PROCEEDINGS AT GENEHAL .MEETINGS. 33 



would be unable to attend, and would practically be di barred from any advantage or 

 gratilication which a show is calculatL'il to all'ord. 'J'lie Society, as a national body, 

 may fairly be expected to visit each of the leading localities of Scotland, and to furnish 

 the rural population with occasioiuil opiiortunities of seeing within their own districts 

 breeds of stoclc not cuiniuon to them, and of inspecting a full eoUection of the inijile- 

 ments of agricultuie. Were such local facilities discontinued, and the Shows fixed at 

 Edinhurgh and Glasgow, a large amount of support now drawn from the more distant 

 counties would not improbably be diminished, and the national character of the Society 

 be thus allected. 



"Second, Any centralised system of shows is inconsistent with the existing mode by 

 which funds for their support are raised. The cost of a show is defrayed, liist, by the 

 collection at the showyard gates ; second, by a .subscription in the district. If there be 

 a dehciency, it is borne by tlie Society, which on the other hand enjoys the advantage 

 of any surplus that may arise. The amount at the showyard gates depends by no 

 means so much on the agricultural i>ublic as on the p<i])ulati()n of the town within 

 which the show is held. This regaided superficially seems to present a good ground 

 for restrii'tiou, but it is apprehended that, were show.s held in Ldiuljurgh and Glasgow 

 every alternate, instead of every suvcntii or eighth year, tlu'y would liecon.e too com- 

 mon to e.xcite much interest on the jiart of the towns-jjcople, and that the showyard 

 revenue would rajiidly deteriorate. But the principal financial difliculty would arise 

 with reference to the district subscription, which i.s now managed on an eil'ective and 

 simple principle, and produces a very considerable sum. The plan, which has been 

 in geiieral operation for some years, is for the Commissioners of Supjdy of the counties 

 fornuiig the district of a show, to recommend a subscription according to a imiform 

 aate ui)on rental, and to reipiest the County Collector to i)repare an allocation, and to 

 apply for payment along with the county rates. By this means the drawbacks and 

 annoyance of canvassing for a subscription are avoided ; every proprietor is made 

 aware of the exact sum expected from him ; while, owing to the subscription or assess- 

 ment lieing universal, the amount, individually, is so reduced as rarely to be objected 

 to. The rate hitherto has run from 20s. to 30s. on the £1000 of rental, and proprietors 

 have been found willing to subnut to such an impost once in seven or eight years, and 

 in aid of a meeting to be held within their own district ; but it is evident that, while the 

 counties connected with Edinburgh and Glasgow would not agree to a biennial sub- 

 scription, those associated with Inverness or Dumfries would equally object to raiso 

 funds for the maintenance of shows in Mid-Lothian and L;markshire. Any centralised 

 system, such as has been occasionally suggesteil, would most proliably diminish the sunus 

 <lrawn at the gates, and necessarily destroy the existing mode of voluntary assessment 

 which is working well, and for which it would indeed be ditticult to provide a substitute." 



The Committee have considered it their duty to give thus in detail the olg'ections 

 stated in 1858 to any linutation of the places ior holding shows, becau.se they apply 

 with equal force at the present time. " ' " 



As it has sometimes been urged that the Society can do without tlie pecuniary al,1 

 aflbrded by the local subscription, the Committee deeni it proper to obsurve'that 

 among the documents prepared by the Secretary wd subndtted by him for their infor- 

 mation, there was one showing that withoiit su»;h aid the loss to the Society on the 

 eight shows from 1863 to 1871 would have been 4:6614, while for the rotation 1872 to 

 1679, it would have aniouute4 tO .CilO-lI, or a total loss during the double rotation of 

 £11,«I55. 



^ The Committee deem it proper to give the following summary of the views expressed 

 loy some o( the members in answer to a circular sent by the Secretary. 



Lord PoLWARTH thought it not easy to improve on the existing arran<rement Tlie 

 present places really .seemed to him to accommodate the various district's admirably, 

 in ins own di.strict, Melrose would have some a.lvantage over Kelso, but there is no 

 piece of ground adapted for the showyard. Berwick would be also convenient but it 

 '.alls more properly to the Northuml^erland S.xietv. He could fancy Dundee and 

 po-ssibly Lanark, as making some claim, l)ut Perth and Gla.sgow must meet the wants 

 ot these districts, llis own idea would l5e to adhere to the i)resent rotation, but that 

 •it any place specially petitioned for a visit its claims might be considered. In this way 

 11. 1 ^^T^^ '"'S'^*^ ^'^ obtained, while yet adhering to the present system as the 



oonJ!nn?['') "' ^"''"f ' ^'Y*— As the places presently visited by the Society are to be 

 t^l: n- f ' I "^roes not see how any change could be made which would be" of advan- 

 kent in ^W°i. i' .^?,"''^; "'' ^^.^^"^ Public. One of the i,rincipal points to be 

 tin Z f I .V'"""* ^'''^ f'^-""'.? ''"'^'''-^ '1'""'^^ ^'^ ^''^'^^ supplied with railway accommoda- 

 tio , and that the supply ot water should be plentitui ; the generality of the places 



V^^l^tll X y^^^f ''■*-'" '^r"-'' «"l'Plied, and where any defects existed last time, 

 ma\ be reme<lied beiore another visit becomes due 



,.i,n"' '^'^^■^■™ .^.- -Y-^CKEXZIE, Bart., stated three alternative,s-{l) other additiona 

 places may be visited ; or (2) without adding to the number of places, some mghtil 



C 



