TIMARU AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 5794, 23 March 1909, Page 4

TIMARU AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATION.

ANNUAL MEETING.

The annual meeting ojf the iTimaru Agricultural and Pastoral Association was held' in Timaru on Saturday afternoon, when the president (Mr J. S. Rutherford), occupied the chair. Thirtytwo members were present. REPORT AND ACCOUNTS,

The annual report and, balance-sheet, which have been printed and. circulated, and which have already appeared in this paper, were taken as road.

Mr Rutherford moved their adoption

In reply to Mr Cain, the secretary said that the profit made by the Association last year amounted to about £230, and the Association had spent £197 in improvements at the grounds, Mr Gain suggested that they should make an effort to pay off some more of the debentures, and in view of the fact that they were in debt, he thought £55 odd was rather much to spend ou luncheons at the last show. The president said there was a large number of visitors to >ntorr,ain, including the leader of the Opposition, and with this explanation* Mr Cain said he was quite satisfied. Mr Bassett then seconded the adoption of the report and balance sheet, a»d the motion was carried unanimously. ELECTION OF PRESIDENT.

Mr Rutherford having come to the close of his year of office as president, thanked the committee and the secretary and treasurer for the loyal way they had supported him during the year, and left the chair amid a hearty round qf applause. Mr Teschamakcr spqko in complimentary terms of tho zea, displayed by Mr Rutherford, and psoposed that the best thanks of the Assqriation be tendered him for the succestful way in which he had piloted the Association through the past year. Mr Priest seconded the motion with further eulogistic references, and it was carried with acclamation, Mr Rutherford mailing suitable acknowledgment of the cqmpliments paid him, and expressing the hope that his successor would have an equally satisfactory year. The secretary ,then took tbic chair for the election, of a new president, and on the motion of Mr J. Mcßeath, seconded by Mr W. Harper, Mv R. H. Rhodes was unanimously elelted. In thanking members for the honour they had conferred upon hint, Mr Rhodes said that he would do his best, lie would suggest that the incoming committee should pay off some of the debenture money still owing, say, £2OO worth of the smaller debentures. This would leave about £6OO still owing, and it would fall due in 1910. Supposing they paid oft £2OO as he suggeseed, they would have £3BO to come and go upon, and with a part of this, say £2OO, ho would suggest that they should tied some more horse stalls. Last year there were about 100 horse's not under cover at the show. He believed that stalls could bo erected for about £5 each. This would leave them with £ ISO. still in hand, and if they could continue to make the present profit of about £2OO a year, they would get along well enough. If they could not pay <off the remaining debentures in 1910, someone would no doubt be willing to carry them on. The show ground was mot perfect yet, but it was getting on that way now. He hoped the membership would increase, but regretted to say that it had decreased last year by about twenty. THE COMMITTEE. Tho election of ollicials resubed as follows :-Patrons : Messrs R. H. Rhodes, A. E. G. Rhodes and G. ±i. Rhodes. Vice-president : Mr W L'nest Auditor: Mr K. G. Turner, Committee of management: Messrs J. Armstrong J. Austin, F. H. Barker, W. J. Bassett, A. Bisset, W. 11. Broofthial, It. Davie, A. S. Elworthy, H. Elworthy, D. Grant, E. R. Guinness, \\. Harper, It. Irving, E. Kelland C. Lyall, H. Lowry, C. L. Orbell, K. Parry, D.Shaw, 0. S. Thomson, 1. Teschemaker, J. Withell. It was decided that the sum of £ISOO be placed at the disposal of the committeo for the ensuing year. HORSE BOXES.

Mr Withell approved of the suggesotion by the president, to erect n-ore horse boxes. He regretted that the membership had not increased uunng the past year. It should be at least SOU Tine Ashburtou Association had a membership of COO, unci some North Jslund Associations -had 1000 ■members. He suggested that each mumtfsr should pledge himself to get one new member during the Comii*g_year. He proposed as . ,to the incoming committee that additional horse boxes to the value of £2OO be -•vecUxl on the ground, and'the recommendation was endorsed by the meeting. SUGGESTIONS HE THb &ILOW. Mr P. Wareing said that women and children should b« better catered for at the show, and that seating accommodation should bo provided for them It was painful to see women with babies in arms, ami children clinging to their sk rts, loft without any place to sit down, after having come in. many of thorn, W distances from the country. He thought that a row of seats should be placed right round the o v al. . ~ Mr Cain asked what about The grunM stand. Mr Wareing said it cost au extra shilling to get there, ami the stand was largely occupied by the wives and daughters of members, whose tickets admitted them thcro. Mr Cain feared that a vow of tree seats as suggested would not bencht those whom iTr Wareing sought to benefit, as men would to a large extent monopolise the seats. Mr Mclicath endorsed Mr Waiving s proposal, and tho president said he thought it was an admirable one, nnd promised to bring it before the committee for consideration. Another suggestion by Mr Waiving w a s that a second pnze be given m the class for best jumper on the ground, and the president promised that this also would be brought under the notice of the committee for favourable consideration. Mr Cain uttered a pica for tin* restoration of farm mplemcnts at the show, and suggested that this might bo secured if the committee v ould give free grqtind space. The president said, and other mem h«TS agreed, that this would make no difference in the attitude of the implement firms, the gsound rent charged beimr morelv a nominal one. fill-: HAM FAIR.

Mr 11. Woodley raised a lone; discussion by a iolaU-'r the method of onductiiiLT the Ram Fair. He recommended (hat instead of Jlowine any ono owner to sell his rams all at one.-, thev should be split up and sold at intervals between the sale- of other sheep. At present thn order of sale Xvr.s decided by the result of a draw, and tin; owner who happen.-.! U> come out. first on tho list had a derided advantage over the man whose sheep were sold last, us towards the end of

the sale competition generally flagged and lower prices .were then obtained. It would be fairer if, instead of allowing one man to sell oO rams i.ll at the start of tho Bale, every owner was given a chance tq get some pat up early. They should have a system of spreading each man's sheep over the Fair, This practice had Letn. followed in Dumedin for some \ears past. Mr Rhodes asked what wou.d be 4pne supposing one auctioneer was given a full line qf 50 to sell, and he happened yto draw virst p'ace. Mr Woodley saidi that they i-ouid be divided into sections.

Mr Teschemaker eaid the sij f n,cftion might or might bo * i no, but he thought they shoaid lie g:\enuK.re time to consider "t, lif ore to adopt it. It was not a change that should be made in a hurr.ed manner and in the circumstances he would vote against it. Mr D. Grant said ihat unless a limit was put upon the number of rams an auctioneer could :-.cll at one time, it was possible that Mr Woodley's suggestion' would not alter thj present state of things, us an auctioneer who had a line of say 50 rams, and who drew first place, would go straight through with the selling of them. Ho would not split them up into sections unless compelled to do so.

The secretary explained that at present tho whole thing was decided by ballot. The entries were sent to him through the various auctioneers and sometimes direct from tho owners, When the entries were closed he called three or four of the auctioneers to his office and the pens were ballotted for. They first drew to decide the order in which the different breeds of sheep would be sold, and having fixed the order; of sale so far as the breed of slice]) was concerned, they put the ! names of the sellers in the hat, and according to the order in which the names were drawn out, the sheep were sold by the different auctioneers.

Mr Woodley agreed to amend his psoposal so as to. limit the numfoers of sheep that could be sold straight off by uny one auctioneer,. to 25..

After a little further discussion Mr Woodley'a proposal was put and lost, five voting for it, and nine again it it. Thc meeting then closed.