AGRICULTURAL BOARDS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2455, 5 April 1888, Page 2

AGRICULTURAL BOARDS.

. « _ Is accordance wish the advertisement in Thk Wajkato Times, a meeting was held in the Borough Council Chambers yesterday, to consider tho advisability of establishing Boards of Agnciil'iire There were present : Messrs Primrose, (chairman), Rtineimau, Seddon. M.-Donald. Eidler, O iiliam. Chepmell, Hunter, Barugb and Bmnskill. Tlio Chairman s id tint the meeting had been calle 1 by the Waikato County, after receiving a. letter from Mr W A. Graham, suggesting the advisability of establishing Agricultural B.i.trds throughout the colony, and he said the matter was for the meeting to discuss. Mr Seddon said he thought that these Boards would be the best weans of promoting unity of feeling and action amongst Huriciiltiirists ns a body, and wou'd be beneficial in mitigating local jealousies. They would lie the meam of mining information necessary to the successful i-arryh.g on of their business as •liji-ienitiivist.s Tlio G'ivi." iimeiU liacl w> sii'ih information, mid it >v>i-s clih duty of the farmers to collect it for themselves. These Boards would be able to collect information regarding the extent and locality of soils best adapted for tho cultivation of special crops—such, for instance, as suxar beet, barley, flux, &u., which would only come to < perfection on certain soils. They would hi-n< 1 fit the State by promoting the welfare and prosperity of the most important ; body in all young countries and in help- i ing the profitable settlement of the waste : lands of the colony. They would assist the Government of the day by letting them know the feeling of the farmers as i a body on ths question of free trade or 1 protection. Mr Sjeddon said he had much pleasure in moving the following resolu- i tio'i which he hoped would meet w-ith the ; approval of the meeting ;—"That in the 1 interest of agriculture, it is expedient . that local boards should be formed throughout New Zealand, and that the

counties of Waikato, Piako, Waipa ami Raglan, together with the Boroughs of Cambridge and Hamilton, unite hi petitioning Parliament to pass an Act incorporating the said four counties and two boroughs in a Local Board of Agriculture for the district of Waikato." Mr Graham seconded the resolution and pointed out the immense amount of good similar boards had done in America, and he did not think there would be anything that would promote the settlement of the colony so much as these boards. Tiie motion was then put to the meetill" am] carried, Mqssrs Hunter ai|d Chepmell voting against it. Mr Seddon then moved " That the Chairmen of the four counties, together with the Mayors of Cambridge, and Hamilton, and Chairman of the Hospital Board, with power to add to their number, l>e a committee to act in preparing a Hill to briii" before Parliament, embodyin a the powers necessary to be given to establish local Boards of Agriculture, throughout the colony. Five to form a quoniiy). Seconded by Mr Banish, \yho quite concurred with the remarks made by the previoiiH .speakers as to the advantages to be derived from the establishment of such boards. The Chair.nan of tlje Waikato County Council (Mi- i'rimrose) was appointed convenor of comujittee meetings, and with the usual vote to the chair the procoed ings turbinated.