16 . PROCEEDINGS AT GENERAL MEETINGS. 



CENTENARY GENERAL MEETING, 16th JANUARY 1884. 

 Mr Scott Dudgeon, Longnewtoii, and afterwards Mr Balfour of Balljirnie 



iu the chair. 



New ]\.I embers. — 107 noblemen and gentlemen were duly elected members, after the 

 usual ballot. 



Office-Bearers. — The following noblemen and gentlemen were elected to fill the 

 vacancies in the list of office-bearers for 1884: — Vice-Presidents. — The JMarquis of 

 Lothian, K.T. ; the Eaid of Haddington, the Earl of Wemyss and March, the Earl of 

 Hopetoun. Ordinary Directors.— J am.es T. S. Elliot, yr. of Wolfelee ; John Marr, 

 Cairnbrogie ; Niven Matthews, Whitehills ; Jonathan Middleton, Clay of Allan ; James 

 Murray, Catter House ; Robert Paterson of Birthwood ; R. G. Wardlaw Ramsay of 

 Whitehill ; Harry Young of Cleish Castle. ExtraordAnary Diredcrrs. — Lord Elcho, M.P. ; 

 the Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Sir Alexander Kinloch, Bart. ; Sir Hew Dalrymple, 

 Bart. ; Sir James R. Gibson Maitland, Bart. ; Sir William Baillie, Bart.- ; Sir James 

 H. Gibson-Craig, Bart. ; Robert Dundas of Arnistou ; Colonel Learmonth of Dean ; 

 Peter M'Lagan of Pumpherston, ]\I.P. ; James Hope, East Bams ; John Scott Dudgeon. 

 Longnewton. 



Mr Richmond, Hilton, asked why the name of Mr Gardiner, who had been elected 

 by a majority at a meeting held at Perth to represent the Midland Counties, did not 

 appear in the list ? 



The Chairman replied that the Directors, after considering the matter, did not think 

 it expedient to give any reasons for their choice of Directors — for there being any one 

 put forward — but that in regard to Mr Gardiner he now held in his hand a letter from 

 that gentleman withdrawing his nomination. That, he thought, Avas quite sufficient for 

 the meetiug. ' 



At this stage Mr Scott Dudgeon vacated the chair in favour of Mr Balfour of 

 Balbirnie, who was now the senior Du-ector present. 



The Annual Accounts — Mr Mackenzie of Poi-tmore, in the absence of Mr Murray 

 of Dollerie, laid on the table the annual accounts of the Society, which were approved. 

 The accounts of the Argyll Naval Fund were also submitted. 



Inverness Show, 1883. — Colonel Gillon of Wallhouse said the first duty devolving 

 upon him as chairman of the Committee on General Shows was to report on the late 

 meeting at Inverness, but the proceedings had been so fully and widely circulated by 

 means of the daily and agricultural press that it seemed almost unnecessarj' to do more 

 than refer to one or two points. When he had the honour of reporting to the last 

 general meetiug, the i^ropriety of holding the Show was discussed. The Directors 

 afterwards, in consideration of the regulations by the local authorities of the county 

 and burgh of Inverness, and the wishes of the exhibitors, resolved that the meeting 

 should go on, and it was a source of much gratification to add that no evil resulted 

 from the Show being held. The site chosen for the yard did not belie the ardent 

 representations made of its suitability for the purpose, and it is believed that a more 

 desirable or convenient place could not have been found in the neighbourhood. As 

 regards the weather, the judging on Tuesday had to take place during much rain, 

 while Wednesday was showery throughout ; on Thursday the weather showed an 

 improvement, and kept fine on Friday, when the yard was crowded with visitors. In 

 a financial point of view there had not been siich a serious difference between the receipts 

 and expenditure as occuiTecl on the previous Show at Inverness. The receipts in 1874 

 were £3393, while the general expenses and premiums amounted to £4794, making a 

 loss of £1401. Last year the receipts were £4081, and the expenses and premiums 

 came to £4920, showing a deficit of £838. The Society, he need scarcely add, met with 

 that support and reception which have always been accorded to it in the capital of the 

 Highlands. Special votes of thanks were given at the general meeting of members held 

 in the showyard to Lord Lovat, on whose zealous and efficient services, in the absence 

 of the Duke of Richmond and Gordon, so much of the success of the Show depended ; 

 to the Commissioners of Supply for the counties embraced in the district, and to the 

 Provost and Magistrates of Inverness, for their contributions in aid of the Show. 



The report was adopted. 



Edinburgh Show, 1884. — Colonel Gillon then said the General Show this year 

 would take place at Edinburgh, on the 22nd, 23rd, 24th, and 25th of July, on a park 

 at the Dean. This would be the Society's fifty-seventh exhibition, and the eleventh 

 which has been held in the metropolis of Scotland. In addition to the usual 

 premiums, the Society on this occasion oft'ers — (1) Three family prizes in each of 

 the breeds of cattle, viz., a cow and three or more of her descendants (male or 

 female) in the female line (oxen excluded), bred by or bona fide the property of the 

 exhibitor ; and (2) three family prizes in the class of horses for agricultural purposes, 

 viz., for five animals foaled in 1882 (male or female, the offspring of one sire), not 

 necessarily the property of one person ; and three prizes for five animals foaled in 

 1883. In consequence of the liberal manner in which the Ayrshire Cattle Herd 

 Book Society, the Polled Cattle Society, the Galloway Cattle Society, the Clydesdale 

 Horse Society, and the breeders of stock generally have come forward with auxiliary 



