AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATION.

A meeting of the committee of this aasociar tion was held yesterday in the rooms of Messrs 1 Wilson and Alport, High street. Present — [3 Messrs Wilkin (chairman), Norman, Wilson, 0 Gould, E. B. Bishop, Murray-Aynsley, John j, Grigg, Alport, J. Page, and Wall. The minutee of the previous meeting were r read and confirmed. 1 Several accounts were passed and ordered 1 to be paid. a The Chairman stated thai the principal busi- ] ness of this meeting would be the consideration of a letter received from his Honour the Superintendent, and which had been published S in the " Tiinee." "~ 3' The Secretary read the letter. 3 The Chairman remarked that the gist of the letter was evidently to urge upon the society the necessity of at once establishing a company f for the purpose of carrying out the intentions t set forth in the letter. A company had, how--1 ever, already been established, and it was very 3 questionable whether the shares would all be taken up. Mr Gould considered that at present there 3 was no chance of the shares being taken up. 7 J Mr Wilkm considered that the association 3 were, in common courtesy, bound to acknowg ledge the receipt of the letter, and would be a glad to hear the opinions of the meeting on the " questions set forth. If any practical sugges- " tion was made he, for one, would be most 3 happy to assist in carrying it out. 3 Mr G-ould considered that at present they I could form no opinion as to whether or not fc the soheme was likely to pay. A very large amount of grain had been sent to England, the 1 produce of the last harvest; but whether the 3 speculation was a successful one or not could fc not be decided before the return sales were \ to hand. If the returns were favourable, no j. doubt the Banks would advance on shipments of grain, and, as in all other cases, the trade 3 would become a public one. He also cont eidered that the estimates furnished by Air 3 Moorhouse were too low ; he had evidently -j anticipated that grain would be shipped in bulk, but had forgotten that for the necessities ' for carriage, both to and from the ship, bags 1 would have to be used, and the wear and tear 9 of which he computed at a cost of threepence . per bushel. Wheat, in his opinion, could not k be landed in England at a lesser charge than 2s 2d per bushel, exclusive of the original " cost here. L Mr Murray-Aynsley could not see that anyl thing could be done during the present tseasoa. j The exports made would form a criterion on ( which they might act during the next. They . had no data on which to act, neither did they ' know whether the wheat would keep. The 7 whole speculation might prove a failure, in t which case it would be far better for them to 3 have retained their wheat. j Mr Bishop stated that there was in Canterbury facilities for drying wheat more quickly and cheaply than by the old system of kilnk drying. t Mr (xrigg considered that before entering 1 into any speculation such us that proposed, I they should have the fullest information from I otiicr grain-producing couutries as to the cost of growing and exporting. 110 hal been told tlmt wheat from Chili was exported without I being kiln dried, thepiocese used for preserving L the wheat being to sprinklo a small quantity j of lime over it. lie should like to know whether such a plan was successful, as by its means a great saving would ha effected. Mr Wilkin concurred with the previous I speaker. He considered that it was necessary that further information ehould be obtained before entering into any such speculation. '' Mr Wilson considered that it would be the ; better plan to send heme Hour. That was i the plan adopted in America, and had been * found the most profitable. The cost of casks would not be very large. He was surprised J that his Honour had not touched upon this view of the question. Mr Wilkin considered that it was out of the province of the society to promote uny under-

taking such as that advised by his Honour the Superintendent. They had no right to create societies, and ho thought that when the proper time came private capital would be found to do the work. He would propose —" That a sub-committee be appointed to draw up an answer to his Honour's letter." On tho motion of Mr Wilaon, the following gentlemen were appointed a eub-comniittee : — Messrs Wilkin, Grigg, Norman, and Bishop. The meeting then adjourned.