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1879 10th Year of the Ellesmere Agricultural & Pastoral Association
Description
Title1879 10th Year of the Ellesmere Agricultural & Pastoral Association
DescriptionAt the Lincoln Show, held the day after the Leeston Show, visitors and entries were down and the question of amalgamation arose again. [1878-10-26 p5 CHP]
The question of amalgamating with the Ellesmere Association was brought up, at Lincoln Farmers Club and Pastoral Association and after considerable discussion it was proposed “That in the opinion of this Committee it is desirable to make proposals to the Ellesmere Society for amalgamating the two Societies…” [1878-11-27 p2 LT]
The December meeting of the general committee decided to look favourably on Lincoln’s proposal to amalgamate and that a conference should be held with a view to a proposal for the AGM in March.
The committee then proceeded to discuss a topic of a more agricultural nature i.e. the best means to control of the sparrow pest. [1878-12-09 p3 CHP, 1878-12-09 p2 LT]
The 7th AGM was advertised for March 3rd 1879 [1879-02-22 p1 LT] and a letter from the Lincoln Association regretting that the Lincoln delegation was not able to attend was tabled.
It was stated that the £20 6s 7d debit balance would be covered if people paid their debts.
During the previous twelve months, five generally well attended regular Committee meetings had been held.
Entries at the 1878 show were down especially in cattle, horses, pigs and dairy products.
It was also reported that the quality and condition of the stock was also inferior which may have been due to the scarcity of food in early spring.
In contrast to earlier years the railway arrangements were all that could have been desired.
It had been found that judges for the Show were more difficult to obtain some only giving notice that they were unavailable at the last moment.
Those supporting an autumn show were still vocal but balanced by those who thought the Christchurch show should be held later to allow country shows to exhibit better prepared animals.
A letter from the Selwyn County Council was read referring the committee to the Commissioner of Crown Lands in the matter of obtaining a title to the show ground. [1879-03-12 p3 supplement CHP, 1879-03-14 p6 LT]
The Lincoln Show lapsed in 1879 [1879-11-13 p4 LT]
The July Committee meeting [1879-07-28 p1 LT] resolved that the 1879 Ellesmere Show be held on Tuesday, November 4th.
It was agreed that Mr Bluett rent the grounds at £12 per annum. [1879-07-28 p4 LT]
The Secretary was authorised to employ a licensed surveyor to prepare a plan of the ground, in accordance with Crown Land’s request, and to entrust the plan when completed to Mr Lawrence, a committee member, with a cheque for £3 3s, the nominal consideration to be paid for a conveyance to Messrs Bluett, Marshall, and Desborough as Trustees.
Class Stewards and Judges in the various classes were also chosen at the September meeting [1879-08-29 p1 LT, 1879-09-05 p3 LT]
Show preparations continued in 1979 as in earlier years. [1879-10-08 p3 CHP, 1879-10-08 p6 LT, 1879-10-11 p2 CHP, 1879-10-11 p3 TS]
The final committee meeting was held on the 27th October when it was revealed that there were no tenders for the publican’s booth, the secretary had arranged privately with Walter Spring, who had now taken over the Leeston Hotel, after a great deal of persuasion, to give the association a bonus of £6 for the sole right of erecting a publican’s booth on the show ground, the fee for the extension of license was to be paid by the committee, and that by special request Mr Bashford had consented to provide luncheon on the ground for the committee and judges on the same terms as in 1877, as complaints had been received about the 1878 caterers.
The railway traffic manager declined to allow the train to stop opposite the show ground, as it was contrary to the regulations of the department, even though the train had stopped there in the past.
The meeting unanimously disapproved of the railway decision, and appointed A. McLachlan and the president to interview the traffic manager, and endeavour to obtain his consent to their request. [1879-10-30 p5 LT, 1879-10-30 p2 GLOBE]
Railway arrangements were advertised [1879-11-03 p1 CHP] as was the intention of W.J.G. Bluett & Co to again conduct a sale at the show. [1879-11-04 p8 LT]
10th show 1879
The weather for the 10th show was magnificent and probably 1650 people attended the show.
The attendance was good but the special train was sparsely patronised and therefore Christchurch visitors were not plentiful.
Numbers of exhibits were down on 1878 by about 30 exhibits although there was a marked improvement in the quality of the exhibits.
The sheep particularly were conspicuous by their absence, in some classes. There appeared to be only one ram and one ewe in the Romney Marsh section.
The horses as a whole were fairly good and most of the cattle were of good quality. The judges gave a highly commended ticket to a two year old bull of Mr Dudley which should have one the first prize award which was given to a plain headed, large horned animal that belonged to Bluett.
Pigs were of low quality both at Leeston and Timaru, and the poultry were so poor that the Association should do away with this class altogether. The reporter remarked that even at the Metropolitan Show the poultry section was a failure.
The first ever prize for wheat was presented but the stewards had no scales and measures.
The wheat would have weighed well.
The implement classes filled remarkably well and quality of exhibits, particularly farm carts and drays made locally, was very good. A corn and seed drill was justly much admired.
Fresh butter exhibits were mostly exceedingly good and competition keen with the 14 entries.
Various amusements which have now become almost inseparable from gatherings of this sort in Canterbury were present in full force and appeared to do good business.
There were the usual games of chance, unicycle circus, shooting Gallery, galvanic apparatus, itinerant musicians and enlivening strains of the Southbridge brass band.
Mr Bashford catered for the luncheon for committee and judges most efficiently, and it was the best they had ever had.
The cattle were fairly representative of the district with some of very good breeding although not in the pink of condition.
In some respects the horses were a very good but some exhibits were anything but creditable.
The draught stock were as usual very good indeed compared with the carriage horses and hacks etc
The bacon and ham classes were entirely destitute of local exhibitors and the reporter expressed the opinion that the Association should confine it to the district.
The first prize cheese was excellent in quality but there were few exhibits.
A protest was again made as to the manner in which visitors to local shows are permitted to handle and destroy the samples of dairy produce.
"The wholesale tasting of yesterday rendered the 14 exhibits of fresh butter mere unsightly and repulsive looking lumps within an hour.
The cheeses were destroyed with almost equal rapidity, and appeared to be regarded as a sort of free luncheon".
The 10 exhibits of wheat were all of exceedingly good quality.
The sheep dogs were of good quality although for a second year they were not shown at their work.
If the dogs were set to drive sheep it may prove one of the most attractive features of the show.
Patron. W.Rolleston Esq., M.H.R.; President, Mr W.J.G. Bluett Vice-Presidents, Messrs C. T. Dudley, R. Lochhead, D. Marshall, John Rennie; Hon Treasurer, Mr D. Marshall; Secretory, Mr L. V. Desborough; Committee of Management, for the year ending Feb. 29, 1880, Messrs William Bishop, C. Bourn, J. Boag, J. Barnett, J. Cunningham, J.R. Campbell, R. Docker, E. Earl, S. Forsyth, F. Jameson, William Graham, H.J. Hall, J. Hicks, H.P. Hill, W.D. Lawrence, W.G. Lunn, W. Maddison, J. Mawson, W. Moorhead, B. McIlraith, J. McKellar, A. McLachlan, P. O’Boyle, F. Overton, H. Overton, J. Osborne, D. Scott, G. Sandry, G. Stevens, J. Smithson, A. Storry, D. Tod, R.B. Willis, C. Withell, R. Withell, R. Warrington, A. Webster
[1879-11-05 p2 CHP, 1879-11-05 p6 LT]
Mike Noonan
Ellesmere Historical Society
Date1878-1879SourcePapers PastLocationLeeston
DescriptionAt the Lincoln Show, held the day after the Leeston Show, visitors and entries were down and the question of amalgamation arose again. [1878-10-26 p5 CHP] The question of amalgamating with the Ellesmere Association was brought up, at Lincoln Farmers Club and Pastoral Association and after considerable discussion it was proposed “That in the opinion of this Committee it is desirable to make proposals to the Ellesmere Society for amalgamating the two Societies…” [1878-11-27 p2 LT]
The December meeting of the general committee decided to look favourably on Lincoln’s proposal to amalgamate and that a conference should be held with a view to a proposal for the AGM in March.
The committee then proceeded to discuss a topic of a more agricultural nature i.e. the best means to control of the sparrow pest. [1878-12-09 p3 CHP, 1878-12-09 p2 LT]
The 7th AGM was advertised for March 3rd 1879 [1879-02-22 p1 LT] and a letter from the Lincoln Association regretting that the Lincoln delegation was not able to attend was tabled.
It was stated that the £20 6s 7d debit balance would be covered if people paid their debts.
During the previous twelve months, five generally well attended regular Committee meetings had been held.
Entries at the 1878 show were down especially in cattle, horses, pigs and dairy products.
It was also reported that the quality and condition of the stock was also inferior which may have been due to the scarcity of food in early spring.
In contrast to earlier years the railway arrangements were all that could have been desired.
It had been found that judges for the Show were more difficult to obtain some only giving notice that they were unavailable at the last moment.
Those supporting an autumn show were still vocal but balanced by those who thought the Christchurch show should be held later to allow country shows to exhibit better prepared animals.
A letter from the Selwyn County Council was read referring the committee to the Commissioner of Crown Lands in the matter of obtaining a title to the show ground. [1879-03-12 p3 supplement CHP, 1879-03-14 p6 LT]
The Lincoln Show lapsed in 1879 [1879-11-13 p4 LT]
The July Committee meeting [1879-07-28 p1 LT] resolved that the 1879 Ellesmere Show be held on Tuesday, November 4th.
It was agreed that Mr Bluett rent the grounds at £12 per annum. [1879-07-28 p4 LT]
The Secretary was authorised to employ a licensed surveyor to prepare a plan of the ground, in accordance with Crown Land’s request, and to entrust the plan when completed to Mr Lawrence, a committee member, with a cheque for £3 3s, the nominal consideration to be paid for a conveyance to Messrs Bluett, Marshall, and Desborough as Trustees.
Class Stewards and Judges in the various classes were also chosen at the September meeting [1879-08-29 p1 LT, 1879-09-05 p3 LT]
Show preparations continued in 1979 as in earlier years. [1879-10-08 p3 CHP, 1879-10-08 p6 LT, 1879-10-11 p2 CHP, 1879-10-11 p3 TS]
The final committee meeting was held on the 27th October when it was revealed that there were no tenders for the publican’s booth, the secretary had arranged privately with Walter Spring, who had now taken over the Leeston Hotel, after a great deal of persuasion, to give the association a bonus of £6 for the sole right of erecting a publican’s booth on the show ground, the fee for the extension of license was to be paid by the committee, and that by special request Mr Bashford had consented to provide luncheon on the ground for the committee and judges on the same terms as in 1877, as complaints had been received about the 1878 caterers.
The railway traffic manager declined to allow the train to stop opposite the show ground, as it was contrary to the regulations of the department, even though the train had stopped there in the past.
The meeting unanimously disapproved of the railway decision, and appointed A. McLachlan and the president to interview the traffic manager, and endeavour to obtain his consent to their request. [1879-10-30 p5 LT, 1879-10-30 p2 GLOBE]
Railway arrangements were advertised [1879-11-03 p1 CHP] as was the intention of W.J.G. Bluett & Co to again conduct a sale at the show. [1879-11-04 p8 LT]
10th show 1879
The weather for the 10th show was magnificent and probably 1650 people attended the show.
The attendance was good but the special train was sparsely patronised and therefore Christchurch visitors were not plentiful.
Numbers of exhibits were down on 1878 by about 30 exhibits although there was a marked improvement in the quality of the exhibits.
The sheep particularly were conspicuous by their absence, in some classes. There appeared to be only one ram and one ewe in the Romney Marsh section.
The horses as a whole were fairly good and most of the cattle were of good quality. The judges gave a highly commended ticket to a two year old bull of Mr Dudley which should have one the first prize award which was given to a plain headed, large horned animal that belonged to Bluett.
Pigs were of low quality both at Leeston and Timaru, and the poultry were so poor that the Association should do away with this class altogether. The reporter remarked that even at the Metropolitan Show the poultry section was a failure.
The first ever prize for wheat was presented but the stewards had no scales and measures.
The wheat would have weighed well.
The implement classes filled remarkably well and quality of exhibits, particularly farm carts and drays made locally, was very good. A corn and seed drill was justly much admired.
Fresh butter exhibits were mostly exceedingly good and competition keen with the 14 entries.
Various amusements which have now become almost inseparable from gatherings of this sort in Canterbury were present in full force and appeared to do good business.
There were the usual games of chance, unicycle circus, shooting Gallery, galvanic apparatus, itinerant musicians and enlivening strains of the Southbridge brass band.
Mr Bashford catered for the luncheon for committee and judges most efficiently, and it was the best they had ever had.
The cattle were fairly representative of the district with some of very good breeding although not in the pink of condition.
In some respects the horses were a very good but some exhibits were anything but creditable.
The draught stock were as usual very good indeed compared with the carriage horses and hacks etc
The bacon and ham classes were entirely destitute of local exhibitors and the reporter expressed the opinion that the Association should confine it to the district.
The first prize cheese was excellent in quality but there were few exhibits.
A protest was again made as to the manner in which visitors to local shows are permitted to handle and destroy the samples of dairy produce.
"The wholesale tasting of yesterday rendered the 14 exhibits of fresh butter mere unsightly and repulsive looking lumps within an hour.
The cheeses were destroyed with almost equal rapidity, and appeared to be regarded as a sort of free luncheon".
The 10 exhibits of wheat were all of exceedingly good quality.
The sheep dogs were of good quality although for a second year they were not shown at their work.
If the dogs were set to drive sheep it may prove one of the most attractive features of the show.
Patron. W.Rolleston Esq., M.H.R.; President, Mr W.J.G. Bluett Vice-Presidents, Messrs C. T. Dudley, R. Lochhead, D. Marshall, John Rennie; Hon Treasurer, Mr D. Marshall; Secretory, Mr L. V. Desborough; Committee of Management, for the year ending Feb. 29, 1880, Messrs William Bishop, C. Bourn, J. Boag, J. Barnett, J. Cunningham, J.R. Campbell, R. Docker, E. Earl, S. Forsyth, F. Jameson, William Graham, H.J. Hall, J. Hicks, H.P. Hill, W.D. Lawrence, W.G. Lunn, W. Maddison, J. Mawson, W. Moorhead, B. McIlraith, J. McKellar, A. McLachlan, P. O’Boyle, F. Overton, H. Overton, J. Osborne, D. Scott, G. Sandry, G. Stevens, J. Smithson, A. Storry, D. Tod, R.B. Willis, C. Withell, R. Withell, R. Warrington, A. Webster
[1879-11-05 p2 CHP, 1879-11-05 p6 LT]
Mike Noonan
Ellesmere Historical Society
Date1878-1879SourcePapers PastLocationLeestonConnections
CollectionEarly History of the Ellesmere Agricultural and Pastoral AssociationOrganisationEllesmere Historical Society
OrganisationEllesmere Historical SocietyAttribution
Researched ByMike NoonanWritten ByMike Noonan
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1879 10th Year of the Ellesmere Agricultural & Pastoral Association (1878-1879). Selwyn Stories, accessed 30/04/2026, https://selwynstories.selwynlibraries.co.nz/nodes/view/5707
