OTAGO, A, & P. SOCIETY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2675, 21 June 1905, Page 17

OTAGO, A, & P. SOCIETY.

••> ANNUAL MEETING. The twenty-eighth annual general meeting of the Otago A. and P. Society was held in the Agricultural Hall Buildings, on Wednesday eveniug. Some 60 members were present. The president (Mr Ja. Gow) occupied the chair. The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the report, said: — "In moving the adoption of the report and balance sheet, I .am in the happy position of being able to congratulate the society. on a very sue- ' cessful year, which, financially, has been a record one, although in one respect the. year" which has just closed has been an unfortunate one -for the society, seeing , that death has removed a very large number of the most prominent members lOfyour Committee — <vizj Mr Thos.^ BryHohe,, bon. life governor of the society, \ who" has ibeen associated with it from its inception, and who might -almost be called the ' father of -the society ;" Mr Uobert Campbell, ■vt TSt. oClair, -also a life governor and a t- very old colonist, who took a deep interest , iiJTMshe'swelifaTe of this association; ; Mr A. . C!.*i Stronach; a past president, and one of • t dOTsmosfc-eHergetie^Mirembers' oi "committee 1 ; ' •■: Mr J. C. Gow, of Palmerston, for several i years a member „ of^ the committee, , and : one who^ took >„ vexy;; active interest in our shows,' parteieura-riV "" m ''' connection? ''with county 'bays-; Mr Jas. 'Hislo'p, who was hon. ai-ebiteefc o£ tHe society, and -wiio - designed .these- buildings; -and Mr Jas. - Cullen, of Oufcram, who was -tf member of this society from its beginning, and^. a constant- and successful exhibitor at. our summer shows. The places of these gentlemen it will be difficult to fill,- and it will be .many years before they are forgotten by . ,the members of your committee. — (' Hear, hear.") Ml our shows during the year have been very successful. Our last winter show was well patronised by the public, who expressed themselves pleased with the excellence of the exhibits. The annual parade of stallions held at Tahuna Park was the largest yet held under the auspices of the society, the quality of the majority of the animals shown being the subject of much favourable comment. The result quite justified the innovation of haying the horses judged and awarding prizes at the parade. Our annual summer show, which we look -upon as the principal feature of our year's operations, was very successful, there being keen competition in 'most of the classes, and many splendid animals exhibited. The takings at the gate would no doubt have constituted a record had the weather on the people's day been favourable. Unfortunately, a heavy downpour of rain, just as the public was leaving town for the show, affected not only the attendance, but also the comfort of those who were already present. The winter show, which was opened to-day, promises to be the best in every way which has yet been held. The number of entries constitutes a record, while no exception can be taken to the quality of the exhibits; indeed, the four county bays are a show in 'themselves. So large has our winter show grown that we arc greatly hampered for want of room, and I feel that an apology is due to the public, j perhaps more particularly to the exhibitors, and especially to the county bays. for the amount of crowding which has to be submitted to by them. The committee has a scheme on hand which will not only serve to keep in memory the great services which the late Mr Brydone has rendered this society," but will also provide ample room for the exhibits, and will allow the public to view them in comfort. Reference ~io this will be made later. While it is gratifying to find the association so sue- i cessful, it is somewhat disappointing that the membership is still far below what it , ought to be, there being only about 600 ' members. I think this number might be doubled, and I wcuild urge every farmer in Otago to join this society, which is workins for his best interests ; and I certainly think the trading community of Dunedin should give us more solid support, seeing that our shows bring the farming and pastoral community into town in such large numbers." — (" Plear, hear.") Mr P. Pattullo, in seconding the motion, referring to the prosperity of the society, eaid he was not going to say that they- were entitled to too much credit for that. The country was. prosperous, Otago was prosperous, and if the society was not prosperous there was something wrong. So they i must look forward to doing more even than th6y were doing now. A society like this could not stand still— it must either progress or go back. Speaking as a member of committee, he was not sure that their present winter show was any further ahead of the preceding five shows than it ought to be. They were now greatly hampered for want of room, and he was very pleased that a project was on foot to remedy this. and that the memory of a man who had done so much for agriculture in New Zealand was to be perpetuaterL He was aware there had been great dissatisfaction at the Agricultural Hall having been turned nito a theatre. It must be remembered, however, that the ball belonged to the

Agricultural Hall Company, and the directors of that company had no doubt to consider ways and means to pay interest on "debentures. The gentlemen who composed that company were men who always took a 1 prominent part in the affairs of the society jas well. They were amongst the best workers, and, more than that, they were , always ready to put their hands in their j pockets to assist. He did not think, there- [ fore, that the conversion of the hall into a theatre was a matter for people to growl much at. With regard to the project to raise money to enable them to put another hall -on to their present annexe, they were receiving great encouragement. They had to-day heard the Minister of Lands speak in favour of this and in favour of. the late Mr Brydone's memory being perpetuated. He had since put his sympathy into practical shape by donating five guineas. In addition to this, Mr Anderson had given 25 guineas, other five private individuals had donated 25 guineas each, several others - 'had given 10 guineas, while a number of subscriptions had been received. •But while they had received «t number of they had not a sufficient number of names down to show that the - late Mr Brydone's work was appreciated .by .those Tvho had benefited -by it. They ..could no doubt get the money for •the hall ; but it was not so much a question of- getting _ a hall only. They should have in it a substantial recognition of the late Mr Brydone's services, -and he would like .to appeal to the public both in town and „ opuntfjr y to — come -- forward with subserip-.--tions. . The jHonT' T. 'Fergus said he would like to refejt to < a '/remark -made -by- Mr Pattullo about turning, the Agricultural' Hall into a •theatre. - When the shows were held in the "Garrison Hall the space available was totally Inadequate to contain the numerous -.exhibits an-d to allow the people ho more around. It was absolutely essential a larger building should be provided for the winter show. He then proposed that they should endeavour to get a certain sum of money from the mercantile and farming community to build a, hall for agricultural purposes in Dunedin. Mr Hazlett, the late Mr Brydone, and himself went round the town, and in 24- hours got £6000 promised to pay up the whole of the debentures. Mr Fergus then. gave full particulars of the arrangement entered into between the Agricultural Hall Company and the A. and P. 'Society, and said that the theatre and annexe* when free of debt were to be transferred by the company to the society without any consideration whatever. He blamed the members of the society in former years for their lack of foresight in not purchasing the annexes when first offered, and said Mr James Hazlett was entitled to great credit for his action in buying the annexes, in refusing to make on them the profit he could have made, and in giving them to the society for the money paid for them without charging any interest at all. " With Mr Hazlett he would couple the names of the late Messrs A. Thomson and Brydone as worthy of credit. The real reason that the Agricultural Hall was turned into a theatre was that the revenue derived previous to doing so was not sufficiently great. He had seen several letters in the press in .regard to the hall being turned into a theatre, but he would like to know what else the writers would have done under similar circumstances. — (Applause.) The motion was then put and carried unanimously. The election of officers and members of committee for the current year then took place, aJid resulted as follows: — President, Mr James Hazlett : vice-president. Mr Patriok Pattullo ; committee — Messrs James Gow (Wingatui), D. Andrew (Win.gatui). J. W. Blair (Oufcram), E. F. Dufchie (Dunedin), John Loudon (Dunedin). T. Muir (Palmerston), George MacEwan (Dunedin), T. Ritchie. (Dunedin), J. R. Scott (Dunedin), and John Tough (Milton) ; hon. treasurer, Mr W. Angus; hon. veterinary surgeons — • Messrs Gilruth, Hamilton, and Snowball; hon. auditor, Mr P. Barr. On the motion of the Chairman. Mr W. H. Taggart was elected to be an hon. life member of the society. Mr Taggart, on account of ill-health, was unable to stand for election again as a member of committee. During the time he had been a member of committee Mr Taggart had done a great deal of hard work, and his services certainly deserved to be recognised. — (Applause.) A hearty vote of thanks was passed to the judges at the winter and summer shows. The Hon. Mr Fergus in moving this expressed satisfaction with the quality of those whom they had secured to act as judges. — Mr M'Farlane acknowledged the vote. Mr Milne -(president of the North Otago A. and P. Society), being invited to speak, explained why his society had desired to have the subscriptions of its members to the Brydone memorial returned. It was with no feeling of unfriendliness to the Otago Society, which they regarded as the parent society, but rather with a strong feeling that "the memory of the late Mr Brydone might be more fittingly perpetuated in some other manner. The original scheme — to raise a bur^aiy at the Agricultural College in Canterbury — had been unanimously approved by his society. They could not conceive a more fitting way of honouring the memory of one whosework had benefited the whole c-f the farming comaiunity than by educating the. future

• generation of farmers, and making them more fit to catry on their business. It was because that project had been abandoned and another adopted that his society had so acted- A proposal they had started in Oamaru aimed at getting every farmer to devote the proceeds of one lamb out of next year's crop to the scheme. Nineteen out of 20 farmer.? would ag.ree to this, he believed, and the various companies would no doubt willingly assist in collecting the proceeds. That woulid mean an average of 15s per farmer, and if they got that there would be very little difficulty in raising- the £1000 considered necessary- He had no desire to interfere with the hall proposal which Otago had adopted, and believed both schemes could be carried out. He thanked them for the courtesy they had extended to his society. — (Applause.) ! Mr Patiwilo said, as a result of the request for subscriptions for a scholarship, they only got £540, of which his company contributed £100. In the North Is'and they collected £130, something in Otago, and very little in Canterbury. The> response being co ' small, the movement came to a standstill. Then they deoided to make the memoriala local one. He did not think they .xould have done anything? else under, the circumstances. He was sure there _was not the slightest wish that the people outside Otago shoiild help them to get' up this local m<?moria>l. — (Applau?©.') I Mi- Milne said Mr B'teyd'dne's foresight had benefitted farmers outside of Otago as well as in Otago. and he did not see that the _ 4 movement shoujd be._cpnfined to the .people ( of this psTvmce. * He ' was quite sure they would contribute "if some suitable" scheme , were brought forward. Mr MTarlane, of f the Canterbury Sdciety, had expressed himself m accord with this opinion. He believed if th« matter irefe taken up rightly it would be found that farmers would be willing to contribute m the manner he had suggested $0 form a, bursary. I Mr Fergus said it would not do to be always chopping and changing, or eke they would come to nothing. However, he saw no reason why they should not have the bursary and the memorial hall, and he was , wiHing to form one of 100 persons to give £10 each to form a Lincoln scholarship. — (Applause.) But they could not go back on subscribers who had now intimated their willingness to contribute to the hall. I The Chairman said he was sure every one of them would be glad if the North Otago Society was successful in carrying out its project. i Before the meeting closed a very hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the retiring president (Mr Gow). several of those present | testifying to the good work done by him in the past.