MOUNT IDA DISTRICT FARMERS' CLUB.

Otago Witness, Issue 1383, 1 June 1878, Page 20

MOUNT IDA DISTRICT FARMERS' CLUB.

i " - - . ANNUAL MEETING. ' The annual meeting of the Mount Ida District Farmers' Olub was held in the Town Hall on the evening of the 13th May.' 1 L. W. Buach, Esq., the Mayor, Preaident of the Club, occupied the chair. The' Preaident said : Jt gives me very great pleasure to meet here to night with you on the occasion of our second annual meeting. The Farmers' Club has not created much stir, but it has, I venture to My, done good work. During the year we are now entering it will do greater work still. .Farming has made great progress in our district. In spite of great disadvantages', 1 our pioneer settlers are fast feeing 'what it is to live on and own their own londß. I believe the flour milk about to be put up near Blacks and near Naspby 'will give the farmers the only thing they need — a steady and certain nlirket for all the grain th«y cau produce. Farmers make consumers. No greater mistake was ever made than to calculate the want of a* district upon the basis of the existing population. Every farmer c*usea ! ari inroad of consumers, in proportion to the extra grain raised. The fanners hare little to do but go on and prosper. Land is 100 per cent higher in value then when tho first farmers settled. In another three years it will be 200 per cent, higher, and he would be a bold man who would venture to fix a limit as to the price which our land will yet stand at in the money market. Our practical work, gentlemen, is to encourage the growth of grain and the best grasses, and the rearIng of the best stock. We have not done much in the stock yet. Farmers have run too much after cheap sheep, and half framed cattle. All this can be improved by* shows and meetings among each other, •hd also by fairs. I hope the Olub will hare this year a good ploughing match, a good- show, a County fair: - I shall be proud to assist in the gradual establishment of a Olub, to be second to none in Otago. This could be done, and I feel sure it will be done. Me James R. Smith, the Secretary, having read the balance sheet and report, the meeting adjourned. Total receipts, £88 14s. Total expenditure, £74 ss. 6d.

NEW ZEALAND STOCK. The Sydney correspondent of a Melbourne taaper, writing on the sacceas of Now Zealand £t the recent show, aud on the prohibition of ■tock importation to New South Wales, B*ys : —The exhibition has be9n moderately well attended, not ao well as in some past years, but bitter than in others. The honours of the cattl« ring have been carried off by a New Zealirider, and no one disputes the justice of the SWftrd ; but tho two choice animals, that have be«n sent up from the sister colony have both twen bred from beasts that have been imported fey New Zealand since our own law prohibitod tbe arrival of English stock. The consequence it, that the opposition to this prohibitory law bits received a great accession of strength, and ft is loudly asserted that, for the present # at leaflt, we cannot get along satisfactorily without fresh blood. So far as sheep are concerned, m* have ceased to wish to inaport ; a distinct Australian type hag been established, which is not only sufficient fo" our purpose, but better •cUptea to it than importations would be. But WW regard to cattle, we have not yet established tne requisite type of excellence, nor have we proved that we can even keep up our standard without fresh blood. On the contrary, th« general impression is that the yearling stock sho^vn on the present occasion ia decidedly inferior to what it was some years back, and this Ss'lookeri upon ai a proof that dependence on the stock we at present possess will not suffice for our wants, and that we shall not even hold oat own nnlosß we turn oxwe wore to England f Of fjraeh bjwb.