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1897 28th Year of the Ellesmere Agricultural & Pastoral Association
Description
Title1897 28th Year of the Ellesmere Agricultural & Pastoral Association 
DescriptionThe AGM report gloated on the success of the 1896 show.
As predicted from the show exhibits, stock from Ellesmere district took most honours at the metropolitan show as well as a good share of Champion prizes.
Ellesmere was the first A&P Association to admit lady members and the report was hopeful that even more ladies would apply.
For years it has been said that poultry section should be abandoned but is on the increase it is necessary to follow other societies and spend money to provide coops to exhibit birds in.
Money also had to be spent to provide 22 new bullock pens and a double row of sheep pens.
Fortunately the much-needed new pig pens were a gift from Mr G.E. Rhodes and were judged to be the best in Australasia.
The report suggested that there was a need to foster more sideshow shows.
In the past the sale of privileges exceeded the costs of the luncheon for the Committee etc but this was no longer true, and it was felt that the Association would need to consider this in future.
The railways had refused to erect a landing platform.
The report noted that thanks should be given to the Department of Agriculture which had found valuable discoveries and remedies notably tuberculosis in cattle, pneumonia in horses, anthrax in sheep, fever in swine, Hessian fly in grain, grubs in grass and grain, as well as insect pests in orchards.
[1897-05-17 p1 CHP, 1897-06-02 p2 EG, 1897-06-02 p2 LT, 1897-06-02 p3 TS, 1897-06-02 p4 TS, 1897-06-16 p3 CHP, 1897-06-16 p6 LT]
The fully attended July Committee meeting recommended further improvement of the grounds including a stand for light horses under trees, levelling ground, more space for exercising light horses, circular pen for judging cattle in the centre of cattle yards, erect post and barb wire fence in place of dead gorse at the entrance to the show grounds.
Several new classes of exhibits were added together with a special prize for 2-horse gorse cutter at £4 4s [1897-07-28 p3 CHP, 1897-07-28 p6 LT]
The rights to a Publican’s booth and luncheon and refreshment booths plus selling fruit, right of sports and games and a brass band with more than 12 instruments were advertised in September. [1897-09-04 p2 EG, 1897-09-04 p10 CHP] and the committee meeting in the same month confirmed successful applicants. These were Publican's booth, Mr T. Kelly (B. Kiley) Southbridge Hotel; brass band, Canterbury Engineers; No 1 Refreshemnt booth Mr J. Buggey, Christchurch; No 2 refreshment booth, Mr J. Buggey; selling fruit, Mr W. Edwards, Sydenham (Mr Harvey); right of sports Mr N. Colombus.
It was decided by unanimous vote that a ladies' cloak room and retiring room would be erected.
It was also decided to ban any gambling or games of chance from the 1897 show. [1897-09-15 p2 LT, 1897-09-16 p3 CHP]
Advertisements of the closing date for entries, and railway time table followed in October [1897-10-04 p1 CHP, 1897-10-04 p2 TS, 1897-10-13 p8 CHP, 1897-10-19 p1 LT]
A&P Show report
28th Show Thursday October 21st 1897
From the entries received it appeared that the show was going to be even more successful than 1896, [1897-10-19 p5 LT] and this proved true when entries totalled 853 and 300-500 more patrons entered through the gates than the previous record.
The day was extremely pleasant until the afternoon was well advanced when a few drops of rain did not affect attendance.
The Christchurch train was unusually well filled but took nearly 2½ hours to cover 26 miles (17 kph).
Engineers band supplied good music and there were a large number of side-shows to amuse public.
There was in addition to large entries, a marked improvement generally in the sheep, cattle and draught horse classes but number and quality of light horses was down and there was little competition in pigs.
In other departments entries were equal to other year’s, dairy produce being especially good, although interest was not as great as before the creameries.
The problem of people sampling the prize cheeses, home-made wines and other luxuries had still not been solved.
The show of cattle was an improvement both in numbers and quality.
Fat cattle were excellent.
Light horses showed a considerable falling off but there was an increased interest in draught horses.
Pig exhibits were down.
The dairy produce was exceptionally good quantity.
There was keen competition and bread and other farm exhibits.
Grain, roots, dogs and poultry were well represented and there was an excellent show of implements and local manufacturers. [1897-10-22 p2 CHP, 1897-10-22 p2 LT]
In the weight guessing competitions, the guesses may have been more accurate than the scales. Fat bullock actual weight 712lb, winning guess 711lb 1st & 710lb 2nd.
Fat sheep pen of 5 actual weight 306lb, guess 307lb. [1897-10-23 p5 LT]
In the milking competition, a shorthorn cow of Arthur Chamberlain, Brookside, gave 1lb 15oz butter per milking = 27lb / week. Next best 15lb /week. [1897-10-23 p7 CHP]
The election of the General Committee and officers resulted as follows : Patron, G.E.Rhodes; President, J. M. Furze; Vice-President, Job. Osborne ; Treasurer, C. C. Smithson ; Auditors, Messrs R. Lochhead and J.R. Campbell; Committee, Messrs J. Barnett, John Boag, W. Bishop, A. Chamberlain, D. Cant, H. Hight, F. Jackson, W.G. Lunn, R.Lochhead, D. McMillan, W. McMillan, W. A. Nixon, H. Phillips, J. Rennie, D.Scott, J. Stackhouse, G. Stephens, T. Tolerton, C. Withell, F. Coe, T.B. Howson, J. Storry, T. D. Boag and W.F.M. Buckley.
[1897-06-02 p2 EG]
Mike Noonan
Ellesmere Historical SocietyDate1897SourcePapers PastLocationLeeston
DescriptionThe AGM report gloated on the success of the 1896 show. As predicted from the show exhibits, stock from Ellesmere district took most honours at the metropolitan show as well as a good share of Champion prizes.
Ellesmere was the first A&P Association to admit lady members and the report was hopeful that even more ladies would apply.
For years it has been said that poultry section should be abandoned but is on the increase it is necessary to follow other societies and spend money to provide coops to exhibit birds in.
Money also had to be spent to provide 22 new bullock pens and a double row of sheep pens.
Fortunately the much-needed new pig pens were a gift from Mr G.E. Rhodes and were judged to be the best in Australasia.
The report suggested that there was a need to foster more sideshow shows.
In the past the sale of privileges exceeded the costs of the luncheon for the Committee etc but this was no longer true, and it was felt that the Association would need to consider this in future.
The railways had refused to erect a landing platform.
The report noted that thanks should be given to the Department of Agriculture which had found valuable discoveries and remedies notably tuberculosis in cattle, pneumonia in horses, anthrax in sheep, fever in swine, Hessian fly in grain, grubs in grass and grain, as well as insect pests in orchards.
[1897-05-17 p1 CHP, 1897-06-02 p2 EG, 1897-06-02 p2 LT, 1897-06-02 p3 TS, 1897-06-02 p4 TS, 1897-06-16 p3 CHP, 1897-06-16 p6 LT]
The fully attended July Committee meeting recommended further improvement of the grounds including a stand for light horses under trees, levelling ground, more space for exercising light horses, circular pen for judging cattle in the centre of cattle yards, erect post and barb wire fence in place of dead gorse at the entrance to the show grounds.
Several new classes of exhibits were added together with a special prize for 2-horse gorse cutter at £4 4s [1897-07-28 p3 CHP, 1897-07-28 p6 LT]
The rights to a Publican’s booth and luncheon and refreshment booths plus selling fruit, right of sports and games and a brass band with more than 12 instruments were advertised in September. [1897-09-04 p2 EG, 1897-09-04 p10 CHP] and the committee meeting in the same month confirmed successful applicants. These were Publican's booth, Mr T. Kelly (B. Kiley) Southbridge Hotel; brass band, Canterbury Engineers; No 1 Refreshemnt booth Mr J. Buggey, Christchurch; No 2 refreshment booth, Mr J. Buggey; selling fruit, Mr W. Edwards, Sydenham (Mr Harvey); right of sports Mr N. Colombus.
It was decided by unanimous vote that a ladies' cloak room and retiring room would be erected.
It was also decided to ban any gambling or games of chance from the 1897 show. [1897-09-15 p2 LT, 1897-09-16 p3 CHP]
Advertisements of the closing date for entries, and railway time table followed in October [1897-10-04 p1 CHP, 1897-10-04 p2 TS, 1897-10-13 p8 CHP, 1897-10-19 p1 LT]
A&P Show report
28th Show Thursday October 21st 1897
From the entries received it appeared that the show was going to be even more successful than 1896, [1897-10-19 p5 LT] and this proved true when entries totalled 853 and 300-500 more patrons entered through the gates than the previous record.
The day was extremely pleasant until the afternoon was well advanced when a few drops of rain did not affect attendance.
The Christchurch train was unusually well filled but took nearly 2½ hours to cover 26 miles (17 kph).
Engineers band supplied good music and there were a large number of side-shows to amuse public.
There was in addition to large entries, a marked improvement generally in the sheep, cattle and draught horse classes but number and quality of light horses was down and there was little competition in pigs.
In other departments entries were equal to other year’s, dairy produce being especially good, although interest was not as great as before the creameries.
The problem of people sampling the prize cheeses, home-made wines and other luxuries had still not been solved.
The show of cattle was an improvement both in numbers and quality.
Fat cattle were excellent.
Light horses showed a considerable falling off but there was an increased interest in draught horses.
Pig exhibits were down.
The dairy produce was exceptionally good quantity.
There was keen competition and bread and other farm exhibits.
Grain, roots, dogs and poultry were well represented and there was an excellent show of implements and local manufacturers. [1897-10-22 p2 CHP, 1897-10-22 p2 LT]
In the weight guessing competitions, the guesses may have been more accurate than the scales. Fat bullock actual weight 712lb, winning guess 711lb 1st & 710lb 2nd.
Fat sheep pen of 5 actual weight 306lb, guess 307lb. [1897-10-23 p5 LT]
In the milking competition, a shorthorn cow of Arthur Chamberlain, Brookside, gave 1lb 15oz butter per milking = 27lb / week. Next best 15lb /week. [1897-10-23 p7 CHP]
The election of the General Committee and officers resulted as follows : Patron, G.E.Rhodes; President, J. M. Furze; Vice-President, Job. Osborne ; Treasurer, C. C. Smithson ; Auditors, Messrs R. Lochhead and J.R. Campbell; Committee, Messrs J. Barnett, John Boag, W. Bishop, A. Chamberlain, D. Cant, H. Hight, F. Jackson, W.G. Lunn, R.Lochhead, D. McMillan, W. McMillan, W. A. Nixon, H. Phillips, J. Rennie, D.Scott, J. Stackhouse, G. Stephens, T. Tolerton, C. Withell, F. Coe, T.B. Howson, J. Storry, T. D. Boag and W.F.M. Buckley.
[1897-06-02 p2 EG]
Mike Noonan
Ellesmere Historical Society
Date1897SourcePapers PastLocationLeestonConnections
CollectionEarly History of the Ellesmere Agricultural and Pastoral AssociationOrganisationEllesmere Historical Society
OrganisationEllesmere Historical SocietyAttribution
Researched ByMike NoonanWritten ByMike Noonan
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1897 28th Year of the Ellesmere Agricultural & Pastoral Association (1897). Selwyn Stories, accessed 06/04/2026, https://selwynstories.selwynlibraries.co.nz/nodes/view/5689
