A. AND P. ASSOCIATION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIX, Issue 11558, 20 April 1898, Page 6

A. AND P. ASSOCIATION.

ELLESMEEE._ A committee meeting of this Association was held in the Leeston Hotel on Monday. The President (Mr J. M. Furze) occupied the chair. The following correspondence was read and considered ;—From the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association, inviting the Ellesmere Association to send delegates to the Agricultural Conference to he held on June 16. The objects of the conference were freely discussed, and -Mr A. Storry suggested that the questian of' suppressing the distribution of noxious weeds through seed imported into Canterbury was one that should receive earnest consideration at this Mr Job Osborne’ .contended that imported seed should be subject' to expert examination before it was sdwn’tn clean districts. The meeting decided that the Ellesmere Agricultural and Pastoral Association should send one delegate to the conference, the delegate to be select#! at the next annual meeting to be held in May. A circular on the subject of irrigation was also received from the President of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association. This subject evoked much discussion, and arguments were offered both for and against the proposed schemes. Mr Thomas Tolerton strongly supported the scheme for tapping Lake Coleridge, and related the satisfactory results which have eventuated from personal experiments of irrigation. Messrs W. F. M. Buckley and A. .Storry also'supported the idea of irrigation/but considered that the system might he' tried on a smaller scale than was suggested by the'Lake Coleridge ' scheme. . Mr Osborne opposed the present schemes offered for irrigation. He thought that irrigation might not prove the unmixed blessing it appeared at first sight. They proposed to bring down a vast body of water to flood the Canterbury Plains, and before they committed themselves to such a proposal he considered that they should well weigh the cost and prospective return. Personally, he was of opinion that the benefits to be derived from general irrigation would not recoup the enormous outlay it would involve. Mr C. Withell supported Mr Osborne’s objection to elaborate irrigation, and suggested that “pump” irrigation (by traction engines) from the present water-race system would he a much simpler and inexpensive manner of procedure in exceptionally dry seasons. By this system they would be able to place the water exactly where they wanted it, and need have no fears of a superabundant supply. The Chairman also thought that extreme care should he exercised in voting for an elaborate and costly scheme. At present, he could do with an almost unlimited supply of water, hut in some: seasons they had more than they required. He advocated that irrigation was all very well in its place, hut Canterbury has only recently felt the need for its introduction. Mr James Stackhouse supported the opinions of the Chairman. The meeting eventually decided to appoint Mr J. M. Furze as its delegate to the Irrigation Conference. Mr T. D. Todd wrote stating that he had prepared an improved system of farm bookkeeping, and asking for certain information relative to the prizes offered by the Ellesmere Agricultural and Pastoral Association. The Secretary was instructed to reply. This concluded the business.