TIMARU AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATION.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 11677, 10 February 1902, Page 3

TIMARU AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATION.

The monthly meeting of the committee of the Timaru Agricultural and Pastoral Association was held on Saturday afternoon. Present: Messrs C. N. Orbell (President), J. Mundell (Vice-president), D.' Grant, E. and R. Kelland, P. "Wareinc, R. Davie, H. Low-ry, G. Lyall, W. j. Bassett, R. Irving, W. Hay, D. McLaren, and T. Teschemaker. Mr A. S. El-worthy -svrote resigning his seat on the committee, as he was leaving the colony for a time. —Accepted. The President said the first business was to fix the date of the ram fair. The Christchurch ram fair was fixed for March 13th and 14th, and Ashbuiton on the 20th. —A discussion took place oil the question whether this Association should or should not regard the date fixed for the Ashburton fair. A proposal to fix a date following Ashburton produced a strong protest from Mr McLaren, who said they would get the culls from Ashburton, and they should strive to make this the principal ram fair of the district. Mr Wareing argued for a later date, as the small farmer, for lack of accommodation, does not wish to buy rams until he actually wants them. It was eventually Tesolved on the motion of Messrs Mundell and Lewry i b'ft the fair be held on Thursday, March 20th. A report of a sub-committee on a proposal to hold an autumn one-day Show and sale of horses was read. The report recommended that the proposal be carried out. about the end of April, the Show at 10 a.m.. the sale at 1 p.m. ; all horses to be on the ground at 10 a.m., haltered and led; entry fee for the Show and ' sale ss, for the sale only 2s 6d; prizes in the several classes fo be £1 and 10s. A list of classes was proposed, the prize list amounting to £39. Mr Wareing supposed other expenses would run the liabilities up to £BO or £9O ; the secretary suggested £6O at the lowest. Doubts were expressed whether the Show and sale would pay the Association. Mr Mundell thought they should encourage horse breeders, and not mind losing £lO over it. After some general discussion, Mr Bassett, a member of the sub-committee, who dissented from the report, moved and

:' Mr Lowry seconded, that the autumn I Show be not held. The President said the sub-committete did not strongly recommend it; what they had done was ; chiefly to prepare a schedule of classes, ; and suggest the prizes. Mr Hay thought ! there could be no question of the advisability of holding the Show, provided it [ would not entail much loss, but no one . was prepared to say what the loss would , be. He was in favour of making the experiment. Mr Mundell, Mr Wareing, ami Mr Lyall and others spoke in favour of the experiment. Mr McLaren suggested adding- other exhibits, of grain, seeds, etc., but this was not approved. Mr Mundell moved and Mr Kelland seconded •as an amendment that a horse sale and . Show be held on Thursday, Ist May, and the catalogue submitted be adopted. On being put the amendment was carried, by nine votes to five. It was resolved that the sub-committee who drew up the report continue to act in connection with the matter; Mr Lowry to act in place of Mr Hay and Mr Guinness to be asked to act instead of Mr Bassett, these members being unable to act. The classes proposed are:— Draughts.—(l) Filly foal; (2) yearling filly; (3) two-year filly; (4) three-year filly ; (5) mare, 4 yrs and over; (6) best mare or filly in the yard; (7) pair of mares; (8) yearling gelding; (9) two-year, do. ; (10) three-year do. ; (11) gelding 4 yrs and over; (12) pair geldings; (13) colt foal; (14) yearling colt; (15) two-year-old colt-; (16) threa-year-old do. Carriage horses—(l7) Three-year-old filly or gelding; (18) mare o,r gelding suitable for dog-cart; (19) pair of mares or geldings suitable for carriage. Hackney.-—(20) ' Three-year-old filly or gelding; (21) mare or gelding up to 11 • stone; (22) do. up to 13st; (23) do. up to 15st; (24) cob (mare or gelding) not exceeding 14.3, up to not less than 13st; (25) buggy mare or gelding to be driven ; (26) gig do.; (27) brood mare. The secretary reported that the railway expenses of the judges at the last Show totalled £9 18s. The question of offering to pay the juflges' expenses, without being asked for them, and whether railway only or all expenses, has long been a subject of discussion by the committee. It was stated that some Associations pay railway fares, sortie all expenses, some the fares and 10s a day; sind it was said that all Associations except Christchurch pay the judges' expenses, and Christchurch pays the expenses of judges from beyond the province. On the other hand it was argued that- their society could not afford to pay more than railway fares. The President said there had been complaints from judges that they had not been paid anything. The secretary stated that the invitations to persons to act as judges, said that railway fares would be paid "if required"; but they were not tendered, were left to be asked for. The President said people did not care to come begging for their money. 'Mr Hay would agree to pay all expenses if they 'adopted the single judge system. Two motions were proposed—That railway fares only be paid; and that these and also 10s per day for hotel expenses be paid, the money to be tendered on the ground. The motion for payment of railway fares only was carried by a small majority. Mr McLaren said they would be in as . bad a fix as last year, when only one manasked to act as judge came, and they had to hunt about for others to do the work.

A letter from the secretary to the Agricultural Department asking for the Association's' opinion on the Land and Live Stock Auctions Bill was referred to the general meeting of the Association.