Southlaud Horticultural Society.

Southland Times, Issue 4942, 19 May 1884, Page 2

Southlaud Horticultural Society.

The annual general meeting of this Society was held on Friday evening in the Temple Chambers. There were 18 members present, and one of the vice-presi-dents, Mr J, P. Joyce, M,H,R., presided. The secretary read the annual report, which was as follows : — . In presenting the 2Jth annual report the committee have to congratulate the Society on the substantial success of its operations during the past season. Two shows were held, the first of which, although it had to contend with exceptionally unfavorable weather, gave good financial results, a sufficient surplus beiag left for. the purposes' of the second or autumn show. This one, although in point of. quality and number of exhibits, the best yet held, resulted in a small dcjficit after pacing all working, expenses. Consequently, after consideration, ii was decided to fall back upon the regulation where* by prize money may be paid pro rata ; the amount available being sufficient to pay 10s in the £. A considerable number of citizens assisted greatly by CDntributing special prizes, and to them the. committee desires to accord special i hanks, in order to promote a promising industry, iiberaLpiizes were given at both shows for exhibits of. fruit adapted for preserving, and also for preserves. The result showed that many persons are devoting their attention to these, branches of culture and industry. During the year a large part of the appliances in use required to be renewed. There is now a stock valued at £20 in good condition, and very little expenditure will be required under this head for some time to come. The secretary has been in correspondence with the Dunedih Society with a view to the exchange of iudges, and a satisfactory arrangement has been agreed upon, whereby what bas been long considered a desirable practice may be introduced. . The. balance-sheet snowed that the Society had 9a to its credit, and was liable in the amount of L 2 8s for unclaimed ; prizes. '„ ■ The report and balance-sheet were adopted. The ballotting out of six members of the committee resulted, in ; the retirement of Messrs. Shaw, Smith,' Russell, Henderson, and Whitmore. . . : The following officers were appointed: — President, Mr J;.T. Martin; vice-presidents, Mr J. P. Joyce, M.H.R., and the Rev. J. Ferguson ; treasurer, Mr John H. Kingsland ; secretary, Mr E. Wiison. The following gentlemen were elected to Gil the vacancies on the committee caused by the ballotting out of the gentlemen above named :— Messrs Shaw, Whitmore, Broad, Bullied, O'Brien, and Newman. The chairman, to shoiY what the com- 1 mittee had done to try and improve the position of the Society, read the following letter, which had been forwarded to the various horticultural societies in the colony: — Sir,— l am instructed by my committee to bring tinder your notice the following considerations relative to the welfare of this and kindred societies throughout the cojooy : — 1 . That they are admittedly beneficial institutions, that in their way they exercise an educational- lenience upon both old and young. 2,, That: hitherto, 90 far a 9 we are aware, none of them have received even recognition at the h.^nds of any Government;. 3. That repeated application.9 fop moderate subsidies have. b,:en refused," although ia different fo-ms such aid has been iriven to. agricultural societies, joqkey olubs, kc. We would therefore request your society to take the subject into consideration. The suggestion was made at our meetine the oth°r evening tfat it would be well if hortisultural societies throughout the colony, should coramun irate with the members representing . their respective districts, asking them \o holcj ■ a conference daring the coming session as to ! thp acjyisableneas of introducing a "general echewQ pi, Jan<J endowm«&ti What ttoald (

pVobably suit each locality would be one or t^&town sections upon which to build halls f6r shows and the holding of meetings, &c. TJie^nembers for this diati ict have alieady rejtpresaed approval of some such plan, and •it ia more than probable that if your society were to move in the same direction, the out* come would be to place hortif.ulturai Societies in a much sounder position than they have eyei;^beeHable to attain. : -~- Mr Wangh was of opinion that a great improvement would be effected in tbeannual shows if there Were not so 'many small prizes and more large oneß. For instance, an effort should be made to get thope who usually gave special prizes to contribute instead to the schedule prizes. Mr Scandrett moved a vote of thanks to the president and retiring officers. JTheife was no doubt the Society's operations were a benefit to the town, and therefore the officers deserved the thankd, tioitpnly of the Society, but also, of TKe' community. ■;■•..; ; ; i The Rev. Mr Ferguson seconded the motion. In doing so he suggested that the Society should not confine itself to merely holding shows. Papers might be read at such meetings as that from which amateur gardeners new to the district, and therefore unaware of what plants were best suited to the climate, might derive a great deal of useful information. In reference to the shows, the committee should endeavor to have the exhibits properly named, as at the last shew there were, for instance, a number of roses of the same kind ticketed with different names. ' ' -." ■ ' A conversational discussion ensued as to the various names given to roses and other plants of the same kind. , - The motion was carried unanimously. Mr Scandrett was appointed auditor to the Society. The meeting then closed.