Merivale Horticultural Society.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5549, 22 February 1886, Page 4

Merivale Horticultural Society.

« ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of this Horticultural Society was held on Saturday evening in the Merivale schoolroom. There was a good attendance of members, and Mr H. E. Webb, the out-going President, occupied the chair. The Secretary (Mr G. J. Meadows) read the annual report of the Committee, as follows: — In presenting this report, your Committee have again cause to congratulate the members on the success achieved by the Society during the past year. A suggestion was made at the last general meeting to hold a spring show in November, in addition to the annual summer show in January. This idea was adopted, and the result was most satisfactory. Although the Society was not in a position to award money prizes, a large number of excellent exhibits were sent in which fully sustained the previous high character of the Society's exhibitions. It must also be gratifying to the members to know that the Show not only paid its own expenses, but left a small surplus to be added to the general fund. Regarding the January show the Society has every reason to be satisfied with the result, especially as the weather had not been at all favourable to the growth of fino blooms. In point of excellence, the exhibits were well up to those of last year, and in many cases the competition was very keen. The Committee were glad to notice several new names among the prize-takers, and hope to sco the number still further increased next year. The number of prize-takers was 34, viz., 8 in class A, 12 in "class B, and 14 in class C, showing a slight increase on last year. The members on the Society's books number G3. In the classes for best kept gardens your Committee regret that there were so few entries, but still those children who did compete deserve great credit for the excellent manner in which their gardens were kept. The prizes were awarded to H. Bushell and B. Selwyn, the judges reporting their gardens as of equal merit. The thanks of the Society are due to Messrs G. Gould and T. Turner, for their fine exhibits at the summer shows ; to Messrs T. Abbott, J. Joyce, and F. W. Isitt, for their special prizes ; and to Mrs Eides, for providing prizes for the children. The Committee desire to thank those gentlemen who have acted as judges during the past year ; and special thanks are due to Mi Meadows for the energetic manner in which he has discharged the duties oi Secretary. The financial statement showed that there was a balance of _£-_.• 10s lOd to the credit of the Society. The Chairman congratulated the Society on the success which had attended the attempt to establish a Horticultural Society in this district. He did not think that these small societies would injure the parent Society in Christchurch, but rathei would serve as feeders to the latter ; for when the members of the smaller Societies felt themselves up to the mark they would become exhibitors at the shows of the Christchurch Society. He was pleased to see that the young people had taken the matter up as they had, and hoped that more of them would do so. It was suggested that a number of young pot plants of equal growth should be given out to competitors in the young people's branch, with instructions how tc grow them to perfection. Then at the end of the year the young people would bring their plants to the show, and prizes would be awarded to those who had been ino..t successful in their efforts. The result of the enlargement of the scope of the Society, from a parochial to a district Society, open to members of all creeds, had been most satisfactory, but still there was room for improvement. In increasing the membership, they should remember that a cottager could grow a plant quite as successfully as a professional gardener. He had again to congratulate the Society on its success, and moved tho adoption of the report and balance-sheet. Mr Eides. seconded tho motion, which was carried. The election of officers then took place, with the following result .- — Patronesses, Mesdames H. R. Webb, T. Flavell, E. M. Garrick, Cunningham, Anstey, Gould, Aldred, Gibbs, and Hookham ; President, Mr Arthur E. G. Rhodes- vice- Presidents, Eev T. Flavell, Me^rs G. Gould, and S. Anstey ; Hon Secretary, Mr G. J. Meadows ; Hon Treasurer, Mr S. Anstey ; Committee, Messrs P-ilraer, Wakeling, Carter, If an well, Brewer, Selwyn, Pugh, aud Hookham. Votes of thanks were unanimously accorded to the outgoing officers. In illustration of the statement of the Chairman that this Society helped the Christchurch Society, he mentioned that he and others had, since they had become members of this Society, exhibited successfully at the Christchurch Shows. He advocated the distribution of pot plants for l competitive growth amongst children, and

_a_WHWW*W«WWW_--M""«M"»"i»""""~*'"^"i^»™""WMl iaid he anticipated no difficulty in obtaining sufficient plants for the purpose. After somo littlo discussion of a conversational character, the meeting terminated. At a meeting of the Committee held subsequently, many of the members promised to strike cuttings of geraniums and fuchsias for distribution amongst children who might wish to grow them in competition.