ROYAL COLONIAL SOCIETY.

Otago Witness, Issue 929, 18 September 1869, Page 11

ROYAL COLONIAL SOCIETY.

The first annual meeting of the members and fellows -was held on June 28 in the theatre of the Institute of Civil Engineers ; Viscount Bury in the chair. Among those present were Lord A. Churchill, Lord Houghton, Sir William Deniaon, X.C.8., Sir Charles Nicholson, J. A. Youl, J. Montgomerie, JEL Blame, and Edward Wilson. The President read a letter from .Earl Granvi le, announcing that her Majesty had been graoiously pleased to permit the society to be distinguished by the title of " Royal," and that the fellows would henceforth have tho privilege of writing F.R.C.8., after their names. His lordship then proceeded to read a report of the council, which congratulated the members upon the favourable progress of the society. The Duke of Buckingham, late Seoretary of State for the Colonies, nud Sir Stafford Norfckcote, late Secretary of Sttxte for India, had both given their official sanction and support to the sooiety, and Earl Granville and the Dnke of Argyll had addressed the governors of the several colonies and dependencies in support of the society, the result of which had been tho rec "ipt by the council of a number of valuabl • documents illustrative of the progress of tho colonies, which, with some photographs, &c, had been placed in tho reading room and library of the society at the Westminster Palace Hotel, where a suite of rooms had been secured. The council were meat anxious that all colonists, whether members of the society or not, should on arrival in this country leave their addresses with tho secretary of the society, and thuy coald have letters addressed to them ao the society's rooms. Financially tho society was in a sou ad position, as the receipt-* had heen Buftioient to enable tho council, after paying all current charges and invest tig LSDO in Vicoria Government stock. 10 curry forward a. balance of L 414. He concluded by moving the adoption of the ropoic. air W. Deniaon ably seconded tho man n, which was unanimously adopted. Thj v mnoil and vioo.prosidents wero then unanimously roelccted, and tho president having been com* missioned to convey tho thanks of the follows to her Majesty for tho mark of royal favour conferred, thanks wore accorded to the Right Hon. Chioheator Fortesoue, M.P., and to the president, and tho proceedings torminatod.

Shearing commenced At Glennmrk, Canterbury, on Tuesday lssfc. As it may bo ox« pcoted to begin in this province also before long, the following remarks of the Gardener's Chronicle, an English publication, on tho luHoofc of early shearing, will bo of interest : — Jnowly-shorn sheep arc washed by B( ■-"» of our boat hill tmophcrda onoo across tho p „ for tho twofold purpoao of ckiinhncws and a healthy action of tho skin. Many ehophortU wash thoir own heads regularly every timo thoy get thoir hair cat, to avoid catching cold, ana no forth; but thoy nevor give tho Application of the practice to their nowly-ihorn sheep a single thought. Sheep, also, when nowly shorn, suftorfromtho rays of the sod during tho day, and from cold dews at night. Moro food ro* quires to bo oonaumod to Voep np animal beat than whon in tho wool, and that food requires to bo of a difforont quality, no m to utimulato a healthy action of tho skm ; nhado during midday is, therefore, ncoewary, and bill •hoop instinotivoly botak* thomaolvos to tho shelter of rooks, large stonos, mo** banks, or bnshes of any kind ; and at night thoy ftnloot high and dry lairs. In lowland incloaurof, atone walls often afiord letter ahcltor to •hoop than hedges and trees. Under tho latter, thoro is frequently a cold draught thai is very injurious to n«wly»horn ahoep ; henoo on suoh oooaslooji thoy should not bo allowed to lio too long under them. To <lriv« thorn from ono two to another, or to the shade of tws* under which there in no draught, will korp up a hnaJthy itato of tho ins«nsib!o p*r»pirationof tho skin, whore** two hoar* in tho oold draaght will produoo th* oon»rnry. Wh*r« them is a oloio paddook, or ground •pooiailj adapted for nowly-»horn sheep, it should m •ot apart for thorn for * wo«k or Un day*.

ft