NORTHERN A. AND P. ASSOCIATION.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13225, 19 September 1908, Page 6

NORTHERN A. AND P. ASSOCIATION.

UNVEILING OF PORTRAITS OF J OFFICERS.

ADDRESS BY MR M. MURPHY.

' A meeting of the committee, of tho Northern A. and P. Association was * held at Rangiora yesterday. There was * a fell attendance, and Mr K. Mcln--5 to3h, president, -was in the chair. Messrs J. Phillips, James Wyllie, and i John Wyllie were elected methbejs. J It was decided to ask the Rangiora. Tradera' Association to make the weekly half holiday on Friday in show week, that the Rangiora' Band be engage*., 1 that the Water Supply Board be asked to close the raoo Is usual, and t<aat - be made for a special L train. It was decided the girls' manual } classes bo open to thoee or 15 and 18 I years of ago, and that in the school com petit ions, all pupils from schools in the North Canterbury Education dis- ] trict north of tho Waimakariri be alJ lowed to compote. > At a subsequent general meeting of , members of tiro Association, the Pro- > sident in the chair, Mr M. Murphy, J President of the Canterbury A. and * P. Association and Mr A. C. Bell, of » Rangiora,-were present. The vfalls of t tho Association's chamber had been * hung with a number of portraite, temt iwrarily covered by small flags, which' * during the proceedings were removed' > as a President's or some other officer's portrait was presented. ■ The Chairman referred to the efforts * of Mr Clarkson, manager of th© New > Zealand Farmers' Co-operative Associaj tion in tht district, in obtaining a room II for the Association, which, he hoped ■ would tend to tho Society getting a * chamber of its own, whero farmers » could meet and transact business. He L thanked Mr M. Murphy, of the Can-, ' terbury Association, for his attendance i that day. He read apologies from * Messrs F. Courage, President of the 1 Amborley Breeders' .Association, F. E. * Fair-weather, Cust, D. Buddo, M.P., » E. W. Rolph, H. Van Asch, and J. > O'Halloran, President of the Oxford 1 Agricultural Society. He then called ' on Mr Murphy to speak. ' Mr Murphy, who was warmly re- > ceived, said it was a great pleasure to ' him to be present, thouph he had come 1 almost from a sick bed to be thero. r From the inception, of agricultural so- > cietios these associations had nroved of i inestimable value to the world. In > this Dominion the improvements of ; traceable to the agency of i the exhibitions, for if people kept their S ii iat home, always considered i * he 7, the *><«*, but if the stock came I to tho show ring, it was by that compe- * tition they were able to judge and ; make efforts to improve. While at i one time farming was thought a fit > occupation for the dunce, it was now . made more clear everyday that the ; clever boy, and the one (* instructed in \ the science of fanning, was required in s order to make headway. The question > of heredity,.as shown by Dr. Hilgeni. dorff m his recent lecture, was a matter i m agricultural advancement worthy.of [ the closest study. In Canada the ■ question of plant growth and the imi provement of the wheat plant, was ro- , cemng much attention. In Australia i a rust-proof wheat had been produced, ' nJ* lt; did not give a good yield, i eftorts were being made to cross it with : . a more prolific wheat. Rust lessened : the value of the world's wheat produc- * tion by £100,000,000 every year, and in Germany alone, where statistics were ■ carefully taken, the annual wheat i production was lessenod by £22,000,000. If a scientific farmer could produce a prolific, rust-proof wheat, he deserved a monument in every part of:the world. (Applause.) The farmers should aim for producing quality as well as quantity. In Canada experiments had led up to the discovery that the "wheat plant could be improveß to produce a further five bushels per. acre. 'Lincoln Oolfege was not an experimental school, but its mission was to teach the young men. how to mdke faiming pay, which ! had been well carried out under the I superintendence of Mr W. Lowrie, I whose removal would be a material loss ; to that institution. He wished to urge strongly tho claims of agricultural societies, and in his connection with them he would wish to die in harness. (A pplause.) In connection with the unrolling ,<rf the portraits of officers of the Association, the following took part in tho addresses at t!he preoentatioai cere-' arwrny:—Measra M. Murphy- R. Mcintosh, R. Mooro, J. G. MaoDanaki, A. Roes, 0. m Skevingtoin, C. I. Jemnings, J. li. Wilson, and W. Sooono. Tho portraits unveiled were those of tho following :—Presiden'ts: Th© Hon. F. A. Weld, Premier of the oq-ltony, firat' preeideavb, 1866; Marmaduke Dixon. 1868; P. O. Threlkeld:, 1884; W. Buss, 1835 to 18S7, also secretary 1874 to 1883, and treasurer 1893 to 1898; <3. Daimpier-Orcsaley, 1889; E. Chapman, 1890-1; Wm. Pearson,- 1892-3; J. W. Foster, 1898-9; J. Stevenson, 'i 1900-1,; W. A. Bank®, 1904; and F. Lasuce, 1905-6. ViotKpresidients: K. Mcintosh, sien., C. E. Skovington, 1900: and R- Liggett, 1890-7.. O-• King, chairman, Ground Committee, 1898 to 1908. A. S. Clarkson, secretery, 1885.'t0 Thos. Ross, assistant secretary, 1874J to 18&4. J. L. Wilson, "Press" *epresewtativie, 1866 to 1908. J. Wyllie, J. Stalker, and W. Sooono, membem of the Association's oommattees. Tho Chairman said there worn six ctilier portraits to arrive. ■•'.'' Th© Mayor of RangioraJ on- behalf of < Mr Clarkam, presented a merit board, i cKMitamrng a lis* <of the president of tie Association.' - t . * < The whole wwo.' accepted by -th© ' chairman, -who said' 2t would be the ' duty of the Association to see that so j fine a gallery was: well preserved. , Hearty votes of thanks were accord- . ed to Mr Murphy, Mr. dairkson, and ! the chairman. ] Messrs W. Buss, Geo. Weston, T. \ Parfhby, and J-'L.-. Wilson,'-.'who had ' been present at tho inception of the t Association, .were eUoabcd life members, j The members afterwards partook of i light, refreehroeaiita, and tho health of ] tho new eeoreta-7, Mr B. S. Jordan, ] was honoured. . \