WESTERN DISTRICT FARMERS CLUB.

Western Star, Issue 51, 31 October 1874, Page 6

WESTERN DISTRICT FARMERS CLUB.

A meeting of the above Club was held at the Schoolhouse, GumtmeVßuah, on Fnday evening the 23rd inot.; /- Mackintosh, Esq., Presiden , in the chain There was hut a small attendance of members, owing.,principally to the wet and boisterous weather prevailing on that night. After the minutes had bean read amd confinned, Mr Win. "Webb was ■admitted a member of the Club* . - The following correspondence is reference tv. the Club’s application to the Government to have the land reserved to hold their shows on Crown granted

Provincial Secretary’s Office, Dunedin, 3rd September, 1874. the information of the Western District Farmers’ Club, I am directed to forward the enclosed copy of ft letter received from his Honor the Superintendent from the Secretary of Crown Lands, under date 13th August last, from which you gather that the Government has declined to issue a Crown grant of the land set apart in ©asette No., 820,. of the 13th November,. 1872. I have, Ac.. Alex. Willis, Undersecretary. J. Gumming, Esq., M.P.C., , Secy. Western District Farmers Club. General Crown Lands Office, Wellington, Aug. 13, 1874. Sir—With reference to the letter of the 29th Ultimo add passed to you by the Secretary to tie Farmers’ Club, enclosirg a copy of a resolution of the Association relative to the issue of a Crown grant for site to hold their shows on, 1 have the honour to inform you that the land in question has been reserved in Gazette N0.820.0f Nov. 13P 1872, for the Western District Farmers Club Agricultural and Pastoral Association, bu as Government has been a 1 vised that the purpose of the reserve was of a private and not a public one. the preparation of the grant has not boon ordered., I hare, Ac>, G. Maueice O’Roeke. Hi» Honor the Superintendent of Otago, The President said he felt surprised that the Government should consider the objects for which the Association has been established to be a private and not a public one. It was therefore desirable tl at the Government should be informed that the objects of this Association are to disseminate information to the public on agricultural and pastoral matters ; that the members have no pecuniary advantage whatever over their fellow-colonists in being connected with, the Club. Talcing into consideration the immense progress agriculture hca made in New Zealand during the past few years, it in- clearly the duty of the Government to giveevery possible encouragement to Bgricultuaal societies by grants of land-, Ac. In ether colonies the agricultural societies hire been liberally supported by the Government., In Victoria, for- instance, a sum of £IO,OOO has been annually voted to subsidise members’subscriptions, in order that the societies should be in a position to offer handsome prizes for the best animals and implements. The agricultural and ’ pastoral interests were and would be the main* • stay of New Zealand for many - years to come; and notwithstanding the enormous manufacturing and commercial interests of Great Britain, yet such is the importance of her agriculture that one bad harvest has the most disastrous effect on the well-being of the whole kingdom., Mr John Gumming also spoke at some length of the importance of the agricultural interest in this district, which the Government had ignored in refusing to grant the Club the reserve, and jtrongly.deprecated the action of thoacwho.had adviced them so to do.

It was then moved by Mr Simpson, seconded by Hr Hopcroft, and carried unanimously, that the following reply he sent to hie Honor the Superintendent, after being signed by the President, Vice-President» and Secretary on behalf of fiibc Club Riverton, October, 1874. gir—Wc have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your communication of tbs 3rd Senterabor, enclosing copy of letter from the Secretary of Crown Lands intimating that the Government decline issuing a Crown grant of the land reserved for shows, &c., at Riverton, as the Govern’*benfc‘‘'has been advised that the purpose of the reserve ww of. a private and not a public one. .. 3» reply, permit us to express our regret that the Government has been misled as to the nature £ ond cliiiictori of the Werterii District Farmers’ Club as well as the purpose and objects for which the Association has been established; and as the "refusal to issue the Crown grant is based on the assertion ‘’ that the purpose of the reserve! was of a private and not a public one,” we beg respectfully to itafco for the-dnformation of the- General Government that the objects of our-Club are to t , - disseminate information to the- public generally •n‘agricultural' and pastoral' matters,' and ,thafc the members receive no, pecuniary auvantage whatever from.their connection wit h. tho A seociation farther than that participated in by the>r isllow-eolonUt* from the progress and advancejOent of agrioulturo by meana of enlightened vajw® Oi» the beat method of omdiutting; the operation of the fans. And in performing our park in educating the people in this respect! wc lay claim to. being, classed as a public institution worthy of the support of tho-Governraent equally with on Atbenasusa or oven a public school for weak? education. - i: - - - adoption cl improved appliances in carrying out agricultural, operations in the Western District hae been, greatly acccllemted by means of oar Farmer** Club, and like results, have been ~ adiiierisddsy Siddred societica hrj-other portions o I the Colony. Wo therefore respectfully submit ‘ - only -ohbidd ißuEciehfc land be granted to •grmultural societies whereon to hold shows, l&c., I--: .7 butihat tekitfg-intopoaridfira&iou the enormous progress made in agriculture in Kew Zealand :a 4 a .1*» SejHW,(a*shown .by reamt statistic*), the- period has arrived amply to justify tho Government in .-forming, a Department of Agriculture, to bo presided over by a member of

the Ministry, as in Victoria, France, and the United States of America., Trusting that you may be pleased to bring our claim before the General Government for reconsideration. We have, &c., Jas, Mackintosh, President. (On behalf of the members of the Western District Fanners’ Club.) His Honor the Superintendent of Otago. Some conversation took place in reference to sidings and crossings on the railways, when it was moved by Mr William Walker, seconded by Mr Joh i Officer, an I agreed to, “That the Secretary be instructed to invite a public meeting of the ratepayers in the Aparima Roi l District, to be held in the Court House, Riverton, on Saturday, 14th November, at 2 o’clock p.m., for the purpose of taking into, consideration the matter of sidings and crossings on the railways.” The attention of the meeting was called to a portion of laud at Groper’s Bush being a Ivertised for sale as an Educational Reserve, it being understood to be set apart for a village site. The proceedings terminated with a vote of thanks to the Chairman.,