A. AND P. ASSOCIATION.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 9365, 14 March 1896, Page 8

A. AND P. ASSOCIATION.

ANNUAL MEETING The annual meeting of the Canterbury A^ticullural and Pastoral Association was beat in.st night at the rooms of the Caleaou.un cS ciety. There was a large attendance, including a number of visitors. Mr E. <i. Siaveley, President, occupied the ciiHir. The report, a precis of which was publUnt'd ystii.c-r.ifty, and the balance-sheet were tak<-n .is rend. Tiie Puksioknt, in moving the adoption of *he baiance-slieeb aud report, said— Gentienibii, in reviewing tne past year I think I may fairly claim tnat my term of oth'ce has been one of hard work and more than usually e\eutful. lam glad to place ou record the permanent improvements that have been added to our grouuds, chief amongst which is the graod stand, that won so much admiration from the visitors to our Show, and which you will ngreo with mc was badly needed. It would give mc more pleasure to congratulate the Association upou being the actual owners of this fine structure, still, under the circumstances, I think wo may be pleased that the difficulties were finally overcome (thanks to tiie enterprise of one of our members), and that the appointments of our grounds are new second to none in the colony. A good deal yet remains to be done before we can reap the full benefit from having a grand stand. Matters should be so arranged that something °* interest takes place in front 01 the stand throughout, the day. Much of the judging could be carried through so as to afford its occupants a fair view of the proceedings, and parades of the various classes of stock could not fail to be a great attraction to all concerned, and even to those who attend our annual gathering to see what is to be seen, without presuming to have any special knowledge of the merits of the exhibits. J commend these points to the notice of the incoming Committee. Iv tiiis respect I observe ttiat our _outhern neighbours! have set us an example by subscribing amongst themselves the sum of £4000 for building an Agricultural Hall in Dunedin. Their chief object is, no doubt, to bavo a suitable place lor their Winter Show, though doubtless it will be utilised for many other purposes connected with agricultural and pastoral matters. You will have noticed that the Wellngton Association has decided to offer a large sum of money, £350 I think, for special champion prizes in the various classes, and also that effort-* are being made to initiate a sort of peripatetic Metropolitan Show, so that ie behoves us to be up and doing to maintain the foremost position that* our Association has hitherto held, and to which I venture to think it Ib entitled. Our own Winter Show is a* yet in embryo, but from tbe hearty manner in which the project has been received, I, for one, entertain no doubt of its success. There are so many subjects of interest upon which one could speak on an occasion like this, that I feel constrained to make my remarks as brief as possible, and therefore ask your indulgence should I refer but shortly to matters that really deserve more notice than I give to them. It has lately come within my knowledge that sheep from this colony are prohibited (uuder some old Statute) from landing in Tasmania, and as there is no good reason now why such should be the case, I trust our Government will take immediate steps to have the restriction removed. Though personally opposed to legislative interference with private enterprise, still 1 must admit that, in view of the fierce competition existing between this wonderful little colony and other producing countries, to supply food to the teeming masses of tho Old World, a proper system ot grading and inspection at port of shipment.may have most beneficial results. But, to be of Bervice, the usual "red tape" must be judiciously blended .with the "elastic of commerce." For instance, in the case of dairy produce it costs no more to employ the terms by which the Home trade is accustomed to designate the different qualities; bob the result to the shipper may mean a considerable difference iv his account sales. The utmost care should also be taken in the appointment of exports, who., if they are to.be of real use to the producer, must be chosen solely upon their merits and knowledge of the produce with which they have to deal. Our frozen meat; trade continues to expand vigorously, and factories, like cyclists, are undergoing a mania for record-breaking. It ia satisfactory to learn from no leas an authority than Mr John Cooke that Australian rivalry is not likely to destroy our hold of the market. Bub in this, as in all other productions, I would urge that the motto for New Zealand should r>e " Prime Quality only." I hope yet to see our meat ruling ab a higher level in the Home markets as compared with the values of Home • killed. When addressing yon last year I referred to the decadence of the gorae hedges throughout thia district, and expressed a hope that a remedy would be discovered. I look upon this as a most serious matter, and so far as 1 know the pest continues, but the remedy has yet to be found. Time does nob permit mc to allude at any. length to our experience of the past season or our coming prospects, but 1 cannot quite pass over a subject of such importance to all in this room. The severity of the winter, at least in the high country, was unparalleled for very many yeara past, and the consequent losses in the flocks proved a very Berious matter, it being estimated that in the Canterbury district , alone the mortality was some 300,000 sheep, chiefly merinoes. The immediate effect upon the wool clip is considerable, while the revenue from pastoral properties will, for some years to come, be materially reduced. By the Pastoral Tenants' Relief Act the Government has : given substantial assistance to those chiefly ; affected, and the present tone of the wool ' market affords promise for better returns for j the remaining portions of the clips. Tbe : harvest op to a certain point promised to be one of the best seen in Canterbury, but the summer ended with a series of nor'-westers and dry weather, which prematurely ripened the grain, and the long-suffering farmer has to face a diminished yield, though fortunately prices remain firm at a payable level. Statistic- and estimates have been published, placing our surplus of wheat for ex- , port from the colony at over 1,000,000 \ bushels; but, like all estimates, these are '■ subject to correction when the actual results ! come to hand. In many respects the j past season has been satisfactory. ] Prices for live stock have been well maintained, and recent rains have j given us better promise of winter feed, j concerning which serious doubts were being l felt. Though I am«glad to say that the ; rabbit question is nob likely to affect us ' seriously in theso parts, and that in the v worst localities the measures taken are '■ proving effectual, still f must draw atten- j tion to the fact that in South Canterbury ] there is evidence that the pest should ab once be dealt with—" Prevention is better , (and cheaper) than cure." During the year \ I noticed that certain newspaper corre- l •pondents endeavoured to disparage the \ general utility of this Associatiou, but lam * convinced that they had but slight know* ledge of the work that is carried on, ■< or of the high aims and unselfish ; devotion of those actively connected with j it. I could say considerably more on this subject, bub really it wonld be i merely " threshing the wind," and this seasou we have already done too much of that. When I addressed you at this time last year * the Association was without a President, 1 but you remedied that defect by appointing i myself, and ib will give mc some satisfaction I to hand over the responsibility to Mr 1 Heaton Rhodes, who, from his position and 1 influence, will be able to advance the in- I tereste of your Association. It seems-pro- < bable that we shall shortly lose the services . of our Hon. Treasurer, Mr David Craig, who has served the Association for many I

years. I say unhesitatingly that no one has devoted himsi If more to our interests, and ib will be diiticulb to fill his place. For myself, I can only affirm that I look upon the Presidency of this Association as the highest honour I am ever likely to receive. I have always had tho interest of the Association at heart, and have endeavoured to make that the paramount consideration in all our dealings throughout the year, including the " battle of the stands." I cannot sufficiently express my thanks to the members of the Committee for the way in which they have supported mc during my term of office, and I trust that the new Committee may be founded on. similar lines to the one retiring, viz., a judicious mixture of town ana country members, " old fogeys" (by which I suppose •*• meant ex-Presidents), and youthful,

aspirants for honours. Possibly in time a kind of Upper House, or Council of Advice, might be formed to assist the annual Committees Being, perhaps fortunately, a busy man, there is one duty pertaining to the office of President to which I admit I have been unable to give the attention that it deserves, that is the Board of Advice of the Lincoln College. This is nob because I have nob recognised the importance of that institution and the good work that it is doing, but through pressure of other business I have been quite unable to attend as I should have liked to do. I merely wish to say in conclusion that, so far as I can, I shall always be pleased to assist the progress of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association, which has done more to promote the interests of this colony than peruaps ib will ever get credit for. In the absence of the Treasurer we are deprived of his usual clear statement of our finances, but, so far as I can, I snail be happy to answer any questions that members may desire to ask. I now beg to move the adoption of the annual report and balance-sheet as certified by the auditors. (Applause.) Mr J. Grigg seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. The election of officers resulted as under * —President, Mr R. Heat on Rhodes ; VicePresident, Mr P. Duncan ; Committee, Messrs F. A. Archer, John Anderson, Jan., H. P. Murray-Aynsley, W. Boag, P. Cunningham, John Deans, John Ferguson, J. T. Ford, S. Garforth, John Grigg, Geo. Gould, W. Henderson, J. J. Kinsey, Dr. E. G. Levinge, Fred. C. Murray, D. McMillan, R. M. Macdonald, H. Overton, Geo. Rhodes, W. E. G. Staveley, Sir John Hall and Sir Geo. Clifford and Hon. J. T. Peacock; Auditors, Messrs T. B. Craig and C. C. Aikman ; Hon. Treasurer, Mr D. Craig.

On the motion of Mr H. P. MuerayAynsley, seconded by Mr W. Henderson, the incoming Committee were voted £4000 to meet the current year's expenses. The Hon. J. T. Peacock said that while timo-keeping at the ram fair on the previous day he heard complaints about the time taken in the disposal of the stud rams. He suggested that time might be saved if a larger entrance fee were imposed or the reserves declared.' It was open to question whether the stud or flock rams should be sold first.

Mr John Geigg said he had heard no opinion to the contrary, that the stud ram sale was a farce. He considered the declaration of the reserves would result in asaviug of time, and if the flock rams were placed first ib would be to the advantage of all concerned. Another point which should not be ignored was that the early ram sale tended to lessen prices. It was now too early for the wants of the buyers. Mr Murray - Aynsley, an old timekeeper, in bearing out what the Hon. Mr Peacock had said, remarked chat many pens of flock rams had been placed privately, because of the delay over the stud lam sales. He moved—"That the meeting refers to the Committee the advisability ot the flock rams being sold first." He also considered that the reserves should be fixed on the stud rams, and if the prices were not quickly reached, the rams should be withdrawn. Mr P. Patdllo was of opinion that a pre-announcemeut should be made of the order on different days. He seconded the motion pro forma. Sir John Hall supported the motion, and suggested that ib was nob ab all necessary that the auctioneers should be allowed a third longer in selling stud rams than flock. A discussion of a somewhat general character followed, after which the motion was carried as under :—" That ib be an instruction to the incoming Committee to consider the advisability of selling the flock rams on the first day and the stud rams on tho second day, the minimum price of the latter, as stud rams, to be fixed by the Committee." On the motion of Sir John Hall, a unanimous vote of thanks was accorded to the retiring President. The meeting then terminated.