A. AND P. ASSOCIATION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXIII, Issue 15921, 6 May 1912, Page 4

A. AND P. ASSOCIATION.

CHEVIOT. ANNUAL DINNER. Tho annual dinner of tho Cheviot Agricultural .and Pastoral Association was held at the Town Hall, Mackenzie, on Friday evening. Mr It. Blackley (president) occupied tho chair mid there was a large attendance, representatives being present from all parte of tho country.

The Rev W. Wills, in proposing tho toast of "Tho Parliament of New Zealand," paid a high tribute to the legislators of the dominion and said that few people realised the difficulties and knotty problems which lay in the path of those who constituted Parliament Some of the most illustrious of tho Parliamentarians of New Zealand came from the ranks of tho farmers, and ho had pleasure in proposing the toast at a gathering of farmers.

Mr A. W. Rutherford,' in responding, apologised on behalf of Mr G. W. Forbes, M.P., who was unavoidably absent. The speaker was only an ex-member. He did not altogether agree with what had been said by tho proposer of the toast, and must refuse to admit that Parliament as at present constituted was perfect. Those in Parliament did their best to act justly to all parties according to their lights, but there should bo more farmers in Parliament and more farmers in the Cabinet.. Out of £22,000,000 of exports from New Zealand in 1910, £18,000,000 was made up of farm products, and farmers were not fairly represented in the government of the country. There were only twenty farmers in a House of seventy-six members. The farmers of New Zealand should arouse themselves and return more representatives to Parliament. They should profit by the example set them by the workers of Austr-'h'a, who by self-sacrifice, steady subscriptions and bv magnificent organisation dominated the government of their country. One could not help admiring them, whether one agreed with them or not. There was no reason why farmers should not organise on the same lines. The Labour Party in Australia had recently increased its fighting capital to £250,000. Why should not the farmers, who were infinitely better off, pay for their politics and insist on having more members in Parliament?' A man naturally legislated in the direction calculated to benefit himself in preference to legislating for the benefit of others. During his six years' experience in Parliament the speaker could say that a majority of the members did their duty according to their lights, but a bigger representation of farmers would have insured more justice being done to the staple industries of the dominion. (Annlauso.)

Mr T. Sullivan, in proposing the toast of " The Cheviot Agricultural and Pastoral Association " complimented the committee of tho Association upon the excellent manner in which it managed the annual shows. Tho Cheviot Show was now second in importance' only the Christchurch Metropolitan Show in North Canterbury. The 1000 mark had been reached in the entries' . list at the recent show, and the speaker was confident that tho 2000 mark would be reached in the near future. (Applause.) Entries at the recent show were prizewinners at the Metropolitan Show, and altogether a very high standard was maintained in all classes and sections of the exhibits. Ho was pleased to see such a largo and widely representative gathering that evening, as it demonstrated the very live interest which tho people of Cheviot took in their Agricultural and Pastoral Association. He complimented the pioneers of the agricultural show movement in Cheviot, the members of tho Cheviot Settlers' Association, on tho energy and perseveranco they had displayed, and which had borne such goodly fruit. (Applause.) The chairman, in responding, said that the large attendance at the recent show was extremely gratifying to the committee. The show had been enthusiastically supported. The farmers of Choviot had the best of land to work an, and the show was only in its. infancy- at present. They should foster outside competition to the utmost of their power. They would benefit by such competition, and there was no- [ thing to prevent the Cheviot settlers producing stock and produce equal to anything in New Zealand. (Applause.) Mr D. Archibald said that the arrangements for the Inst Cheviot show had been as nearly perfect as they could lie; and as tho president had said, all that remained was for tho Cheviot farmers to improve their stock and produce. Speaking of agricultural shows in tile Old Country, the speaker said that the Christchurch Metropolitan Show could not be compared favourably, class by class, with the great Royal Agricultural Society's Show, save perhaps in the matter of English Leicester sheep, but considering that the Christchurch show was the product of a country of only 1,000,000 population, it compared very favourably indeed. Dealing with the proposal to establish a big Royal Agricultural Show in New Zealand, the speaker said that he feared exhibitors would never consent to ship their stock long distances. A North Island and a South Island combined show was, however, within tho bounds of possibility. (Applause.) Mr J. Fleming proposed the toast of " The President." and highly complimented Mr Blackley on the energy and enthusiasm he had devoted to the welfare of the Cheviot Agricultural and Pastoral Association. ' On behalf of the members of the Association, he presented Mr Blackley with a travelling rug as a token of the high - esteem in which iie was held. Mr Blackley modestly replied, and said that the committee members wero so capable and energetic, and the secretary (Mr T. Gee) was so able, that ho was left nothing at all to do in the matter of organising and managing the show. The chairman then presented Mr E. T). Giles, of Mount Parnasus, with a handsome silver tea service, the prize for the winner of most points for exhibits at the recent show. Mr Giles thanked the Association for tho very handsome trophy presented to him. Touching on the matter of comparisons between the English Royal Agricultural Society's show and New Zealand shows, he said that he hod attended more than one of the Royal Agricultural Society's shows in late vears, and in the matter of attendance the honours were all with New Zealand. The Royal Agricultural Society's show. held in a country with a population of 40 000.000, was not attended bv more than 6000 people in any one day. The Metropolitan Show in Christchurch had attracted as many as 30,000 people in one day. Cheviot, with a population of under 2000. had an attendance of 800 or 000. He considered that it was wiso for the Cheviot Association to throw its entries open to the wealthier farmers, who could import exceptionally crood stock, on account of the educational value of such exhibits. Mr S. Laugeson proposed the toast of "The Agricultural, Pastoral and Commercial Interests," and in the course of his remarks said that tho agricultural and pastoral interests wero so intertwined with the commercial interests that none could stand without tho others. Messrs A. W. Rutherford, T. C Robinson and W. Payne responded to the toast Mr Rutherford took up tho cudgels on behalf of New Zealand agricultural shows, and said' ho entirely disagreed with those who said that n't tho Royal Agricultural Society's and Royal Highland Shows stock superior to New Zealand exhibits could bo seen.

New Zealand put far more sheep into its shows than wore shown in untain, and although the older country might show a better individual ewo or ram hero and there, the speaker contended that on the whole New Zea and would boat the British exhibits all round. ■Mr Giles rose to state that he quiteendorsed Mr Rutherford's remarks in regard to tho bigger sheep entries at the Christchurch Metropolitan bhow but he had seen Hawke's Bay sheep breeders paying 300 guineas for a single j animal at the Royal Agricultural Show in order to improve their flocks. ! Mr Archibald said that a number of sheep wero put in to the Metropolitan Show merely for a chance of a sale. They had lio chance of a prize, and while they swelled the entries the show would be bettor without them. Mr Archibald, in proposing the toast of "Tho Secretary," said that Mr T. Gee was the principal mainstay of the Cheviot Show. He occupied a position in regard to the show analogous to that occupied by General Booth in regard to the Salvation Army. (Applause.) Mr T. Gee, in responding, said that he had acted five years as secretary, and while lie was gratified at the appreciation his services had met with, he thought it was time there was a new occupant for the secretarial office. The committee had supported him generously and loyally, whether he was right or wrong, and had it not been for that support he could have accomplished nothing. He thanked the members and friends of the Association who had so generously supported the Association with financial contributions. He had not met witli more than three refusals to an appeal for monetary help in five years. The large landholders, such as Messrs Rutherford and Giles had been of great help to the show, and the speaker would not support the Association for five minutes if it was proposed to put limitations on the entries. He congratulated the Association on the fa.ct that a large proportion of the members' subscriptions was annually devoted to ground improvements. He was heartily in favour of the proposals to erect a grandstand, and considered it would be a paying proposition. Dealing with exhibits at 'the recent show, Mr Gee said tho draught horse section was weak, and advocated that encouragement should be given to the importation of wellbred stallions to the district. (Applause. Dr Saunders proposed the toast of " Kindred Associations," which was responded to by Messrs A. E. Maude and C. Bruce.

The president urged that the horsebreeders of the district should combine and find the necessary money to purchase a stallion of the highest class in order to improve the standard of draught horses in Cheviot.

The toast of "Past Presidents" was proposed by Mr A. M'Queen and responded to by Messrs R. Sloss and D. Archibald. Other "toasts honoured were "The Exhibitors North of the Waiau," proposed by Mr T. Gee and responded to by Messrs A. Rutherford, jun., and Jackson; "Manufacturing Industries." "The Press," and "The Chairman." During the evening a number of vocal items were contributed by members and friends of the Association, and were heartily applauded. .