AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2738, 5 September 1906, Page 21

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Replying to a vote of thanks at NewPlymouth on Thursday evening Mr Gilruth chiefly confined his remarks to the aims of A. and P. Societies. Formerly, he said, too much attention was given to the show, and when the show was over the society was practically dead for the rest of the year. That was not the correct way. The society should be alive for the whole year ; and to do that members should meet and discuss matters. If the department issued a leaflet, let them come together and discuss that — let them pull it to pieces. The department was always glad to know the opinions of anybody ; and valuable hints might come from the most unexpected quarters. In this country people seemed too prone to talk about politics; but politics were not of much U6e, and it struck the speaker that farmers would do better to meet and discuss ways and means of increasing their prosperity.

North Canterbury is rapidly assuming a springtime appearance, the warm weather of the past week having effected a noticeable change. A considerable area of land is being prepared for potatoes, in spite of the blijrht. Flock-owners, ±00, are expecting a good season, the mild, winter favouring a heavy wool clip. of the Christchuroh Exhibition proposes in regard- to awards for the district court displays that the first prize shall be 60gs, second 30gs, und third 10gq, The suggestion is that the prizes be awarded to the best and most attractive, display of agricultural and pastoral products and other resources of the district representations of New Zealand and exhibited in one of the district courts within the Exhibition. It i« suggested that the «xaot date on which these competitions will be judged should be as late as possible, in order to enable all courts to include in their representations the produce and fruit of the 1907 season. This date is not yet definitely fixed, but it will probably be some day during the third week in March.