AGRICULTURAL & HORTICULTURAL AUTUMN EXHIBITION.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 161, 5 April 1845, Page 19

AGRICULTURAL & HORTICULTURAL AUTUMN EXHIBITION.

The Autumnal exhibition of this useful society was held on Wednesday last. The agricultural show, the first which has taken place in the settlement, was held in the Immigration Yard, and the grain and horticul-

tural produce was exhibited in the house in Bridge Street lately occupied by Mr. Otterson. Though the number of cattle shown Was not so great as might have been desired, it was' highly gratifying to see that the quality of all was so excellent, many having been imported from England by the settlers at great cost. Agricultural Prizes. The best bull .... Hon. C. A. Dillon Second best do. . . Mr. M'Rte Best cow Ditto Best heifer .... Mr. A. Stunders Best ram Mr. Goulter Pen of three ewes . . Mr. Redwood Best cart stallion . . Mr. Martin Best cart mare . . . Mr. Tytler Best boar Mr. Poynter Second best do. ... Mr. Butt Best breeding sow . . Mr. Sweet Finest sample of wheat . Mr. Kerr Finest sample of barley . Mr. Tytler Best sample of potatoes . Mr. Otterson Finest mangold wurtzel . Mr. Martin Finest turnips . . . Ditto. The horticultural show was "abundantly supplied with the finest vegetables. Of fruit there was but little variety, consisting of melons, grapes, Cape gooseberries, and a fine apple. It was too late in the season for stone fruit, or we might have had a good show of peaches, of which a considerable quantity has been grown here this year. Horticultural Prizes. Potatoes — first prize . Mr. Plumridge „ second do. . Mr. Burnett „ third do. . Mr. Newport Finest beet .... Mr. Plumridge Peas — first prize . . . Mr. I. Clark " second ditto . . Mr. Plumridge Finest beans .... Mr. Sweet Finest French beans . Mr. C. Elliott Finest scarlet runners . Mr. Martin Finest white runners . Mr. I. Clark Finest celery .... Mr. J. Clarke Cabbage — first prize . Mr. J. Clarke „ second do. . Mr. Sharp Finest turnips . . . Mr. Plumridge Carrots — first prize. . . Mr. Plumridge „ second do. . Mr. Newport Parsnips — first prize . Mr. J. Clark „ second do. . Mr. Plumridge Onions — first prize . . Mr. A. Jenkins . „ second do. . Mr. Newport Potato onions . . . Mr. Plumridge Bunch of leeks . . . Mr. Greaves Assortment of potherbs . Mr. Sweet Salading Mr. J. Clark Finest tomatas . . . Mr. Martin Green tobacco . . . Ditto Manufactured tobacco . Mr. Greaves Finest cucumber . . . Mr. Baraett Finest vegetable marrow Mr. Plumridge Horse radish .... Mr. Fell Italian rye-grass seed . Mr. Martin Melon — first prize . . Mr. Sweet " second do. . . Mr. Batchelor Best assortment of weds Mr. J. Clark Second prize for do. . Mr. Sweet Best sample of honey . Ditto Finest grapes .... Mr. A. M'Donald Apple Dr. Monro Cape gooseberries . . Mr. Greaves Finest dahlia .... Mr. Taylor Nosegay — first prize . Mr. C. Elliott „ second do. . Mr. Trower THE DINNER.

At half-past six, upwards of forty persons sat down to a substantial dinner, provided by Mr. Harley, at the Carpenters' Aims. The President and Vice-President of the Society, W. Fox* and G. Duppa, Esqrs., taking the chair and vice chair.

On the removal of the cloth, the Chairman gave the toast of "The Queen." The Chairman then gave "The Army and Navy;" institutions, he observed, which benefitted the agriculturists in two points of view ; first, they saved them the trouble of fighting themselves, and left them to pursue their peaceful avocations without interruption; and; secondly, they were " great eaters of beef," which, though according to Sir Andrew AguecKeek it might "do harm to their wits," must do good to the agriculturists. He begged them not to forget the officers and crew of H.M.S. Hazard and their gallant commander. Drank with great enthusiasm.

On proposing " Prosperity to the Nelson Agricultural and Horticultural Society," the Chairman said that the settlement might well congratulate itself on its progress in agriculture during the past year. The recently published statistics proved that Nelson, though founded last of the settlements in New Zealand, and with a population 1,000 less than that of Wellington, had more cultivation, more sheep, and, he believed, more horned cattle than any other settlement. The horned cattle at Wellington certainly, by the returns, exceeded the Nelson; but as no return of goats was made at Wellington, and they were specifically returned here/fie verily believed they had there calculated them a* horned cattle. However, be that as it might, in sheep and cultivation we beat them all; and he believed that our success was considerably owing to our Horticultural and Agricultural Society, which both created an interest in agriculture and afforded information to those who stood in need of it; which, in a community where many engaged in agriculture who knew nothing of it before emigrating, was a very important aid. He was happy to say that the productions of Nelson had not bean confined doring the past year to eatables and drinkables; Be had now a pair of excellent trowsers made front wool grown, spun, wove, and nude up in tbe settlement; he had shoes made of excellent leather, also raised, tanned, and made up m toe settlement; he had seen cigar* and Negrofcetd exhibited that day, grown and mannftetared in

Ntlson ; and he need not run through the list of useful articles which we were now able to prepare for our own use. . But, before concluding, he must advert to his late visit to the Wairau, which district he waß happy to say far exceeded the expectations of the whole party. There were' full 250,000 acres of the richest natural pasture; grass from end to end, sufficient to rear sheep and stock to make the fortunes of all the settlers who had come out and might come out for years to come. It had also ample agricultural resources, and was a pleasant, cheerful district to make a home in ;. and he hoped it would not be long till justice would be done, and the flockmasters and stockholders of Nelson find their way into it. ■ And now it was established that it would have for its harbour one of the finest iv the world, Queen Charlotte's Sound.

Mr. Cautley, the honorary secretary to the society, returned thanks. He believed the society would prove highly beneficial to the agriculture of the settlement, and be serviceable alike to the large cultivator and the small. Of the capabilities of the colony he entertained the highest opinion, and believed that many things hitherto untrTed here, and for which there was always a certain market at home, might be raised without difficulty. Wool growing was known to be, a profitable occupation, and the money winch, that alone would bring into the colony in % few years could not fail to benefit all classes. The Vice Chairman gave " The Health of the Successful Candidates." The stock exhibited that day, he said, showed that, with a little care, the breed in the colony might become first rate. The pig stock he considered to be perfection; and the prize cow was one which would have been creditable to any cattle show in England. Thanks were returned by Mr. Poynter, Mr. Redwood, Mr. Kerr, and Mr. Martin.

Mr. Kerr stated that all seed wheat brought into the, colony increased in weight when sown here. '

Mr. Martin said there was but little credit due to the successful cultivators ; the land and the beautiful climate did the work for them.

Mr. Stephens gave " The Health of the Unsuccessful Candidates." Mr. Shepherd returned thanks. The Chairman proposed "The health of the judges." . : Mr. Bolton -and Mr. Stafford returned thanks.

M. Stafford said that although there was but a limited number of sheep as yet in New Zealand, that was no argument against the capabilities of the country towards producing a large and valuable export of wool when these capabilities were fully developed. In 1824, Van Diemen's Land sent home its first export of wool, consisting only of 13/lbs. ; in 1844 it exported.nearly four millions of pounds, bringing into that country from £250,000 to £300,000 sterling of English capital. Now he (Mr. Stafford) had seen a- good deal of Van Diemen's Land, and he was perfectly convinced that New Zealand «ould 'support a much larger stock of sheep than that country; and it was that consideration, joined to the ' knowledge that the grain-producing capitalists of New Zealand were fully equal to Van Diemen's Land and much superior to New South Wales, that had induced him to become a New Zealand settler himself and import sheep into the country. Mr. Fox had stated amongst the other productions of Nelson, that although only three years old, trowsers had been manufactured in the settlement from our own wool. Now Mr. Fox's word needed no confirmation, but he could confirm, it in the easiest and most effectual manner: he had himself on at that moment a pair of these trowsers, and a very warm, comfortable, and useful pair of trowsers they were; reflecting great credit on the enterprize and skill of the person who first started the manufacture of woollen cloths here. . Mr. Bell proposed " The health of J. R. Gowan, Esq., the Patron of the Society." ' Mr. Ward gave " The Liberty of the Press and the Editor of the Nelson Examiner." ■ Mr. Domett returned thanks. ' , A number of other toasts were drank, which want of roem prevents our noticing.