MR GRIGG’S SCHEME

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 20, 5 November 1935, Page 8

MR GRIGG’S SCHEME

FARMERS' CLUB SUGGESTED.

ASSURANCE OP SUPPORT. e * It was at the meeting thus called that the Association,. which has since conducted 58 shows, had its birth. The “Mail” reported the proceedings of that first meeting as follows: “Mr C.'Reid, having been voted to the chair, explained that he had simply acted upon a suggestion made by Mr John Grigg. He considered that it was quite time that a club of the character proposed was established. The present might not be a very successful meeting, but he was confident that for the next meeting a larger attendance was assured. It would be , well to appoint a provisional committee, whose business it would be to institute a thorough canvass of the district, and to draw up rules for the approval of a future meeting. He was confident that there was not a single farmer in the district opposed to the movement — indeed he had not met with a single refusal. It was understood that the proposed Farmers* dub should eventually resolve itself into an Association. He was glad to remark that Mr Metcalfe had taken considerable interest in the matter, and had succeeded in obtaining upwards of 30 names as subscribers.” Mr Bullock’s Motion. Mr T- Bullock said ho had been entrusted with the first resolution to propose, which was as follows: “That in the opinion of this meeting the time has arrived for the formation of a Farmers’ Club, for the County of Ashburton.”

He was sure that all would agree that the establishment of such a Club would prove a great benefit to the farmers of the County. It was at times difficult for settlers to obtain accurate quotations regarding the o-rain market, and they were frequently compelled to part with their produce at less than the ruling rates. One feature of the Club would be to find out the prices curreut in America, which information would prove to be material interest to farmers. Mr T. Taylor said that before t motion was seconded lie would like to see the title altered to ‘‘Agricultural and Pastoral Association. considered that in a district like Ashburton possessing such extensive resources, there would be no difficulty m at once undertaking the responsibility

of the Association ho advocated; and he would go further, by saying that the first' show should be held in the autumn. 1

After further ’discussion, Mr Bennison seconded the motion, which ivai carried.

Mr John Grigg here entered _ the meeting, and was invited) to explain the objects of a Farmers’ Club. He said, the term was quite a common one in the Old Country, and the name was simply a matter of taste. There was no real difference between a Pastoral Association and a Farmers’ Club, they being the same in principle. He failed to s*ee the object for the long words. In time past, the intei’ests. were very much more distinct, hut now almost every sheep-farmer was a grower of grain. However, if the word “association” was a more comprehensive term, or possessed a wider meaning, by all means let them have it. . , Mr D. Williamson, Mr G. Cilmour, and Mr Cox all held that an association would promote the holding of annual shows, and would command) a wider sphere of usefulness than would a club. On the resolution being rescinded, Mr Taylor proposed: “That an Association be now formed for this district, to he called the Ashburton Agricultural and Pastoral Association.” Mr Gilmour seconded the motion, which was carried. The First Officers. The question of the constitution of the new organisation was at once gone into and the following resolutions were placed on record:— “(1) That tho annual subscription be £1 Is, and that a subscription of £lO should entitle the subscriber to life membership. (2) That all the gentlemen present be appointed a committee with power to add to their number. (3) That tho officers of the Association consist of a president, vice-president, treasurer aud secretary, to he elected annually. (4) That the following gentlemen be constituted a sub-commit-tee for the purpose of preparing rules and regulations to be submitted to a general meeting:—Messrs C. Reid, J. Clark, T. Taylor, T. Bullock, 0. l\ Cox, G. Gilmour, D. Williamson, H. Davis, A. H. Shury, and J. Grigg, with power to add to their number. (5) That Mr B. Metcalfe be asked to aot as secretary. (6) That Mr T. Bullock be asked to aot as treasurer till next meeting. (7) That the next general meeting be held on Saturday, October •20, at the Somerset Hotel, at 12 noon, and that the meeting be advertised in the local daily and weekly papers; and that the sub-committee meet an hour earlier.” \

The minute-book, in which there are many interesting items, shows that the Rules Sub-Committee met twice previous to the general meeting, and as a result of their deliberations, recommended that the rules of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association, with certain alterations, be adopted. This was agreed to at the general meeting on October 20, when the following were elected as the first officials of the Association:— President, Mr J. Grigg; vice-presi-dent, Mr C. Reid; honorary secretary, Mr B. Metcalfe; treasurer, Mr J. S. Bruce; committee, Messrs T. Atkinson, W. Bennison, J. Beswick, W. R. Boyle, J. Brown, W. A. Brown, T. Bullock, D. Cairncross, D. Camerop, P. Chalmers, J. Clark, 35. T. Coster, C. P. Cox, R. Davis, A. Dawson, J, JDawson, O. Digby, G. Earle, R. Friedlander, G. Gilmour, T. Hudson, J. Hunt, J. Jameson, R. B. Jeffs, J. Lawry, A. Letham, C. N. Mackie, D. McLean, A. McLeod, D. Williamson, R. Miller, J. Orr, T. Prendergast, R. R Pitt, G. M. Robinson, E. Saunders, A. H. Shury, H. T. Smith, W Smith, M. Stitt, T. Taylor, W. 0 Walker, J. C. Wason, J. White, and D. Milson; auditors, Messrs A. H. Shury and Roberts. , . The same meeting also decided that the Union Bank of Australia should be the bankers of the Association; that the first show should be held m the spring of 1878; that the question of a site for the showground should j tackled at once; and that the Association should meet once a quartei discuss subjects connected with a o u cultural and pastoral matters Meetings were held at UJuill s Hotel, the Ashburton Road Boaid Office Scott’s Hotel (Tinwald) and,the Libra y Hall (in Tailored Street, opposite the County Club). A Slack Period. Little was done in the first few months, however, in the way of meetings. In fact, so far as can he judged

from the minute hook (and newspaper files are silent, too) there was only one meeting in the seven months following the formation of the Association. The lone assembly referred to was held on December 10 for the purpose of hearing “Mr Wilkinson read a paper on ‘The Best System of Commencing a Farm on Tussock Land,’ hut the speaker did not turn up. _ The only business transacted, according to the ininute hook, was tho acceptance of a report by the president regarding an application ho had made to the Colonial Secretary for a free grant of land from the reserves near tho town for tho purposes of a showground.