CHAMPION PLOUGHING MATCH.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 87, 24 August 1868, Page 2

CHAMPION PLOUGHING MATCH.

» A meeting of the managing committee W(Vt held at the White Hart hotel at two p.m. on Saturday lost, for the purpose of paying prizes and winding up all matters in connection with the match. Mr F. Marchant occupied the chair, and the other gentlemen present wero J. , Keetley, H, Brnnadon, G. Edwards, J. Anderson and 1), Graham. The secretory nnid there was sufilolont money in hind to pay tho prizes, and the incidental expense* would be amply covered by the st»b.-H;rip-tiona remaining utKollected, Che«j«M for the respective umomih of tho prizes were then drawn out, mid tho winners being in attendance the chairman presented them, Tho gold medal for J. Pannett, winner of the championship, not Ih-ing completed, ho was informed that it could bo obtained from Mr Coates, the manufacturer, on Wednesday next. Th« inscription to l>e engraved upon it was arranged, and it was also agreed, on the suggestion of the secretary, that n l>ook should bo procured, nnd full deMU of thokte mulch, together with nil records of the cornmlttcc entered therein, in order that the pro> motors of the next contest might have data to work upon. The desirnbilityof establishing tho champion ploughing match iw» a permanent institution in thy province boing unaniniou.sly assented to, and also the necessity of tho preliminary nrrangcment.l being commenced earlier in the season, it wiis decided that a meeting of the committee should bo held on the first Saturday in June, 1860, for the purpose of drawing up a programme for that year. Tho healths of tho prize winners were proposed by the chairman and duly honoured, the champion replying, and expressing the general satisfaction of himself and co-rccipienU wUh arrangement* made by the committee for the match. Mr Keotloy complained that the pnblished rules had not been adhered to in awarding the prizes. Many of the competitors had ploughed tlu>ir land to fluit themselves or their plough, to tho consequent infringement of the rules, whilst others Imd .striven to adhere to the rule* to tho injury of their ploughing, nnd yet had been entirely passed over, He nlso complained of the mode of allotting the stations as represented to him by some of the competitors. A lengthened dUcu&ion ensued, during which Mr Anderson explained that a copy of the rules had been given to each of the judges, who must therefore have decided according to their provisions, and that no blame could possibly rest with any of the committee. Mr Brunsden also pointed out that the men had drawn the number of their stations by lot in tho order in which they liad entered for the competition, nnd the matter was then allowed to drop. Mr Anderson pointed out ft fault in laying out the land by which tho two ends were not parallel, nnd necessitated the men working at an angle of 80 deg. instead of at a right angle with the starting line, He called attention to it in order that ft similar mistake might not occur at a future meeting. A cordial vote of thanks was passed to Mr Brunsden, the hon. secretary for the great trouble he had taken in arranging tho meeting, nnd an honorarium of £5 was voted in recognition of his services. Mr Brunsden acknowledged the vote of thanks, but declined to accept the honorarium. The meeting then adjourned.