TIMARU PASTORAL ASSOCIATION.

Timaru Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 1660, 14 January 1895, Page 3

TIMARU PASTORAL ASSOCIATION.

A meeting of the committee of the Timaru Agricultural and Pastoral Association was held on Saturday at the Levels County Council office. Present — Mr A. Pringle (president), Messrs King, McLaren, R. and E. Kelland, Smith, Pany, Hay, and John Rutherford. A letter was read from Mr John Murray, regretting that he could not see his way to withdraw his resignation as vice president. The resignation was, on the motion of Mr McLaren, accepted with veiy much regret. A long letter was read from Mr W. Deßenzy, relating to the awards m four of the horse classes. Mr Deßenzy reckoned that his prizes should have totalled £4, whereas by the regulations he had only been awarded £2. The cause of this, he supposed, was because he was the only exhibitor m certain of the classes. He failed to see the justice of this, and he thought that exhibitors should not be made to suffer by the default of others ; that the Association should pay amounts of prizes m full as was done at Christchurch. He thought that the regulation would cause a great deal of dissatisfaction, and prove most prejudicial to the best interests of the Association. In conclusion he handed m his resignation as a member and added that so long as the regulation remained m force he would not exhibit. Mr McLaren said that m face of such a regulation re half the prize money, the committee could do nothing. In reply to questions the secretary said that to give prizes m full m all cases would make a difference of about £50 to the Association. The chairman agreed with Mr McLaren that they could not alter the rules now, but thought that the meeting might re- j commend to the annual meeting that the rule should be altered. It was accordingly agreed that Mr Deßenzy's letter be duly acknowledged, and that the matter be brought up at the annual meeting, the secretary m the meantime to compile a statement showing the difference that would be made m the amount of prize moneys. Correspondence relating to the Stum-bles-Small protest, which arose over the award m the draught stallion class, and which was before the committee a few weeks ago, was read m full, including two letters from the Ashburton Association. After discussing the whole matter Mr King moved, Mr Rutherford seconded, and it was carried unanimously — " That the evidence laid before this committee m Stumbles' protest against Johu Small's entry is not sufficiently conclusive to enable the committee to decide the matter m dispute, consequently they have resolved to withhold the prizes, and that the parties interested be informed of this decision." Mr McLaren said that some time ago he had given notice of motion re holding a ram fair. He thought that this matter was of importance to sheepmen m this district and that the Association should do all m its power to encourage the holding of a ram fair. He would therefore move—" That a ram fair be held on a date to be named, on the Association's grounds, and that each member of the committee be requested to use his individual influence to induce breeders of purebred sheep to support the Association m their effort to establish an annual ram fair." The motion was seconded by Mr E. Kelland and earned. The chairman suggested that they should fix on or about the time that the fair he held. As a further motion, therefore, Mr F. H. Smith moved, and Mr R. Parry seconded:— " That a committee be set up to fix a date to hold the ram fair on the Association's grounds, and that they be also empowered to make all other necessary arrangements to successfully cany out the object m view ; the committee to be Messrs Pringle, Hay, Smith, E. Kelland, Pany, McLaren, and Lyall ; the fee not to exceed 3d per head." The motion was carried, and accounts amounting to £45 18s Bd, having beer passed for payment, the meeting closed