12 PROCEEDINGS AT GENEUAL MEETINGS. 



for at least fourteen days prior to the Show, lest any mishap should occur. It would 

 be a most unfortunate thing if the Directors were to see it necessary to decide that no 

 Show be held at Inverness unless something more alarming occurred between the present 

 meeting and that day week. He would therefore propose that unless any fresh out- 

 break occurred in that interval the Show at Inverness be held. 



Mr Walker of Bowland, C.B., asked what restrictions there were at present at Inver- 

 ness with reference to the transmission of animals from other districts of the country ? 

 Mr Menzies (Secretary), read an excerpt minute of the Local Authority of Inverness, 

 of date 15th June, which bore that the Lord-Lieutenant brought under the notice of the 

 meeting a communication from the Secretary of the Highland and Agricultural Society, 

 suggesting a modification of the existing rule with reference to cattle entered for the 

 Society's Show at Inverness. According to the existing rules, no animals could be 

 transmitted from the south, and the meeting resolved that unless a fresh outbreak of 

 disease in the meantime occurred the cattle entered for the Inverness Show should be 

 admitted to the county with a licence or certificate, and the clerk was authorised to 

 grant such licence, and a committee appointed to take the necessary precautions for 

 admission of animals to the Show, having in view the regulations adopted by the 

 Royal Agricultural Society with reference to the York Show. 



Mr Walker suggested that the Local Authority at Inverness should take into con- 

 sideration whether they would not absolutely prohibit during the week of the Show 

 the importation into the district of any animal brought from a place within ten miles 

 of an infected area or place. That would exclude from Inverness the possibility of 

 any animals going from East or West Lothian or Forfarshire witliin ten miles of a place 

 where disease existed. 



Mr MoLLisox said he thought he would be quite safe in answering Mr Walker that 

 before the meeting of Directors was held next week the Local Authority of Inverness 

 would have fresh restrictions made to meet what Mr Walker proposed, because he 

 thought it i^erfectly reasonable. 



Mr Smith, Whittinghame, thought they were much indebted to Mr Mollison for 

 giving the Society the opportunity for this discussion. The exhilntors, he thought, 

 would not only take care to look after their stock, but if unfortunately the disease were 

 to spread, he should question whether they would send their stock on, more especially 

 if there was the least fear that it would be affected. He thought, however, it was 

 premature now to take such a decided step as at once to give up the idea of the Show. 

 They did not know what might come out of the future ; but in the meantime he did 

 not think that it could inconvenience any one to let the arrangem.ents go on. If things 

 came to the worst, the exhibitors and others must just be contented to take circum- 

 stances as they came. He thought they should allow things to take their course. 

 (A Voice — "How long?") He should say to the last hour, or, at all events, last 

 week. (Cries of "No, no.") He deprecated panics. He thought that to some extent 

 their local authorities had been acting under them. They had done perhaps what 

 many might think proper, but what had proved to be a great annoyance and incon- 

 venience, and undoubtedly a considerable loss to many owners of stock. In the mean- 

 time, he thought Mr ]\Iollison's suggestion was well worthy of the support of the 

 Society, and he seconded the motion. 



Mr HowATSON of Glenbuck, asked if there was much money expended on the Show- 

 yard arrangements up to this date ? If there was any likelihood of the Show being 

 stopped, now was the proper time. 



Mr Mexzies stated that he had been north, and would not allow the contractor to 

 commence work until this morning. He was entitled to begin on the 9th June, and he 

 had now about a half of the wood on the ground. At the present moment the loss to 

 the Society would be, he had no doubt, somewhere between £100 and £500. He had 

 meantime instructed the contractor to go on with the work which would not require 

 any breakage, and he had done the best in his power to prevent any expense being 

 incurred which could be avoided. The contractor distinctly stated that he could not 

 put up the erections if he were to begin later, because if the weather broke he could 

 not possibly finish in time. 



Mr MoLLisox thought it would be an unfortunate thing if the holding of the Show 

 should turn upon the matter of expense. There was a strong feeling that the Society 

 was a little too saving in that way. A large proportion of their revenue came from 

 the north, and he was confident that if it appeared in any Avay that the Show was put 

 oft' on account of the expense, it would be an unfortunate thing for the welfare of the 

 Society. 



Mr Walker quite agreed with Mr Mollison that the question of expense to the 

 Society was of no moment whatever. ^Vhat they had to do with was the safety of the 

 stock of the exhibitors and of the country. 



The Chairman then stated that he understood Mr Mollison's motion to be that unless 

 there were outbreaks occurring between this and the 1st July, this meeting resolved 

 that the Show should be held. 



