THE ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF NEW ZEALAND.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LI, Issue 5604, 10 February 1879, Page 7

THE ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF NEW ZEALAND.

The following letter, in reply to one which appeared in the Lyttelton Timet, appears in the New Zealand AyricuUvritt, a sheet published in oonneoMon with the Oamaru Mail, It is signed “ National Frqgress

Sib, —I hare read a long letter in the Lyttelton Times on the subjectof the. New Zealand Agricultural Sooiety.ia which the writer attempts to adduce arguments against the formation of such a Society. His chief objection is that the present local Associations do their work equally as well as, if not better than the more Colonial Society could do it, and he complains bitterly that the affairs of local Societies are to be interfered with. Now, no one will deny that many of the small Societies have well performed their functions, notably the Canterbury, Timaru, North Otago, and Taieri Associations; but, Sir, their Shows have been but little better them local events ; for though a few stockowners have taken their cattle to other districts for exhibition, there has never been anything like a Colonial competition. It is with a view of establishing something like a national show, even though peripatetic, that the National Society has been .established. How many Canterbury men, I would ask, ever bring any of their stock to Oamaru for exhibition ? None, or nearly so; and yet much good might be achieved by their doing so, for experience has clearly proved that in' some classes at any rate we are far in advance of Canterbury. Then, again, very few of our breeders and stock owners take tneir stock to the Metropolitan Show at Christchurch, and even the exhibits that are sent are representatives of special lines. The writer of the letter under review seems to think that the local Society, by bringing together the farmers in their own localities and holding an exhibition annually of the stock within a radius of a few miles, everything is done that it is necessary to do. Such is not the case. The mere comparing of the cows owned by Mr Brown with thoke of Mr Jones, or the sheep of Mr Thompson with those of Mr Bobinson, is not sufficient to enable farmers to judge of toe excellence or otherwise of their possessions. You must seek further afield to leam whether or not .the stock of a district is as good as it might be. I profess to know something of the shows of both Canterbury and Otago, and I unhesitatingly assert that everyone of them are capable of claiming excellence for some particular class of exhibits. Why, sir, only at the last Canterbury Show residents in this district clearly proved to stock-owners in the North how backward they were in some classes by carrying off toe principal prizes in not a few classes. I doubt not that had some of the Canterbury owners of stock brought exhibits to Oamaru they would have shown us that we were lagging behind in many respects. Comparisons may be odious; but by comporisons only can we arrive at a just and proper estimate of toe qualify of our live, stock, and such comparisons can only be , made by fostering a national spirit and toe promotion of national shows. Such a spirit and such Shows cannot be promoted by local■ Societies, especially if their management is; placed in the hands of such narrow-minded, men as the writer of the letter in the Lyttelton Times. In a score of ways can a National Society bring about the results li have mentioned more effectually thanj can any two of the local Societies oom-j bined. In the first place, a national! society would have more influence with' the Government in any effort to obtain; concessions in regard to toe carrying of stock intended for exhibition than any local society could hope to possess. I think I am not going too far, when I say tlmt too obtaining of such an amount of consideration at the hands of the Government would easily bo secured by a national society, as would enable stockowners in all parts of the two great provincial districts to take their exhibita to any place where toe national show might for the time be held. This in itself would be a great work. Sat it would be nothing when compared with the promotion of a healthy spirit of rivalry amongst the farmers of afl parts of the island. Once having got owners of stock to come out of their shells and look a little beyond their own noses they would speedily come to appreciate the benefits of once a year comparing notes with their compeers, vo. order to see if the work of improvement was progressing as favourably with them as in other directions. The ■ mere fact of being able to gain the National Association’s prizes for some particular kind of stock, would stir into activity many who are a present content with allowing things to remain as they are. An impetus would be given to the improvement of the breed of stock in all directons which could not fail to lead to good results. Everyone would become desirous of obtaining a national instead of a mere local fame for the excellence of his stock, and. a national improvement in stock would be the case. Besides this, a national feeling would be created; farmers in all directions would become better acquainted with each other*, and more familiar with different breeds of stock in the island. Will anyone deny that good would result from such a state of things? The last, and, indeed, the greater, portion of the letter under review is devoted to p consideration of the matter from a purely local point of view, and I certainly cannot compliment the writer on the spirit he bail displayed. It is mean, selfish, and paltry to a degree befitting a resident in some littlf Feddlington wrapped tip in ielf-oonceit. The writer complains that “It has never been stated, for instance, whether the grounds of the Canterbury Association are to be used on the occasions of the exhibitions of the new society, and, if so, whether the proceeds arising from the meeting which form so important an item in the revenues of oqr Association, are to go to the treasury' of the Boyal Agricultural Society," lW me I What manner of man is this writer P Would he begrudge a National Society the use |f (he Canterbury Association’s ground if the National Show were held in Christchurch occasionally in lien of the ordinary local show? What a poor-spirited mortal he must MI Cannot the writer see at a glance of bow much more importance it wCulabeto his district to have a national show held in Christchurch than to have one almost'entirely limited to exhibits, belonging to the district ? If such a local spirit and such local jealousies are permitted to hold sway, deterioration must take the place of improvement. Bos reference to the proceeds going into the pockets of the National Association are absurd and childish.

BocietiM ssssssss and local feeiing, altogetoer omit* to toka cognisance of the feet that ether Sooietieo possess thotr grounds, thafc ether Societies g^^asasaaisa the writer alludes to tiufnot tlat (behead SttSBKSS^ Organisatloh there, Obd that ka the w«rk could be demae ah mneh .less «»it. Then he almost weeps- whm, besavstlwt it would appear that “Wheftot-or not ingroundow# the prooeeds of the meeUngi lt iamtottded tb nse tome portion of our machinery fey the n ew institution." Allow me to say. Sir, that the headquartere of tbe RayaJSbsMty were fixed it Obristohurch out of oonsplimetit to the Canterbury Booiety, ae britotUseltorenioat in (be Colony, and not with a view to the Canterhury Asaooiation beiag burdened with the management of the* “ , mMr ii»titution~ With an " imposing tittA" 1 I presume that tsitt&rttSßgsaA tonanco, the object betog net to injure, but to childish a nature thaii X musk let it pass, merely .expressing » hope that the writer is not a fairapeoimen of the Osaterbory farmers, to whom he appeals enioTioringly. ;