THE DINNER

Waikato Times, Volume XII, Issue 999, 16 November 1878, Page 2

THE DINNER

The dinner was served iii the " house "on the ground. Dr Campbell (President), occupied the chair ; Mr Alfred Buckland the vice-chair. About 80 gentlemen sat down to dinner. The Chairman m proposing ''Prosperity to the Agricultural and Pastoral Association," spoke as follows : — Mr Vice-Presidenfc and Gentlemen, — I am well pleased to think that the citizens of Auckland have accepted the fact that the " country makes the town," and have liberally supported this society. Liberal encouragement begets praseworthy emulation, and from a loyal-hearted emulation is born the prize of success, which, while it crowns the individual, at the same time promotes the advancement of the community to which that individual belongs. New Zealand, the youngest-born of the Australian colonies, only the other day, bore away from her eldest sister one of the highest prizes she had to offer. And she allowed the Duke of Newcastle, not only to carry his ducal head high above all others, hut permitted his departure from her shores, and allowed him to once more grace us here. Gentlemen, I think our elder sister m this made a great mistake, — sho ought to have kept that bull. I can only congratulate the owners she did not, and further hope that they will find themselves well rewarded by the great services which the Duke will render to the community to which he has returned. But, though heartily wishing the spirited owners, the Messrs Maclean Brothers, nry most hearty congratulations on the great honour which they have achieved for themselves and this colony, they must forgive me when I say that I hope that his lordship the Duke of Newcastle will Cfet beaten by some other representative of his race of still higher rank, and if not owned by these gentlemen, at all events, by New Zealand. If our neighbours cinnofc appreciate our stock, we can theirs, for our energetic colonists have no hesitation m paying for their best blood and importing it here, and this is the right thing to do. " Onward, and higher still." let that continue to be our watchword ; if it is not, " retngression" will loosurelj becomo stumped upon us. But lam proud to think that ll.is word had no place m our exhibits of thi« day, juidlam equally eer*ai;i it never will, as long Mi the same spirit of emulation pre- ' vails which has made such a, i-uccess

of this, the society's second Show. .. I have to congratulate the farmers of the Waikato on the inauguration of that new railway policy which has placed uofc only the market of Auckland, but the markets of the colony within their reach. They shall no longer be compelled to see cargoes of root crops grown iv the settlements of the Southern Island supplying a market which is legitimately theirs. I do not pretend to be wise m farming matters, but I cannot help wondering how it is that advantage is not taken of our more early and genial climate, as contrasted with the Middle Island, m sending forward supplies which can be raised here two months m advance of our neighbours. I have heard that at home certain lands m Cornwall let at a fabulous rental for supplying the London market with the farmers' early produce. Surely, with our weekly steam communication, a profitable trade could be established m this direction. It would only be a return compliment for the supplies they now send us, but before another year is over we may be supplied no longer from there, but, I trust, from Waikato. There are many directions m which our climate should stand us m good stead. Look at the shiploads of fruit constantly arriving m our harbour — all capable of being grown on the spot. We are, I think, at last awakening to the blessings which our climate can yield to us, and many years will not elapse ere we look npon our own orange and lemon groves of an extended scale, and from these windows we can now see a sunny slope growing green with the foliage of twelve thousand young vines planted there since last year. I feel persuaded the youth of the present day will live to see this fair land become known as the country of the olive and vine, of the orange and the lime. And for ourselves, can we not already sit under the shadow of our own fig-tree and pluck its ripe fruit? All this added to the agricultural products of the mother country, which we can grow, and who shall say this is other than the land flowing with milk and honey ? It would be an easy task for me to dilate upon the rapidly growing prosperity of this favored colony, but I shall not weary you with dry statistics to prove what is an accepted fact, both here and at home, and shall conclude, not with an eulogy of my own, but m the words of those who have watched, and are watching, our onward progress with unprejudiced eyes from afar — or words from a canuie newspapes of the commercial capital of Scotland, m which we are thus spoken of : — " With a soil so fertile, and with such abundant resources, her people must have a brilliant future before them. There is, perhaps, no one of the Australian colonies that agriculturists would despise, — no one that cannot look forward with contidance to the future. But JNew Zealand stands out before them all, as possessed of a soil, a climate, and resources which seem to guarantee prosperity." Gentlemen, this society is doing its best to develop those resources and guarantee that prosperity, and with a continuance of your general support, we have no fear but that our 'efforts will be crowned with success, and to that success I now ask you to pledge a bumper. Mr John Wallace returned thanks and proposed the next toast, "The Commercial Interest of Auckland." Mr Firth, m obedience to loud calls, responded to the toast. He said : I have to thank von for the manner m which you have responded to the toast, " The Commercial Interest of the Provincial District of Auckland." I should, indeed, have been very gJnd to have heard that our merchants had ceased to import those things which agriculturists ought to produce. Where imports are confined to things which we are m this country unable to produce, I go with you entirely iv importing as much as you please. But I think it is not so well to have to import things which we can produce m this country. lam not here to pay undeserved compliments. I am about to speak a few words which I conceive to be plain truth. I do not wish to offend anyone, but you must give me the right to offer a little wholesome advice. If we see here horse feed, and other things which we are obliged to send for elsewhere, that, I humbly think, is a fact which should not be allowed to exist, if we wish this part of the country to increase iv prosperit}'. (Here.) I am not going to flaunt m your faces the superior achievements of our Sotuhern fellow-colo-nists. With good land, they have found no difficulty m supplying their own wants, then they supply other colonial markets, and they send a surplus off to England. During a tour I lately made iv the South, crops were pointed out to me averaging (wheat) at from 30 to 40 bushels, and m some cases more, to the acre. Oats there appeared to be a particularly profitable crop, averaging from 50 to (50, and some land from 60 even to 70 bushels to the acre. But very little is required of the Southern farmer to grow very 1 large crops on his land. I must, at the same tiinp, say that while the South bears away the palm for greater fertility of soil, it by no moans bears away the palm — nor is either deserving of it — for goad agriculture. I think that our Southern friends are very slovenly farmers, indeed. If they had lo cultivate the sort of land which you have to cultivate, they would have

provided a much worse show than we ■ have seen to-day. The truth is, there is no difficulty m farming, or m making a farm pay, down South. The slovenly farmer can there get good results for a while, at all event. But here the nature of the soil, and the character of the prior vegetation which it produced, require something more, and something very different, from slovenly farming. Ifc requires a higher degree of skill, and the judicious expenditure of more or less capital. The requisite skill implies the knowledge to use it. The old system which once prevailed, of simply pearing off the fern or bush, next cutting down the land m grass, then putting cattle upon it, selling of the cattlp, and repeating the process. — this was 'a system which, I think, our agriculturists are now finding out robbed the land and impoverished t c farmer. The truth appears to me to be that nothing will do but rotation of crops ; but the thing is to find the system of rotation that is most suitable for the climate and soil which we have to consider. I I believe that many farmers have become fully convinced thaf/some rotation of crops is better tha'l none, and they have resolved to put the process to the test of experiment. The true nnd proper rotation will, no doubt, be discovered m time, although it may vary slightly, according to different local circumstances. Great advantages have beeu found to result from the adoption of this system wherever it has been adopted. It has been attempted with varying success m the Australian colonies, but the colonists had not yet been able to discover any system of rotation that would answer all the purposes.' In many ; parts they were compelled to be 1 entirely dependent i:pon pasturage 1 or wheat, and, where that is the case, we know that, m the long- run, neither the land is benefited, nor the farmer who cultivates it. I hope the agricultural gentlemen here to--1 day, and the ouher agriculturists whom they may be said to represent, : will m the future give commercial - men less to do m importing those ; : things which farmers can supply. It is not surprising that we should allow our Southern friends to " crow over" us, as it is said that some of them sometimes do. lam pleased to think that the agriculturists of this province have now entered upon a system of farming which' if it be steadily persisted m, aided by capital, cannot fail to have the best results. It will make this province to be second to no other portion of New Zealand. (Cheers,) In two or three years we ought to be able to supply our own market with grain, and to grow nil bred cattle on our lands. The only thing I have to say about cattle is that we have not enough bred cattle at present. We have many, indeed, but it is important that we should have more than we consume. Then I say, "more of them, more of them," let us have. (Cheers.) The Vice-Chairman proposed the " Prize Winners" and Mr Every Maeleau said : lam requested to return thanks as one of the prize-winners. I am rather proud of the position I hold here to-day, as the winner of so many prizes for Shorthorn cattle. I believe this Show has been a very fine show indeed, of Shorthorns. I, therefore think it a great honor to have won those prizes- Mr Morrin's bull is indeed a very fine animal. We have au old bull at home, the " champion" of Australia which we may show at some future time. The chairman has said something about a sweepstake for champions, for £50 each. If Mr Morriu is game, we will shew against him. I thought it was no honour to bring the Duke of Newcastle, I admit that Mr Momn's bull is a first-class animal. But lam not afraid to shew against him. The show of cows was most excellent. The exhibits m this section were superior to tho«e shewn at Cambridge. There were three calves here the like of which could not be seen anywhere together. I have never seen such calves as I saw here to-day. We should go m for good animals. There were some animals which ought to be left out altogether. I think you should have greater interest iv the best class of cows. The dams arerJißre importart m many respects than the bulls. Mr John Lamb proposed the " Judges." Mr Parsons, (Te Awamutu) : I rise with pleasure to return thanks as one of the judges. There may have been complaints, but T feel assured that the judges have done their best. If we have erred, it was from the heart, not the head, I have seen some of the finest cattle here to-day that it is possible to see anywhere. They would do credit to any show m any part of the world. I have travelled over a large portion of the earth's surface, and I must say I never saw finer, I hope I will live a few years longer to see this society make the progress it so thoroughly deserves to make. I wish I could see a little more encouragement given by the citizeus m regard t© the number and value of prizes. I know a city which within a short time was burnt down, only three or four hundred houses being left, and even there £3000 was contributed to be given m prizes. I saw one Devon on the ground, I hope I may yet see many. I have bred Devon s myself, and my family before me for generations, and I hope to see this fine breed m greater numbers here. I hope you will go on progressing, not only m the quality of your stock, bui iv the increase of theii' number. Captain Haudley ; There is one remark I have to make, it is, that I was much disappointed m the thoroughbred stallions exhibited. We look round and see Messrs Morrin and Maeleau coming forward with the best bulb, but no one seems to have gone m to improve the class of horses- The stallions exhibited are very poor indeed. There is an improvement indeed m the young stock. There were jjonje hacks

rather better than I expected to see; but the great want m tbk section was an example of a good stallion. I hope to see Messrs Maclean or Messrs Morrin, either or both of them, go td exhibit next year a tho . r Sbull stallion, as wiflL as a t^rouf bred bulL Mr Jolin Wallace (Flat ±msu; . x was well pleased to see the number of But although worth more money th?n others, we did not consider that he came within the particular class: Mr McGee's young stock were indeed a credit to him, and I cannot help saying that he shows great spirit and enterprise I think it would be wisdom on the part of gentlemen belonging to societies m the outdistricts to leave them for such a society as this, and to come down here with their stock; LA Voice : No, no.] I did not allude to anyone here. (Laughter and cheers.) I cannot help thinking the information they would obtain from a show of a comprehensive character, and upon a large scale, would be more valuable— the whole thing would be better done, and the ultimate result would be more beneficial to the public. . A vote of thanks to the chairman closed the proceedings. * The band struck up " God Save the Queen," and the company separated.