AUCKLAND AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 35, 9 February 1906, Page 2

AUCKLAND AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION.

The annual meeting of the Auckland Agricultural and Pastoral Association £as Held in the Association's rooms this afterANNUAL REPOKT. The committee, in presenting their report, state that they have again hafl a most successful year/ It will hi seen from tne accompanying balance-sheet that the finances of the Association -are on a sound and more satisfactory footing. The members fees subscriptions, gate money, stands, and entry fees, amounted to £1906 against £1881 3/5 in 1905. while the prein of the year's work will enable the committee to again add a substantial sum to the reserve account for the erection of buildings and pens •on the new show ground. Ellerslie Reserve.—A survey of trie )and at lUlerslie was made by Mr J. W Harrison, and a carefully prepared plan of the ground showing the beet wav to lay It out vras submitted by that genV.eman It was. However, ultimately decided that it would be better to accept au oiler made by the Government to give the Association 62 acres of the land adjoining the OtahuUu railway station in exchange '? r tbn ground at Ellorslle, as it was thought by many of the committee and members ttfat ihere were very many serious drawbacks against the Association utilising the ground at Ellerslie for'show purposes, more especially as the railway authorities stated that they could not undertake to deal witb the show traffic at tllersiie station unless £3100 was expended r>.\ the members in Improving the railway focilitips. Consr-quontly arrangements were made to secure Alexandra Park for a further period. Mr Hansen, the manager of I unit company, having offered it to the Association on nmst liberal terms, 'by wni.-u tbe executive would have it practically rent free. Stops were being taken to complete the transfer of the land at otahuhu to the Association, when it is proposed to make arrangements t» immed.ai.ely plant if aud lay it out for a show ground, and this will be one of the earliest matters to encage the attention of the incoming committee. The Association are also to have the rigbt to deal with a portion of the ground for revenue purposes, to obtain funds to erect the necessary pens and buildings, etc., and as the grouud is immediately adjoining the railway stntion, with a fine frontage to the Manukau Hnibour, which commands most beautiful views, the Association can look forward at do distant date to having one of the finest and most commodious show ptounds in the colouy. Rural Education.—At the first meeting of tun now executive, a special committee was set up to deal wirh the question of rural education, and to impress upon the authorities the urgent necessity for taking some steps to introduce into our own colony the educational methods in .country schools which had proved so successful in other lands. Agricultural Con/rronee.— It is extremely gratifying to be able to report that steps arivc ulrcady been taken in several of the chief centres to give effect to this proposal, and to appoint travelling instructors for groups of schools, to give object lessons explaining the value of school cunleus ;ii (1 nature study, and to help and advise the teachers generally in carrying out instructions on these lines. Agricultural Experiments.—A sub-com-mittee was also appointed to initiate a number of agricultural experiments as leconinieii.ied by the Wellington AgviculMiiaJ. ((.nftrcucc. This committee pnid a visit to the ■\\airangi and Ruakura Es-pcriuu-utril Stations with Mr E. Clif'nn. "here they met a number of the WaiUnto i-'iursi.niiit.ivcs. when after some conP'lliat.on it was decided to commcuce a s. lies of rv r .limcnfs to determine the nest kind nf manure \..> v c for the' Improvement of grass lands in this province, on similar Hues to those luitiatrd in England by the Board of Agriculture, and earned out under the supervision of the (.;, in bridge University p.-partment of AgrienlUire and rhe R«th aud West of England Agricultural Society. Mr Clifton kindly cTered on bf-half nf the New Zealand Department of Agriculture, to provide the necessary /pints of ground, aud t.j carry out the experiments, which was accordineiy done, and a report of these rxp-eriments has been printed for distribution amongst the members. Seed Selection Competitions.—During the year substantial prizes were offered to- induce farmers , sons to raise selected . seeds on special grain plots.- on similar I.nes to thnsn initiated by Professor Kobjcit.son in Canada, but it is to be regretted that very few young pepole have entered ror the competition, as competitions of this diameter have excited keen Interest had l.enn productive of much good iu-other conn trios. Ornlici Cattle Landing— The efforts the committee have been making for so many years to obtain a proper landins place for cattle in the Auckland Harbour have during the past year been crowned with some measure of success. Althousrh the work is not yet entirely completed, the Auckland Harbour Bonrd have erected a wharf as agreed upon, and the Oiakri Koad Board are engaged in the construction of the road to Okalm Point The pitching ou th> newly-formed road is practically completed. It Isi new over seven years since the Association first began to move, "n this matte,-, nnd it, is gratifying to be able f 0 report that the complaint will soon be removed, that the chief shipping port in Xew Zealand had no proper facilities for landing cattle Dairying Industry.—The Association have nlsn set n p a specal produce committee, with the object of taking steps to mprove the output of the dairy companies in tbe Auckland district, and {n increase an interest In the exhibition pf tactory hntter at the agrenltnral snows.' Cold Storage.—A deputation appointed by the executive also waited upon the managers of the Railway Department aud tne shipping companies to urge upon teem the necessity for more ample accommodation for the storage nnd transportation of dairy produce, ns a result of which arrangements were made to <put on a steamer between Onehnnga aud New Plymouth with refrigerating machinery, and the Railway Department underfoot to construct more insulated trucks for the conveyance of butter. Membership.— The committee regret that they have to report that during the past year they have inst by death some of their most valuable members, including Mr G B. Hutton and Mr W. Paterson. A considerable nmnber of members have however, been added to the roll, which now numbers some 800. Finanop.—Tne statement of accounts, presented by the treasurer (Mr A S Holmes) showed the receipts for the year to have been £2133 IS/, including members fees £075 14/6. subscriptions £">45 I.A entry fees £823 11/, gate mnnev ffing 8/. stands £59 ft/e. privileges £17fi'imo and Interest £30 7/6, reserves £11 10/8* while the expenditure has been f>l33 is/ leaving a credit balance of £223 1/R nfter 7? t i?~, , Pl3nt arro "»f- The'nssPts totalled £2148 7/11. while the outstanding liabilities werr. £20 12/fi. leavine a credit balance of £2125 15/n, without, takinr into consideration the vain*, of the land which has been vested in tbe Association as a site for the show provrnd. The report was adopted.