more than .attend xit the next meeting to takeblie minutes. — Mr Cainbiidgo ■proposed, and Mr Harris seoonded, " That -a ploughinp; and draining match be beld •on the 14th June." — Agreed to unanimously. — Mr Woodward proposed, *nd Mr ,J Anderson seconded, u Thiit tho JPloug"bing Match Committee should conBist of .tho following gentlemen : Messrs ■J Wallace, ißainbridge, A Anderson, Bovey, and Harris." — Carried.— After some 'conversation ai to the proposed Art Union, a vote of tbauks to Abe Chairman ibroogiht <tbe pnoceedingt to a«loae.