Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5269, 28 May 1895, Page 3

Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association.

I THIS DAT. j A special general meeting of members . of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Aesociation was held ia the rooms or' the Caledonian Society at 2 p.m. to-day. Mr E. J. Staveley (the president) occupied the chair, and there were about forty memb-!?3 ' present. j Several apologies were received for nonattendance. Mr W. Boag wrote approving of the proposal to erect a grand stand, but : suggesting that one should be provided to accommodate twice as many persons as was proposed by the committee. The Chairman referred to the objects of the meeting, and said that the committee had gone carefully into the matter, and now submitt.d plana for a grand stand and luncheon booth, which would cost about .£_p_o. The report of the sub-committee was to the effect that it was not advisable to erect a grand et.nd and luocheon booth in one building, as the site suitable for one would not be suitable for the other. It was pointed out that ft much larger revenue would be received from a permanent luncheon booth than for the present temporary one. It was proposed to pay" for the building out of the ordinary funds of the- Association, or out of debentures taken up by members of the Association bearing interest at 6 per cent per annum. The committee had reason to believe that if the Association was unwilling to provide the funds the work would be undertaken by private enterprise. He moved the adoption of the committee's report. Mr H. P. Murray-Aynßley seconded the motion.

Mr C. J. Wilson moved as an amendment, that the grand-stand and luncheon booth should be contained in one building. He thought a suitable structure could be erected for .£I6OO that would hold 1600 on the stand, and accommodate 950 in the luncheon both. As for financing, he thought that -JlO debentures would be readily taken up without interest for the first three years. Mr G. 8. Fleming seconded the amendment, but thought they could do with a less elaborate . building,: which he could erect for about Sir. John Hall hoped the Association would pause before adopting the amendment. The committee -had gone into the question carefully, and had taken the opinion of a well-known architect who knew their requirements. It had been the object of the committee to get as much accommodation for as little money as possible, but it had come to the conclusion for various reasons that it was not advisable to have the luncheon booth under the stand. With regard to the suggestions for a larger stand, he was afraid that if they proposed 'too large an expenditure now, the soheme would share the same fate as the proposition had done on previous occasions. Hie experience led him to think that the proposed atand would be large enough for | present requirements, and it could ! always be added to if more accommoi dation were wanted. The more experienced I members of the committee knew how difficult it had been to extricate the Association from debt in the past, and they were of opinion that it would not be wise to run deeper into debt than was required. Mr R. M. M'Donald Baid he had had some experience in stands, and he had drawn plans for one which would seat 1600 personß at a cost of .£BOO, and to thia he had added some .£2OO for extras. This was not merely en eati— I_ te. It waa — tender. The man was prepared to go on with it at once at that price. If the stand were built as he proposed, a much less price could be charged for seats, and better results would ensue. He had great faith in the proposal to erect a stand, and he thought that if the committee conld not Bee its way to adopt his . proposal, a private company could be formed to erect a stand and run it for two years. Mr G. Gould supported Mr M'Donald's proposals, He thought the objections to the two buildings being in one had been quite disposed of. Another objection to their being separate was the amount of room that would be lost in the show ground. Mr. C. Lewis thought the stand was of more importance than the luncheon booth. It had been stated tbat the noise from people moving about on the stand would prevent the speaking at the luncheon being heard. From his point of view that would not be a disadvantage. ,He thought the time was coming when the luncheon would be a lobb important feature of the show. Mr Gould thought the plan of Mr M'Donald gave a building of a much better shape. Mr J. Grige* thought the committee must conf esß, after the information it had got that day, that its report had been drawn up on insufficient information. He would suggest referring the matter back to the committee, for it to consider the question of erecting a Btand and luncheon booth combined. When. Mr M'Donald's planß showed that the work could be done 1 at about 4s 6d per seat, and the com--1 mittee's plans showed 16s 8d per seat, the 1 matter should be still further gone into. He moved in thiß direction. Mr R. H* Ehodeß suggested that competitive deßignß should be called for. ; * Mr Overton, a member of the committee, said they would be happy, after the infor- * mation they had received that day, to I again go into the matter. Dr Livinge euggeated that Mr M'Donald fc and other experts should be added to the l committee. 3 Mr Fleming suggested th at the luncheon X on the Show Groundß should be done away with,, and that an annual dinner should be held in the evening in town. i It was ultimately decided to refer the r matter back to the committee with inß.ruci j tions to call for competitive designs for a * grand-stand and luncheon booth, and to I report to a future meeting. _ The meeting then proceeded to connrm c several alterations in the by-laws made at 8 the annual meeting. fc MeßsraK. B. Ferguson, P. Henley, X, i. Galloway and W. Gray wero elected ,j I members of the ABBocia,tiQß, and the j>_ .*» a I ceedings closed.