OTAGO AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATIONS

Otago Witness, Issue 1489, 29 May 1880, Page 22

OTAGO AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATIONS

The annual general meeting of members of tho above Association was held on Tuesday afternoon at Wain's Hotel. There was an attendance of from 30 to 35 members. Mr John Roberts, president of the Association, occupied the chair.

ANNUAL REPORT.

The report of the Committee for tho season 1879 read as follows :—

"The Committee have pleasure in submitting to the members of the Association the annual statement of accounts, from which it will be seen that, considering the inclement state of the weather, the show which was held on the 27th and 2Sth of November was a success. v " It is most gratifying to note that both in numbers and quality of exhibits the show continues to improve. Cattle were shown at the Forbury Park in considerable numbers, not only from the neighbouring provinces of Canterbury and Southland, but also from the Colony of Victoria. " The Committee have to thank those who have assisted the Association by their liberal donations and subscriptions, also the the donors of special prizes for the encouragement of particular classes of exhibits. " The question of amalgamation with the Taieri Agricultural Society has been several times before the Committee, who have decided to leave it to the decision of the annual general meeting of members, to be held at Wain's Hotel, Dunedin, on 25th day of May next, at 3 p.m. The Taieri Society, so far, has insisted as a sine qua non that the show should be held at Mosgiel, while a great majority of Dunedin members and those to the North are averse to removing it from its present location. " The Committee were glad to have an opportunity of welcoming 1 to the province the representatives of the Lincolnshire farmers, and of affording information which may be serviceable to them in the mission on which they are engaged. "It is to be hoped that a strenuous cffoil; will bo made next year to clear the Association of debt. It is quite evident that the public now take more interest in the show than they did at first, and the receipts from gate-money in the immediate vicinity of a populous and nourishing city like Dunedin ought, with the members' subscriptions, to make the Association self-supporting

"John Roberts, Chairman

The Chairman, in moving tho adoption of the report, said he did so with a great deal of satisfaction. Tho past year had been a most trying one for tho Society which had previously been struggling to get into existence. As the result of last year, ho might say that the Society not only existed, but flourished. The annual show had been unfortunate as regarded the weather, and the receipts from gate-money were simply lamentable ; still, as would be seen by the balance-sheet, they were enabled to close the year with an overdraft of only £50, against which might bo set off an expenditure of £90 on the Taieri land. He wished to mention that the thanks of the Association and Committee were especially duo to tho Dunedin people for the hearty support they had afforded, for 90 per cent, of the whole subscriptions came from Dunedin ; and he might add that, in spite of the bail times, less trouble had never been experienced in getting the subscriptions paid. People were now becoming educated to the necessity of supporting the Society. Tho principal question for consideration at that meeting was that of amalgamation with Taieri and holding the show at Mosgiel. The Committee had been so divided upon this question that tliO3 r could recommend nothing in regard to it, so that the meeting would be perfectly untrammelled. Personally, ho had misgivings about removing the show, at any rate now In the first place they would lose a great portion of tho contributions from Dunedin— there could be no question about that ; and again, the gate-money out there would be nothing like that to be obtained under ordinary circumstances in Dunedin. Ho did not wish to speak disparagingly of tho Taieri people, but small contributions came from them to the Society. The total from tho Taieri last year, out of £503, was £22 4s; and this was disappointing, especially in view of the prospect that the show was to be held at Mosgiel. As regarded tho Lincolnshire farmers, it was not considered necessary by tho Committee to make any public demonstration in connection with their visit. They themselves had expressed a wish to go about in an unfettered way, and the Committee had decided that three or four of their numboy should meet the visitors, entertain them

at dinner, hear what they wanted to sec , and toko steps accordingly. The delegates had give n no hi nt to the Committee as to what they tl ought of the povmtrv— indeed the Committee had seen very little ot did not wish to see the country at all, noi to juujje as ior them here spent a very enjoyable evening in tfir company He moved the adoption of the report ai tl a SiSLl by Mr BRYm and carried ELECriOS OF OKKIOK-MBABBRS. The Chairman said the election of office-bearers was thorwKb business. Last year there had been a ComSfa^ifTSombors, but they found by the Act under which the Society was incorporated that this wot above the number allowed by law. They could not have more than 24 members. The first oiheer to be elected was the President. Mr Brydose moved, and Mr Charters seconded, that Mr James Shand be President. Mr Shand, however, declined to stand. On the motion of Mr Charters, Mr Thos. Brydone was then elected to the office. Mr Brydonk returned thanks for the honour of °Mr John Roberts was elected vice-president : Mr E. J. Spcnce, honorary treasurer; and Mi Douglass, honorary veterinary surgeon. In rcard to the election of a Committee, Mr Siia?>d suggested that, of the 24 to be elected, eight should be chosen from Dunedin, eight from the North, and eight from the South. . It was pointed out, however, that eight was the number necessary by the Act to form a quoium, and that as country members could but seldom attend, it would bo requisite to have a larger number of Dunedin members to ensure meetings. Eventual yit was decided to form the Committee of 10 Dunedin men, four from the North, and four from the South. The following were elected :— Duncdin membersMessrs Driver, Dowse, Dodson, Gourley, L. Maclean, J. Marshall, Meenau, Mackcrras, Philp, Peake, Siso, Stcphenson, Stronach, Taggart, John Reid, and It. Wilson Northern members -Messrs John Douglas, AY. Soutter, E. Menlove, and K. B. Fergusson. Southern members— Messrs R. Charters, J. bhand, D. Ecid, and W. Patrick. AMALGAMATION. Mr Robert Wilson, in moving that the show of 1880 be held at Forbury Park, said there could be no question that if the show were removed to the Taieri the people in Dunedin would object to subscribe, and, in addition, not more than half the gate-money could be expected. „ Mr Sower seconded the motion. He was quite certain that if the show were removed Northern subscriptions would cease ; indeed, on account of the proposition, last year's subscriptions had been considerably curtailed. As regarded stock, none would come from the North to the Taieri, and he had Mr Kitchmgs authority for saying that he would send none. Mr Shand would like to say a few words to test the meeting. It was easy to see by what had already been said, and by the cues given by the papers, that there was to be no show at Mosgiel. After all, although Dunedin claimed to be such a mine of wealth, it appeared they could not afford the loss. But there were only three Taieri farmers present at that days meetin/ so that it was evident that they cared very little about it. He referred to the fact, also, that originally the Taieri Show had been held successively at East, West, and North Taieri ; but when the Society was led into the purchase of ground at Mosgiel on the understanding that one day an amalgamation would take place with Dunedin, that arrangement had ceased! He moved that the Dunedm and Town Societies be amalgamated, and the show be held at Mosgiel. He knew it was a lost case, but wou d like to see the matter tested. Whatever the result, the Taieri people intended to support the Dunedin Society but in view of previous experience, when the Society collapsed and could not even pay its prizemoney, the Taieri people would not allow their own Society to die out for fear the Dunedm one would acain go to the wall.— (Laughter.) Mr SUESSAS seconded Mr Shand's amendment, referring in doing so to the advisability of the Society becoming possessed of a ground somewhere where they could erect permanent buildings. Mr Charters detailed how the Taieri Society had been led to join the Dunedin one in purchasing the Mos-'iel show-ground. The understanding was that amalgamation was to take place, and the Taieri people then thought they were dealing with men of honour, who would not be led away by the hue-aud-cry of a iockey club, or a tramway, or anything else. It was ur«'ed that the Taieri presented no attractions for visitors He supposed the poor Taieri settlers were commiserated as men who had settled on a swamp, and who were to be pitied because they could not get away from it. He believed that in fine weather very many would be attracted to a metropolitan show on the Taieri Plain. He further referred to the ample feed for stock to be obtained at the Taieri, enabling beasts to be put in the ring in show condition, and to th ample accommodation for stock-the best m NewZea la d He knew the amendment would not be carried and he felt inclined almost to move a further one, that the subject lie over for consideration for 12 months. He would like the Committee to have an opportunity of considering the advisability of making the Dunedin Show a sort of Derby-holding it after all the country ones, so that it could made a test to country people of stock that had taken local prizes. Mr Gourley replied to the remarks of Mr Chartois, and contradicted the insinuation that the Jockey OluD tried to influence the result one way or other. After some further remarks, the amendment was put to the meeting and lost, only Messrs Shand, Shennan Charters, and Gow voting for it. The motion by Mr Wilson was then put and carried THANKS. A hearty vote of thanks was carried to the President and retiring Committee, and especially to I r W. Cunningham Smith, retiring treasurer, for their services during the year. The meeting then rose.