CAMBRIDGE FARMERS CLUB.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 633, 10 June 1876, Page 2

CAMBRIDGE FARMERS CLUB.

Tbe unsual monthly .meeting of the above Club was held at the National Hotel oa Tuesday last, the Oth inst. The following members were present : — Messrs B. H D Ferguson in the chair, G E Clark:* J Hunt, James liuucimaa, and W L Marty n. The minutes of the previous meeting having been read -and confirmed, the Chairtn iv read a telegram from the President E Maclean, Esq, stating that .he would be unable to attend. The following gentlemen having been proposed as members at the last meeting a Lai ofc wan taken, which resulted in tlieir unanimous election ; viz : Messrs S T Sed_ don, H Reynolds, Willums, (Mato Matay) and I< Secoiribe. A. statement showing the amount of wool exported from Cambridge was handed iv from Mr iN'eal. W S iN Co'.s Agent. The total number of bales was 240 ; of course this does not represent all tbe wool gio*\ n iv the Cambridge district, a -large quantity having been puL on board the hteainera at piivato landings. Mr James Kunui man moved that tne stateir.eut be entered on the minutes. Seeoaded by Mr Clark and curried. Mr W L Marty n — -In accordance witU a no' ice of motion made at last meetingro^e to move that rule 7 be expunged. He djil nut know whother it would be wise to do so now, as the attendance was very small, perhaps it had better be left until -there was a larger number present. The Chairman — You might as well pujfj -it -to t. c meeting. The motion was accordingly moved by Mr Marlyu. In support of it he said that aa there were so many members, they could do without this rule. (The rule makes ib incumbent on every member to give an essay or paper in alphabetical order.) Only thirteen essays were wanted in one yeau, and -they could surely get that number of members to volunteer one essay each a year. The Secretory — Will you make one of the thirteen, Mr IMartyn ? Mr Marbyu — No, that is one of the reasons I nave for wishing, to do away with, this rule. I want to see the essays deli vored by abler men than myself. The Chairman — I am afraid if.it is left to thirteen, they will soon constitute the whole Club. Mr Clark — I think the subject is a most important one, and whilst I agree with Mr Marilyn on some poiMs, I think we should not move without b^ig sure of our ground, I will therefore move as an amendment " That the motion stand over till next month, and that a committee consisting of the .Proeident, Vice President, Secretary, Mr James RuucLman and tho mover, bo appointed to make enquiry as to the possibility £>f obtaining thirteen volun*^ teers to guarantee an essay once in eadt^ year, should they be required, and an the event of such boing- effected, it shall be the duty of the Committee to make araugemente for the raid essay from mouth ito month or as required." Mr Martyo begged to withdraw his motion iv favour of the amenumont, which having been seconded, was carried. Mr James Runuiinan movett ithat a Committee be appointed to carry. out the resolution afleotiug the -•' Branding Act," standing on the books. He said that when tho matter was first brought .forward the Secretary had written to the various chairmen of Highway Boards asking their assistance <to bring the whole district South of Auckland a district under •the provisions of the "Act." A great many were written to. bah only one or two answtu'a had been -received. This was, ho thought, in part owing to tho fact that they did not know what answer was required. His idea was to send a .circular to the various Gbarrmen of the Board* asking them if they would attach their .signatures to a petition to the Government to bring the district South of Auckland umler t've "Act." This he thought would bo the simplest way of doing it. As he had said on a previous occasion, he felfc very keenly in the matter. The Commit^^ tee to cansist of Messrs Clark, Buttle wa^ the mover. This motion was producti of a rather long discussion. A member thought it would be very unwise to make the whol»

<eonntry specified one district. There wore -many in such a Lwsp pliiee that perhaps possessed the samo kind of brand, and it wonld be a hard c.ise if a person having a few head of cit'le, and who lived nearer to the Registrar of Brands, would by getting registered first, lay cUim to the cattl" of another who had a wrnil \r brnuv.l, and jporh ips a large herd oF cattle. Mr W L Martyn thought the matter liad better be pnt in the hands of the M H R for the district. It was ultimately agreed to further 'postpone the subject as tho present High~way Boards would go out of office before -an answer could be got to the circular. Mr James Rnnciman, in the absence of Mr Job a Fisher, moved the resolution standing in the name of the latttr, rol.itive to the annual inspection of members' He was sorry that neither Mr 3?isher or Mr Hicks, who first brought "the matter forward were present, he was not prepared to sppak on the matter although he agreed with the substance of it. Tt would serve to bring their farms to a higher state of perfection. If a farmer ♦thought that two or three gentlemen were •coming to inspect his place, rainy little things would be put in order which would 'be loft without some such stimulus. Tt "would serve to create a spirit of emu'ation •■which could not fail to be of the utmost 'benefit to the district. Mr W L Martyn said there was a good deal of it of which he ftp roved, but he thought the country was too young. They must remember that ten years ago the district; was a wilderness of fern and titree. Tnere were many little things •w'lich wonld bear improving upon on their farms, but more important matters demanded their attention. He was always k gkul to see anyone coming to look at his P^jW, bat if he thought that they curie to point <out f.iultß which were as plain 'to him as to them, he had rather they stayed away. He would however be happy to hear anything that could be said on tho <other side. Mr Hunt did not think it -was the intention of the frampr of the resolution to compel every member to have his farm inspee'e ]. Certain prizes were to be offered "for certain crops. Tf members wished to *«nter their crops they could do so, but there wis nothing to compel them. Mr Clark — Is the competition intended to b^ confined to members of the Club ? Mr Buttle— Yes. Mr Clark — I have pleifiuro in supporting Mr Runcimm's motion, — it is of an character, and if woll cirried --oat 13 calculated to do a large amount of good, ns there is nothing like comparison •for deciding the qisilihVs of our v.uious products; whilfit a settlor who is dusiions of attfliuKng properly to his own business canncJt bj Tunning all over the country to see what all his neighbours are doing. He illicit he able to go and soe something -Ti'mt has b"iiti»ii him, and so be indued to go oii'wibh 'inaie determination not to b" r ;be'iti!ii the next ye.tr. Wh.it we want is ti ba able to nscortnin the most inexpensive and most effoctn.il method of ohtainv<\r the largest possible results fom our labiiirs and in a new country as this in, the most piactical are only experimental i.sitig, knowing no reliablo liw to go by. I tun learning y<n- by yeir something "new in reference to tho treatment of our lands to produce crrtai'i crops, but in "many instances at too great a cost. Comparison hore ag.iin would save others from 'falling into the siine errois, saving individual loss and possibl y a loss to the country; on the other hand others might have ' tried ■experiments that would save me t considerable loss. I have much pleasuie in supporting the motion. Mr W L Murtyn believed it w.is in- • tended to offl*r prizes for implements ; he thought that this sh aid be left to agricultural -shows. He did not think the "Tunds of the Club should go for prizes for implements ; the shows always made provision for them. It was giving prizes to • the men who hnd the most capital. The Chairman s.iid one person might have a good implement of some kind, and -it would be well if it was made known. Mr Battle said be differed from Mr Martyn. It wae a great advantage to good implements ; by awarding prizes we would know what kind of tools ->were to be preferred. Mr Maityn agreed with that- but it •ought to be confined to shows. Mr Clark said the most important thing •to be considered was the inspection of Toot crops. He might take a priz<j for Koarrots at a show, when perhaps he would not like to let anyone see the field where they were grown ; they might be the only half dozen good carrots there. The same thing applied to other crops; it seemed to him tint in deceiving the public people -were in .reality deceiving themselves In taidug an average of the yield of a. crop of wheat, for instance, it was usual to cut • off the hest corner and judge by that. A -settler in the Te Awamutu district had given np grow'tv* wheat because it would not pay, when the previous year the yield -from hia farm was 50 or 60 bushels per -acre ; this they must -admit was very strange. The only way to do with crops "was to judge them on the ground. Mr W L Martyn said that that was his Toots should be judged on the ground, and cattle and implements should bo taken to a show. Er John Runeiinan was of Mr Martyns -opinion ; no prizp should bp given for implements Perhaps it might be done in 'the case of some particular thing. Mr Cl*rk — I think it would be better to judge them on the farm. Many im•plernen'ts and nvichines would never find their way to a show ; they could not be ••easily taken 30 or 40 miles. Mr Buttle would go the opposite to Mr Runciman; the best set, he thought, should be awarded a prize. Tho matter wns one *of importance, and he was of opinion that it had hetter be postponed till Mr Hicks himself should be present. He would therefore beg to move " that it be further ..postponed." The motion was seconded by Mr Joht Runciman and carried. The following notices of motion wer< Jthen made : — Jtr James Runciman gave notice tba

dfc the next mooting- lie would propose that the following gentlemen bo admitted mombprs of the Club : — Captain Owen, itud Messrs All well and Btooks (a'ent B.NZ) Mr John Rnuciman gave notice that he would read an essay on " Thorns " ut the next meeting. Tlie Secietivry drew the attention of members to the hour of m.n^in,', which i^ 7 o'clock ; lie wished members to be punctual, as some had a long ude homo. A vote of th.nks to tho Chairman brought die meeting to a close.