AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATION.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 3278, 30 March 1885, Page 3

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATION.

The nineteenth annual general meeting of the Timaru Agricultural and Pastoral Association was held at their offices, Maclean and Stewart's Buildings, on Saturday afternoon. There were twenty-five members of the Association present, and Mr D. McLaren, "Viee-Presidenfc, occupied tho chair. Before proceeding to business the Chairman said the President (Mr R. H. Rhodes) had specially requested him to apologise to the meeting for non-attendance. Mr Rhodes had, as most of those present were aware, but recently gone for a trip to England, and he (tho Chairman) felt satisfied that all would wish him a most enjoyable trip and be pleased to see him back again among them at a future date. Mr Rhodes, as they all knew, had rendered the Association great assistance m many ways. After Mr E. Elworthy had apologised for the absence of Mr A. W. Wright, Mr F. W. Stubbs, tho Clerk, read the minutes of last 1 annual meeting, after which he read the following report : — " Your Committee havo pleasure m handing you this their nineteenth annual report, by which you will see that the Association have not improved their position as was anticipated. " The annual horse parade undor the auspices of the Association was held on the last Saturday m September, and was specially marked by the small number of entries (thirteen), the lowest number there has been for years. The day also proved very iinfaTorable, heavy rain having set m during the morning, making it impossible to go to the grounds. The horses were, therefore, paraded along the Main street as far as the Market Reserve and back, and of course the parade resulted m a loss to the Association m the cost of printing and advertising. " You will observe that tho Association have held a fairly satisfactory show, but unfortunately they have not improved their financial position. You are doubtless aware that the Working Committee last year, m order if possible to improve the Association's prospects, undertook the canvassing of the district, with a view of improving the prize list and obtaining new members, and also to secure more entries, revised the entry fees, making reductions, more particularly m the sheep and cattle classes, reducing them from 7s 6d to ss. This alone has reduced the entry fees by about £50. There were also slight reductions m minor classes. The Committee, therefore, were only fairly successful m their efforts. " It is pleasing to state that tho entries were m excess of the previous year by 287, but they should certainly have been greater with tho* liberal prizes offered, and for which, as you will Bee by the balance sheet, £575 was paid. " A new class was this year introduced m merino sheep, Class C, strong combing, and as was seen, took a prominent place, being represented by 81 entries. This class of sheep has for years past competed with other merino classes, but the judges always expressed an opinion that they should form a class by themselves, and were therefore always overlooked as being of a different type, and could not be classed with the merino proper. Should this class be continued, there is no doubt but that it always will be well represented. " The Show on the whole, without going into detail on the separate merits of the exhibits was, as far as quality goes, quite equal to that of former years ; yet it must be our study to continue improving our stock, so that the district can hold its own with the yearly increasing competition, especially m breeding stock for the now permanently established frozen meat trade, which will no doubt bo one of our greatest sources of revenue m the future. We may also mention the manufacture of cheese, as our local article now has a ready sale m the various markets. We trust to see our future Shows rise to the high position that they should m such a district as ours, which we may safely say is second to none m New Zealand. " Wo have now 240 names on the members' list, but notwithstanding the efforts of the Committee, wo regret to say that the position of the Association financially has not been improved, but further indebtedness has crept upon us ; owing partly to further necessary improvements which had to bo made on the grounds at a cost of £84, which will not recur again, also a falling off m tho sale of privileges, all of which will be seen by tho balance sheet. " The thanks of the Committee are especially due to those gentlemen who came forward and assisted the Association so liberally with subscriptions to the prize fund, also those gentlemen who so kindly gavo special prizes, viz., tho President and Mr J. Ballantyne. "Your Committee also desire to record their thanks to those gentlemen, some of whom came from a long distance to act as judges m the various classes. To the Ground Committee, Class Stewards, and also to those few members on whom fell the burden of the work m connection with the Show ; to Messrs Maclean and Stewart for their kindness m selling tho privileges free of cost, and to the auditor, Mr Jas. Granger. " We would again urge upon the members of the Association the necessity for making a personal canvass for new members." The balance-sbeetshowed as receipts — entries to show, £188 16s ; members subscriptions, £260 12s 6d ; donations to prizo fund, £192 10s 6d ; and that the privileges realised £257 15s lOd, tho total receipts being £989 19s lOd. The chief amounts expended by the Association were— For prizes, £574 19s : printing and advertising, £120 12s 5d j improvements to grounds, £84 ; rent and rates, £74 4s sd. The Bank overdraft was set down as £589. The Chairman said last year they had given £574 19s away m prize money, and only £172 4s 6d m 1883. The excess of prize money partly accounted for their debts being larger this year, but on the other hand, a special prize fund had been inaugurated for tho late Show, and to this fund had been contributed £260. The Committee had been rather disappointed after making such praiseworthy efforts to find that the number of entries did not come up to their expectations, but still the Association might congratulate itself that the entries of last Show were 287 orer those of 1883. Mr Elworthy then stated the reason why the prize fund was altered. He said the Association finding that pieces of paper were not sufficient for exhibitors, determined to give them something more substantial and thoref ore decided that the awards should all bo very much greater. The result of this step had proved unfortunate, for they now found themselves landed m almost' financial difficulties ; a supreme effort had been made to wipe off tho Bank ovqrc]raft witfy tfye result j,Kat they 'gtooci with a tnore serious deficit than lieforp. At a Committeo meeting that morning their position had been cavofully gone into, with tho result that tho Committee recommended that a certain course be taken. The Messrs Rhodes had mado a certain offer to relieve them, but for his part he feared that such a change would not help them at all. A member of the Committee (M.r Moody) had suggested that the m,oat. likely solution to the diffioutyy would bo to shift their show ground to say tho racecourse. Tho trustees of this reserve would be able to tell them whother thoy could have this ground at a nominal rental for a few years so tha^ th,e Association might recover itself, Tho racecourse was a site that offered many advantages to tho public and to exhibitors. Being connected with the railway stock could be removed far move easily than was the case with the present gvoundg. In fact, taken nltogpther, the site would prove most advantageous. Tho Chairman said it would be better to take ordinary business first, and accordingly moved the adoption of tho report and balance sheet. This was aecondod by Mr John Tolbot ami carried. Mr McLaren then vacated tho chair, and M* Thomas Teschemaker was elected. \a preside. Mv Eljvorthy moved that Mr D. McLaren be> President for the forthcoming year. Judging by flio active services Mr McLaren had rendered, to the Society, and his well

known ability to conduct matters of general ' business, Mr Elworthy said ho was sure they could not possibly have a better man than Mr McLaren m the position of President. Mr Moody seconded the motion, which was carried amidst applause. Mr McLaren, on resuming the chair, said he felt the compliment they had paid him very much indeed. Ho would do his level best to assist the Association out of its present difficulties. Mr John Talbot then proposed Mr William Moody as Vice-President. He felt equally certain that all would agree with him that Mr Moody had taken the greatest interest m the Association for a long time. Mr H. Ford seconded Mr Talbot's nomination, which was put and carried most unanimously. Mr Moody briefly returned thanks, saying he would do the' beßt he could for the Association. Mr Robert Stewart was then elected Treasurer, Mr F. W. Stubbs Secretary, and the following gentlemen a Committee of Management: — Messrs G. Talbot, William Balfour, K. F; Gray, E. Kelland, A. Cox, R. Davie, E. Elworthy, H. Ford, A. Grant, Jos. Page, A. M. Clark, Wm. Hay, Alex. Macpherson, Robt. Mackay, J. Goldie, C. N. Orbell, A. C. Pringle, H. LeCren, J. S. Rutherford, Wm. Stevenson, Thos. Tesehemaker, Jno. Talbot, G. Rhodes and Alex. Wyllie. Some discussion then ensued on the Committee's recommendation mentioned above, and the Messrs Rhodes' offer, after which it was decided to postpone the matter for 14 days. The general meeting then terminated, and at a Committee meeting held afterwards a Sub-Committee was appointed to deal with tho whole financial position of the Association, and to draw up a report and submit it to a meeting fourteen days' hence (Saturday, the 11th April). The proceedings then terminated.