A HISTORY

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20084, 13 November 1930, Page 28

A HISTORY

Record of the Canterbury

Association

SIXTY YEARS' PROGRESS back in 1852 a horticultural and agricultural show was held in Hagley Park. This was a sufficient success is^ U +h ! hC Sponsors to something greater, and in October, 1853, the first cattle, sheep, horse, and pig show of the province was held in the Market Place—now Victoria square. The Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association holds, and has lield, a position of prime importance amongst I:he associations of similar character in New Zealand, and has led the way in many matters of vital interest to the farming community. To-day it stands as eloquent testimony to the far-sightedness, energy, and enterprise of those early settlers to whom was vouchsafed a vision of Canterbury's agricultural and pastoral potentialities. At a time when the rich Canterbury Plains had scarcely lost their primitive, uncultivated appearance, they embarked upon an enterprise of considerable magnitude, and one that, in those now remote days, must have appeared to many as premature and over-ambitious. The men closely connected with the Association's formation, and whose wise counsel guided it through its early and difficult stages, included Robert Wilkin and George Gould, the first and second presidents, William Sefton Moorhouse, S. Bealey, and William Rolleston, Superintendents of the Province of Canterbury, Joseph Brittan, and the early secretaries, B. Dowling, R. Brunsden, E. B. Bishop, J. T. Ford, and M. Murphy. The Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association also has the distinction of being the first Metropolitan Association established in the Dominion that can point to a continuous existence of sixty years. The Association owed its formation, firstly, to the recognition of the important part that the agricultural and pastoral pursuits were to play in the development and advancement of the province, and secondly to the necessity that arose for some permanent body to control and conduct the annual exhibitions of stock, farm produce, and agricultural implements. These shows at first were devoted chiefly to horticultural exhibits, with some exhibits of farm produce added. As time went on a Horticultural Society was formed, which conducted purely horticultural shows, and also for a time poultry was a feature of these shows, but in time the Poultry Club took over and conducted that type of exhibition. FIRST STOCK SHOW. Canterbury's first cattle, sheep, horse, and pig show was held, as stated, in Christchurch in October, 1853, a little over two years after the pioneers by the First Four Ships landed at Lyttelton. It was held in the Market Place, which is now known as Victoria square, the actual site being-that occupied by the statue of Queen Victoria. Thecattleand exhibited in temporary stock-yards erected bn the southern side of Markejfc Place, and the sheep and pigs were exhibited in yards made with hurdles. The Show was held under the auspices .of the Christchurch Agricultural Society, which included horticulture in its objects. Over £IOO was given in prizes, the funds being subscribed by and the people of Christchurch. The first show was not a success, as it was not supported by the public, and in consequence the promoters decided to discontinue it for a time. It was not revived until 1862* In the interim, however, the horticultural shows continued, and were held in May, in 1854 and 1855. On September 18th,

1859, a show of stock was held on Mr Ben Moorhouse's station on the Rangitata, and was followed by a sheep show at Turtop's, on the site where the town of Ashburton now stands. At this last-mentioned show, what appears to have been the initial step in connexion with the formation of an Agricultural and Pastoral Association was taken. On the evening after' the show a meeting was held, at which 30 handed in their- names' for membership of an association. The following - were elected the committee: Messrs A. Cox, B. Dowling, G. Tripp, B. Moorhouse, D. Innes, E. If. Fereday, G. D. Lockhart, E. Chapman, R. McLean, E. W.- Templar, G. W. Hall, M. Studholme, and J. T. McDonald. Mr B„ Dowling was appointed secretary. The next show was held at Ashburton on August 18th, 1860, and there is mention of a horse parade held in Christchurch on High street on October Sth, 1862. ' As the result of a meeting held in May, 1862, and presided over by Mr R. Wilkin, it was decided to hold an annual general show of stock and implements on October 22nd, 1862. The working committee for that show was Messrs R. H. Rhodes, R. Wilkin, B. Dowling, J. Brittan, W. Thomson, M. Sprot, W. Boag, J. Hill, R. Brunsden, Joseph Palmer, J. Ollivier, E. M. Templar, John Anderson, Jas. •'Johnson, Shand, J. Coker, Tohn- , son, E. B. Bishop, Major Cootes, and Major T. W. White.-Very

complete arrangements were made for the show, ana its local* was an improvement on the Market Place site. A S»aS£ ' section know as Gresson's paddock, north of LatimerlS? Vupon part of which the Choral Hall now stands, con®* the show grounds. It was well fenced with a gorse hedge and . the mam entrance was from Madras street .« the public meeting on November 18th, 1862, at which ~' * the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral AssocitionwS formed his Honour Mr William Sefton Moorhouse, SupeJS- & tendent of the Province, was elected patron, Mr R. WiUrin president, Mr .J. Palmer treasurer, and Mr W. Thomson secte- < § tary. It was resolved to purchase 10 acres in Christchurch br M its suburbs. under consideration at that time were '*l confined to two—one a plot of land on the lower Avon" and ' the other in Colombo street south. . • The committee lost no time in selecting a suitable area' 'jsg in Colombo street. The area, which is now known as Sydenham ■ vtijs Park, comprised 14 acres, fronting on Colombo and Brougham 'M streets. The preparation of the site was carried out so exnc- - " - |i ditiously that the first show was held there on October 23rd. —3l 1863. ""s| FIRST PRESIDENT. • V . The first president of the Association was Mr R. Wilkin, ' '-in a descendant of a family the members of which for generations' were conspicuous as leading farmers in Dumfriesshire. He went'-.% to Australia and farmed there, and later, came to New Zealand'. jlj in 1858. He was a member of the Provincial Executive in Canterbury for many years. Until his death in 'IBB6 he took '-(M an active part in promoting the interests of the jf§ and by his efforts contributed greatly to its ultimate success. "i^sl Mr George Gould succeeded Mr Wilkin, and for six yetei \4lli —1869 to 1874 —ably continued the building up of the Associa«£?*||f tion on the broad and liberal lines laid down by his From 1882 to 1888 Mr Gould was patron of tlje Association; was born in Hambledon, two miles from Henley-on-Thams, an 4 ,i«l he left England for New Zealand in 1850. At the period i« "tySfflg Association's history, when it was struggling for its existenc4sj§m Mr Gould offered to subsidise £ for £ any donations that given, and as a result he paid over a cheque for £SOO. V'SgHI Mr H. P. Murray-Aynsleysucceeded Mr Gould. in addition to being a business man and a sheep-farmer, member of the Provincial Council, was Acting-President iral®| 1869, and represented Lyttelton in 'the GeneraL?§9| Assembly frqm 1876 to 1879. The Hon. John HjdylH afterwards Sir John Hall, a former Prime -Ministerial of the Dominion, held the office of president for' one 1876—and. was tie Association's patron from 1888 (with Gould) to 1906. Mr W. Norman was another early presidettt||9| who did much to further the interests of the Association. William Henderson, president in 1882, owned a celebrated stnSgjHj of Border Leicester sheep. Mr William Boag (1886) came a very old Scottish family of Braco, West 'Perthshire, and;j*u|9H a noted breeder of draught horses, Shorthorn cattle and Lei<£stejjjg9R| sheep. Mr John Deans (1887 and 1888), was the son John Deans who, with his brother William,, were the fi&jggHl settlers on the Plains. Mr John .Grigg (1893)r had a career as an agriculturist and breeder of stock. If was to Sjjg9| enterprise and perseverance that the world-famous Longbeß{flHH| farm was created out of what was originally an impassable Dr. E. G. Levinge (1902) did excellent work for the Assqd«|Hj tion, especially in regard to the matter of Floral Harvest Home to raise funds for. the extinction' mortgage of £4BOO on the Association's Show Grounds. v intimately connected with the early history of Canfaiyßßß that of Rhodes, and no fewer than three members have been presidents of the Association—Mr Arthur (1894), the Hon. Sir R. Heaton Rhodes (1896), Rhodes (1899). It is noteworthy that .the Association's early presidents.filled the ■ in later ~years —Mr George - G0a1d.J1893),• jIaiMBMM and Mr T. D. Boag (1919). - • - ADDINGTON GROUNDS In 1886 the Sydenham Show to accommodate the exhibits, and held on those grounds. The the year ending January 31st, 1886, paragraph relating to the purchase of the new ton: —"In accordance Tffith an instruction mittee that it acquire the piece of. upon the terms offered by Mr Twigger, I ' pleted. The area was 29 acres,; 2. rpoias'^3^'

an acre, the terms to be io per cent, cash and the 5 per cent, for Mr Twigger giving acres 3 roods 20 perches as a free gift to the total purchase money was £5,960 JL5s Bd, and the ings on the old grounds, were valued at In 1904 the: old grounds wens purchased l>y Borough Council for £4OOO, for iise as a public park.^ The Association's grounds in the early days .were" demand for picnic parties and sports able amount of historic interest attaches to . the -Jact Canterbury Regiment, the Rough Riders,' for War, camped on the-grounds and received Other contingents for South Africa were also and the grounds were used* for a similar -purpose Great War. ' . v THE INTERMEDIATE YEARS. It is scarcely necessary to bring under review r mediate years. The annual shows have expanded Substantial improvements have been made to the general amenities. The cattle and sheep pavilions recent years are notable structures, and as funds-' ainenities are being provided. The younger ing on the good work, of the pioneers.' ,