CANTERBURY A. AND P. ASSOCIATION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 12425, 14 February 1901, Page 2

CANTERBURY A. AND P. ASSOCIATION.

«■ MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE. A meeting of the committee of the Canterbury Agricultural and Papteral Association was held yesterday afternoon, in the ■rooms, Hereford Street. There was a large attendance of members, and Mr G. Jameson presided. A letter was read from, Mr L. Mat-son, tendering his' resignation as a member of tiie Association's committee, and stating that the exigencies of business precluded his attending the meetings. It was resolved that the resignation should be'accepted, . The balance-sheet for ■ the year ending Dec. 31, 1900, was laid on the taMe. The statement showed liabilities amounting to £5933 12s Id, , including mortgage on grounds, £5350 10s. The assets were £11,839 9s 3d, including grounds' and 'improvements, £9658 4s Bd, and cash in Union Bank,, £785 10s. The revenue account showed a balance of £427 Is 4d.

; Accounts amounting to £367 16s 4d were passed for payment.

The treasurer’s statement for January showed a balance at the bank of £623 16s 3d. Mr A. W. Rutherford wrote stating that lie desired to bring under the notice of theAssociation an important matter in. regard to the- Association’s ■ shows. The growth of wool on sheep exhibited had been, under no regulation in the past, and sheep might be shown with almost-any growth- of wool—twelve or even sixtee-m months —and thus one exhibitor could gain -an -advantage over another. The writer considered it was unfair to the judges, who could not make an allowance for sheep with twelve months’ growth as against sheep with sixteen months’ growth of wool, and, therefore, the award generally went to- the animal with the longer growth. It was also unfair to the public. The object cl the Association was to exhibit- the . sheep bred in New Zealand, and not Tasmanian sheep. He thought no sheep should be exhibited with a greater growth- than fifty-four weeks, and no hoggets should be shown that had been lambed earlier than August. The letter was referred., to the- Sheep Committee with a recommendation that the suggestion contained in the letter should be given effect to . The sub-committee appointed for the carrying -out of the Winter Show recommended that arrangements should be made with Messrs Rennie and Pearce, contractors for the Exhibition Buildings, to- lease the annexe on the north side of the Canterbury Hall for the purpose cl holding the show therein.

The report was adopted. 'Mr Staveley said he would like to draw the committee’s attention to the small number of members on the. Winter Show Subcommittee. Arrangements had /practically been made with the Horticultural Society to hold its show in conjunction) with the Association, and he considered the arrangements for the Winter Show should be made by the General Committee. It was resolved that the Winter Show Sub-committee should be empowered to add to its number.

Mr Reaven -drew attention to the conditions in the open classes for seeds. The classes, he said, did not attract the attention they should, and he considered the conditions were .to Marne. It was provided that competitor,s should state whether the seeds were colonial or -imported, and the prices. He was of opinion that the conditions might bo modified, but he did not desire to press the question. . He had noticed ■that the entries were, small.

Dr Levinge said the conditions were drawn up and approved only after long consideration, a-nd,’ were necessary.

Mr Beaven moved that the General Committee .should express an, opinion on- the' subject-,: but after further discussion had taken place he withdrew the motion, and the matter dropped. A

Mr Beaven said that at the last show there had been some di-ssasisfact-ion because public institutions were allowed' to-aompete. It was a large subject, and to exclude the institutions from the Winter Show would -allso be to exclude them- from the Summer Show, for if in one they had ah- advantage they had disadvantages in. the other. Several members expressed the opinion that public institutions should not be excluded, and the matter -dropped. The President- reported that he had, on behalf c.f the Association, attached a letter to the petition to the Governor praying that the Show Grounds should he excluded from the proposed borough of Riccarton-.

The President said that before next monthly meeting the Association offices would be established' in the Canterbury Hall, and he desired that a sub-committee should be appointed to cany out details of picture-hanging and furnishing.

: The chairmen of the several Sub-commit-tees were appointed a committee for the purpose. Mr Deans’ notice of motion regarding railway freights was postponed until next meetinsr. :

The Ram Fair Committee recommended that the entry fee should be the same as last year, viz., flock rams Is 6dl each, flock ewes' Is each, stud rams .5s each, and stud ewes 2s 5d each. The committee also recommended to the favourable- consideration of the General Committee that Corriedaje sheep should) be admitted to the usual ballot for a place on the sale programme along-with the sheep of the registered breeds.

The recommendation clause was agreed to, but the second, after considerable dfecussion, was thrown out. The following were elected members of the Association : —Messrs W. ’G. ’ Davie, Hawarden; J. Irvine, Geraldine; R. Buchanan, Christchurch; W. Jamieson, Christchurch; J. Withell, Ealing; J. Borrie, Rangitata; B. Tripp, Orari Gorge Station ; Balfour, Dunsandel; G. W. Standland, New Brighton Road, -and A. Comyns, Windwhistle.