AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 1171, 3 October 1865, Page 5

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATION.

(To the Editor of the Daily Times.) Sir—Messrs Driver, Maclean and Co.— whose spirited endeavour to initiate a yearly Intercolonial Exhibition of live stock in Dunedin, resulted in a very interesting addition to the attractions oi' the 12th of January, (the opening day of the Exhibition) —have issued a circular, inviting- the attendance of all interested in the formation of an Agricultural and Pastoral Association lor Otago, at a meeting to be held on Wednesday afternoon, at their Wool Stores. They express their belief thit the object they had in view in their efforts last si-ason, h much more likely to be attained, if the arrangements for an annual f>how of stock are under the management of a Society such as it is now proposed to form. I trust, Sir, that those to whom this matter is of more special interest, will not let the opportunity thus presented piss without avail. The subject was earnestly discussed at a meeting of the Local Committee of the Exhibition, in January last, by several country members who were [ present. It being beyond the scope of i that Committee's business to take steps towards the formation of an Agricultural and Pastoral Association for the Province,. nothing definite was done ; but the opinion was unanirnou>ly expreestd that the time h id arrived when such an Association was an immediate necessity of the times. In consequence of resolutions passed at that raeeiing, circulars were addressed in all directions to gentlemen who were thought likely to take an interest in the matter; and it was the earnest hope of those who took- part in thu meeting that the subject would be promptly taken up. Suih, bowever, was not the case, the time being apparently unpropitious. I hope the fate of the movement coir initiated will be more worthy of th:* Province. The following is a copy of one of the resolutions passed at the meeting I have alluded to. It refers only to one branch of the subject, the only one which the Committee could take into its considera-tion:—-"Tu a the Councils of the various Agricultural Associations in the Province .bj informed of the desire of tbii Committee to co-operate with them in any manner, within the scope of its duties, in promoting the establishment of an Annual Exposition of Agricultural Produce, with a rtqnest that the -Councils will give the matter immediate consideration."

I append an extract from the final Report of.the Committee to the Government, and beg to express my sincere hope that I shall meet the gentlemen who supported the .resolutions and adopted the Report, at' Messrs Driver, Maclean and Co.'s Wool Store on Wednesday.

I am, &c,

J. S. Webb.

Extract from Report of the Otago Local Committee of the Exhibition to his Honor the Superintendent.

"As already stated, the agriculture of the Province i« very inadequately represented in the Exhibition. Various causes have combined to render our agriculturists us a class somewhat indifferent to the success of the Exhibition ; and the preservation out,of the harvest of last year of suitable samples of cereals, was nowhere attended to. Other descriptions of farm and_ dairy produce which might have been exhibited under the Commissioners* rules, Mye not been.sent in, on account of a misconception as to their, adroisaibility i which appears to bare prevailed. An

endeavor to remedy this deficiency in so important a section of the Exhibition was made by the Committee. Under an arrangement raade: with the Royal Commissioners, an invitation was issued and widely circulated for the exhibition of samples of the cereal produce of this year, and of such other produce 33 could be prepared for a special Show in the month of April. The Committee regrets to have to state that in no single instance has any response been given to this invitation.

" During the discussion of this subject, the opinion" wa3]strongfy expressed by those best informed Sraongst the members of the committee, that the institution of an. annual exposition'of agricnlturcd produce and stock of all descriptions was eminently desirable. The committee did not feel that it was within its province to take any steps towards the initiation of such an exhibition, but made known publicly, and espesially to the various agricultural associations existing in the Province, its desire to co-operate as far as might be in any arrangements for the purpose. As yet, however, no steps have been taken iv nny quarter towardsthe accomplishment of this very desirable object; but having in view the importance to the Province of well regulated periodical agricultural shows, and the probability that an application will ere longjbe nude to your Honor for the continmuce and support of your Honor's Government to some proposal of the kind, the committee desires to express its deep sense of the importance of the subject, and its conviction that any scheme calculated to ensure the establishment of such expositions on a sound basis; is worthy of the profound consideration aud sympathy of the Government of the Province."