NORTH OTAGO AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATION.

North Otago Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 6058, 21 May 1886, Page 3

NORTH OTAGO AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATION.

The monthly meeting of tho OcimnuUe of the above Association was hold yestei day in the Becretniy'a uffice. Mr J. I Reid (the vice-president) occupied th obnir,. The outward corrcspondenco showc that a letter had been written to Mnjo Sumpter, by direotton of the Yard Com mitteo. r"»v>n'i»ining of the stato tho Shoi Grounu hud bet.n left in After tho en campment. The Chairmin Baid Captain Stronacl had told him that tho prounda would bi cleared up, and ho (the Chai.man) under atood instructiona had been loft for thii beinp; done. Mr Hedley said Maj-r Sumpter'scheqoe for L 25 had been deposited with lh« Society aa a guarantee that everything would be left in proper order, and he moved that tho Secretary write to Major Sumpter informing him that unless the gronn&a vrere put In a proper Btate the cheque would be c?«hed, and the coat of doing the work defrayed out of it. Thia wbb seconded by Mr Murdoch and carried. Mr Hedloy moved, and Mr Murdoch seconded, that the Secretary's salary bo LGS, the same at last year. Mr Todd, moved ac an amendment, that the salary be raised to LSO. Seconded by Mr Henderson. After diac.iaaioa the motion waa car* ried, Mr Church *waa then appointed Becre- | tary. ' On tho mo'ion of Mr Todd, Becondod by Mr Oonnell, it waß resolved to give Mr Church a bonus of LlO 103. Standlne Committeaß wero appointed n follows : Y«rd Commiltec — Messrs Dawsod, Hedley, Todd, Murdoch, MTlnrbod, Connell, Morton, Jns. Reid, and llurbnry ; Finance and Printing Committee — Messrs Hedley, Dawacn, Burbury, Christie, the President, and tho Vico'Presldent. The secretary was authorised to nnke such alterations to the luncheon booth bb would prevent children getting int^ It. It vraa decided to have on annual report of the Association published, and the Printing Committee was authorised to attend to the matter. It was decided to hold the Committee meetings on the third Thursday in each month — the samo as last year. It was agrejd, on the motion of Mr Iladley, that at tho next meeting the programme be considered. Too meeting then toruiinated. Five tenders have been received by the South Australian Government for the construction of the Palmerßton and Pine -Creek Railway. Robinson, ITaig, and Jesscr are the lowest tenderers, if the work be done by European labor, their amount beiDg LG9I,OGB. Messrs Millar Brothers are the lowest if the work is undertaken by Chinese labor, their tender being for LC05.424. On the last occasion, when the tenders were considered too high, Messrs Itobertson, Haig, and Jesser were the lowest, at L721,08G for European labor, and LG35,405 Jor Chinese labor. The Government, at a Cabinet meeting, resolved to accept one of tho tenders sent in, but to defer the final decision until all the members of the Ministry can be present. If European labor is accepted, Messrs Robinson, Halg, and Jeaser will be the euccesaful teuderers ; }mt if the Government sanction the employment of Chinese, the contract will be let to Messrs Millar Bros, The Trans-Cftppian Railway is now in rrgalnr running order as fir as Aakabad, »c<l ia finished us far aa Giaars, a place a'most 25 miles fuither on in a southeasterly direction. From Giaurs it will be Ofctried to Merv, a distance of about 80 miles aa the crow flies, and tho line aloog this btretch is being rapidly completed, the necessary bridges and stations being in full procees of constrnotion, Fr<"m Merv the line will bo taken on to Bourdalik, eatt to the Adqu Daila, the line of route being in process of preparation. The completo length of the line will be 660 mileß, of whloh 370 miles may bo cald to bo practically cornp'cted. Between Merv and the Amu Darin the line will run through an absolutely waterless sand deseit for o\ose upon 120 miles. Tbo attempt will, however, bs martn to get over the present abaenoo of water by making artesian wells along the line cf railway t (For continuation of News, sea pagt 4.)