W. D. A. AND P. ASSOCIATION'S GRAIN SHOW DINNER.

Western Star, Issue 354, 2 June 1880, Page 2

W. D. A. AND P. ASSOCIATION'S GRAIN SHOW DINNER.

On account of the length and late hour at which the proceedings terminated at the grain show dinner on Friday evening last, we were unable to give a full report of the same in our Saturday's issue. We now proceed to do so. Thirty gentlemen sat down to a most sumptuous repast in the Grout Western Hotel. Tim dining room was very tastefully decorated with evergreens, &c, while tho tables were well supplied with every delicacy, liquid an I solid. Mr J. M'lntyre, President of W. D. A. and P. Association, ably fille I the chair, an 1 tha Vice Presidant, Mr W. Hoporoft, officiated as croupier. On removal of the cloth,

The Chairman gave-the visual loyal toasts, which were patriotically responded to.

The " Paiiintm-nb of Jfow Zealand" was also given by the Chairman, a:id he intimated that, a telegram ha 1 that after mon been received from Mr M'C.-iuglmn, tho lnombor for the district, sitting lie was on the eve of doparting for Wellington and regretted in consequence not bring able to be present a' the dinner, also that he ha I forwarded a special prize in coni.e-iion with the show. (Oiie.Ts). Song—Mr Hamilton. Mr Jas. Hold, M-ivor of lliverton, then proposed the toast of the evening, " Success to the Western District Agricultural and Pastoral ..\s-oci it ion." The toast had ben confided to him only a few minutes ago, au.l in consequence he was una'de to do that justice to it which its importance demanded. L'hey were all aware of the groifc advantages of such associations in providing information upon subjects connected with tho industries from which tho Society took its name, and in consequence the Society should receive tho oncouragsmeno and support of all interested in the prosperity of the district. It was now, he thought, twelve years since the Society was started, and he took credit to himself for being its founder. About that time he invited a meeting of the settlers at Guinmio's Bush, and after 3ome little trouble, and with tho assistance of one who had now gone to his long home—Mr John Cumining-r-he was at last successful, and the club was formed. For the first four cr five years the club per-

formed its functions Vivll, but later on t!ie farmers did not take that interest in tho Association that ought to have done, an.l left tho management of its affairs to the residents of the town, without whose assistance it would probably hive collapsed. It was the duty of farmers to support the Association. li' they could meet at intervals and exchange ideas on t.lie various sub], el § in which they were intereste I, beneficed results would follow. A 3 a political body the Association should have great influence, an 1 he a 1 vised them tomeet together and arrive at, a decision on political matters, when if they acted with unity they could bring pressure to bear when occasion demanded. A grain show was a most usefbl institution, fanners there saw what their neighbors could do, and each was thereby stimulated to produce the best he could, deferring to ploughing matches, Mr Reid said they tended to improve the mode of husbandry. Like the grain show, however, that annual event did uot receive the support row the farming community which it. was entitled to, but with the extension of the railways an improvement should result. Tike prosperity of Khvrton had always greatly depended upon the farming industry. The people of that town had long been expecting prosperity from the Long wood ; he had no doubt it would come, but hitherto and in the meantime the business people of Riverton. were dependent greatly upon the fanning community for support. Ho regretted the low price at present ruling for oats, which could not pay to produce, and he hoped that a more profitable outlet would be found for that crop. There was one-matter that had often struck him that this colony could profitably engagein—the growth of beetroot. Largesinnsof money were sent out if the countiy to Mauritius aad Victoria for sugar, while we hadj a soil capable of supplying beet from which sugar coul I be mude. After expressing a hope I hat a cattle show would soon be held under the auspices of the Association, the speaker resumed his seat on proposing, pr>sperity to the Western District Agricultural and Pastoral Association, eouplcd tvith the name of Mr M'lntvre, President. Song.—Air LaiJlaw.

The Oiuiirm.ii. responded, and concurred in rauny fdinxrks made by tin? p oposer ">f the toast. Although the show thai, day had boon ah improvement upo» those offuririer years, it wa not commensurate «vith the progress of the district. Considering that there were over it) in,lea of good gravelled road iind nearly that length of railway, thore oug.it to have been a mujli larger number of exhibits. lie agreed that tile farmers did not show that degree' of interest in the affairs of the Association which they ought to do, and it appeared that neither g>;o 1 roads nor railways would hid use them to- do so. With the exception of one-, ihe whole of Iho exhibitors resided within eisjht miles of the town, and the whole of the country round by Otautau, Limestone Elains, and as lae as Wr»y's Bush was unrepresented by a single exhibitor. Intelligent people before ongraliitg to a country usually enquired inio tne statistics of thai, country, consequently if there had beer, 409 instead of 209 exhibits that clay, the district would have appeare.l to inucll greater a 1 vantage. If the f*rniers chose to ex-ri themselves a little, the number of exhibits would have been doubled, and thai, would bono more than u)i"ht be expected fro n suci a fertile district as this Ho hoped that next year the Smow would be a greatersuccess, and that those who were visitors this year would be exhibitors next j ear. Bong —Mr Haybittle.

Mr Woodward propose 1 " The Successful Competitors," coupled with the names of Messrs Hamilton, Hazlett, and Hoperof . After expressing himself well pleased with that day's show an I the class of exhibits, Mr Woodward turned t'i Mr W, IC. Haziett, presented him with the silver c.p given by Messrs Wliit'ingham Bros, and luftone as a special prize to the h'ghost aggregate money prizetaker at the show. In doing so, lie said: " Mr Ifazlett. it has fallen to mv lot. to present you with tliis prize. lam sure you will value it, Imviug done your oest to Win it, and I lt'»pe it. wll be an incentive to others " (Oncers.) S<>ii)!—Mr Vaughan. Mr Hazlett briefly returned thank". He was taken by surprise at winning the cup, although he intended trying for it. He thought he to carry away th i cup ti at Mr Hazl t ha I shown feliatday that he couldgrowgrainand knew li >vv to div*s it too, but wo douot oth • s in the district could do so as well as himself. Mr Hamilton also replied ami after a few humorous remarks he said exhibitors should go to a grain show in a diff rant spirit than many evinced on such occasious. He had heard some people say they would not go the length of Riverton for a prize, and others attached great importance to the money accruing from the prizes, overlooking altogether the advantages gained by exhibiting produce at a show. He would feel it a greater honor to carry away the cup that Mr Hazlett had got than all the money prizes, and ho never went to a show for the sake of what he could oarry away.

Mr Hopcroft responded, and was surprised at having taken so in my prizes. He proposed " The Unsuccessful Competitors." Mr Haybit.tlo responded. Mr Hopr'roft pi'op)sed " The Ju Iges," and in doing so complimented tliom on the satisfaction which tlieir work gave. Song—Mr Haybittle.

Mr Gilkinson respjndod, and said ho had pleasure in testifying to the excellence of the exhibits in grain, the wheat and barley were perhaps not up to the mark, but the oat.a were certainly hard to beat. He advised the farmers to pay more attention to the quality of tliis grain than the quantity, an. 4 see that it was better drtssed. Oats should be better sized, as anyone acquainted with the working of a mill knew that if the stones were set for large oats they did not crush tho small ones sufficiently, and if .hey were set for s.nail oats the large ones wero too severely crushed. Song—Mr Myers. Mr W. A. Lyon then proposed " The Mercantile Interest," an 1 in doing so he referred to tho remark made by the Chairman that there were no exhibitors I his year from his part of tho district—Limostone Plains ana Wairr.atitku Flat. This he attributed to the very bad condition of the roads, rendering >t almost impossible for settlors there to bring exhibits to liiverton in time for the show that day. He had presided at a meeting at Wnimatuku the previous evening, at which the settlers had expressed their willingness to put their hand into their pocket for the purpose of providing a tramway through thai district, and ho called upon those present at tho dinner to aid those who haf aided them to get railway communication; they would then find the show to bj <m< oi the finest in N.:vv Z alaud. Referring to the subject of the toast, he would couple it wh h the name of Mr S. G-. lustoue, the representative of Messrs Whittingham Bros and Instone. He haj always foua I that firm foremost in assisting at the show-. He knew wlier-! the power camo from, and that were it not for the nunchants of the town the show Would bo a poo;- affair. Song Mr—Woodward.

Mr S s G-. lustoue vojlied, and s.iid there was a dose affinity between the commercial an I t,h 9 agricultural interest, and when the one iiulasl ry experienced depression itjre-aclod upon the ofciier. H» regretted the low price ruiing for oats during tl/e past twelvemonth, and contrasted whit the condition of the district would have been had oats been worth 2s or 3s per bushel. The firm that he represented had always taken a d.op interest in the advancement of the district, and woul I continue to do so. He was glad to see that the cup hai boon taken by an old settler. With regard to_ the ploughing match, he mentioned that it was the intention of his firm to present a similar cup for competition at the next match. (Cheers). These cups had been imported specially with a view to encourage emulation. Ho was pleased at the manner in which they had boon received. He had great confidence in the futuro of the district, and had seen it emerge from from worse periods oE depression than that from which it was now suffering. As roads and railways progressed, lie could safely predict a great future for the Western district.

Song—Air Vaiuihan. Air Hamilton proposed " The Education Interest" in a few appropriate remarks, in the course of which he made pointed reference to the necessity for the establishment of a school of agriculture* Air Webber suitably responded.

Song—Air Instoue. Air T. Sutton proposed "Kindrei Associations of Now Zealan t." He considered the residents of the district would stand in their own light it* they did not make its advantage* known. The district had only been recently opened up by railways, and the settlers had njt had t>me to show the improvements thot would ultimately be nude. The district hal recently held its own. notwithstanding the dull times. He looked upou turnips as being the back bone of the country, because if they ran the land out they could bring it into condition again through this agency. "The Banking Interest" was next proposed by Air Jas. Kjid r and responded U> by A£r J. W jo 1 ward.

Mr W. Walker proposed " The Working Committee of the Grain Show," coupled with the name of the Secretary, Air Murchie, who responded, and stated that he hal great pleasure in bjing Secretary to the present Committee, the members of whic.i were all energetic in advancing the interests of the Association.

"The Strangers" was propose! by Air Hazlett and responded to by Mr Gilkinson. • The cup- woiv by Air Hazlett was then filled with champagne and passed round, each drinking the winner's health. " The Ladies," " The Chairman," " TheBand," " The Doom's of the Cup," " The P'-ess," and "The Host and Hostess," were duly honored, after which the proceedings, terminated with the company singing "Attld Lang Suie."