AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 3769, 19 February 1873, Page 3

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATION.

Mid-Wxntbe Show. A meeting of the general committee of the Association was held at Coker’s Hotel yesterday afternoon, for the purpose of receiving the report of the sub-committee appointed to suggest a prize-list for the proposed midwinter show. Mr H. P. Murray-Aynsley S resided, and there were also present Messrs . T. Ford (hon sec,), A. A. Fantham, B. Wilkin, W. Norman, A. Duncan, W. Henderson, C. F. Barker, H. E. Alport, and J. Mann.

The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. A letter was read from the Provincial Secretary, enclosing a copy of conditions under which the Government offer bonuses for certain local industries, and requesting the Association to give as much publicity to them as possible. , _ On the motion of Mr Duncan, the Secretary was requested to acknowledge the letter with thanks, and to state that measures would be taken to have copies of the conditions posted in the principal merchants’ and that every publicity possible will be given to them. The report of the committee appointed to Buggest a prize schedule for the mid-winter chow, was read. The fat stock classes included twelve for cattle, ten for sheep, and

six for pigs. The classes for fat poultry were one for geese, one for turkeys, one for ducks, and one for fowls. The dairy produce classes were three for cheese, two for butter, and six for bacon and hams. The classes for provisions were one for mess pork, one for moss beef, one for spiced beef, one 'for preserved beef, and one for preserved mutton. The classes for grain were three for wheat, throe for oats, one for barley, one for ryegrass, one for field peas, one for field beans, one for perennial ryegrass seed, one for Italian ryegrass seed, one for linseed, one for rape seed, and one for cocksfoot seed. The classes for root crops were three for turnips, two for carrots, two for mangold wurtzols, one for sugar beet, and two for potatoes. There were also one class for flour, one for oatmeal, one for bran, one for sharps, one for oaten hay, and one for meadow hay. On the motion of Mr Duncan, the report was received and considered seriatim.

During the discussion upon the various classes, Mr Mann said it was probable that the butchers in Christchurch would subscribe £lO or £l2 for prizes to be given for the best fat steer and best fat cow or heifer for butchering purposes, and the committee thereupon withdrew these two classes from the list. A class was added for fat lambs, one for the best porker on the ground, and one for preserved sheep tongues, one for the best half cwt. of Timothy, and one for cattle cabbages, one for beer, one for porter, and one for malt. Mr Henderson said that Mr Banks intended to give a special prize of £5 5s for fjhe best oaten hay for chaff, and another one next year for the same kind of exhibit. His object was to induce farmers to grow oaten hay especially for chaff ; not as at present to out oats into hay when it was found they would not pay well for threshing. There was a great and increasing demand for chaff, and special measures should bo taken to provide for it. If oats were intended for hay the seed would of course have to be sown thinner in order to produce finer straw, and this was much desired.

The Secretary also announced that Mr Gould had expressed his intention of giving a prize of £lO 10s. After some discussion, It was resolved, on the motion of the Secretary, that a sub-committee, consisting of Messrs H. P. Murray-Aynsley, Wilkin, Alport, Norman, Henderson, Duncan, and the mover, should be appointed to draw up the catalogue of premiums, and to wait upon the donors of private prizes with a view to ascertaining how they would like their prizes to be disposed of. The subject of a more extended canvassing for subscriptions towards enabling the association to take advantage of Mr Gould’s offer for clearing off the mortgage on the show grounds was introduced by Mr Ford. On the motion of Mr Wilkin, the Chairman and Mr Ford were appointed to draw up a circular, and forward copies to such gentlemen as they deemed desirable. Mr Henderson drew attention to the necessity of the gorse fences at the show grounds being cut. Mr Wilkin moyed that Messrs Herman, Hendersdn, Duncan, and the mover, be appointed as a ground committee, with instructions to attend to the fences, and to have such additional planting done as considered desirable.

The motion was seconded and agreed to. Mr Wilkin introduced the subject of a licensed booth being erected on the ground during the Kam Fair, and permission was given to the Fair Committee to permit one to be erected if they deemed it desirable. The committee then adjourned.