52 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Juxy, 1901. 
I do not think I saw anything finer than at a show at Fassifern, where we had 
a gentleman who was not afraid to give a decision, and who was not afraid to 
give a reason for it. There was a big crowd round the exhibits, and there was 
our friend, Mr. Mahon, of the Agricultural College—for it was he—explaining 
why the first animal was awarded the blue ribbon, and in what points it was 
superior to the second. I never saw anything finer as far as educational work 
was concerned. Mr. Peek’s paper is well worthy of consideration, so much so. 
that I would not like to get less than twelve months to consider it. Iamina 
bit of a quandary now, for I am one of the Resolutions Committee, and it will be 
brought up before me for action. I really do not grasp the thing. I once had 
a good deal to do with an institution of this sort. It was called the Farmers 
and Graziers’ Alliance. It was going to be a grand thing, and I remember Mr. 
D. Jones did a lot of work for it. He put a terrible amount of labour, effort, 
time, and money into it. And what did it come to? What did Mr. Jones come 
to? I believe he got crippled over it. In fact, he has never been an 
independent man since, and has been reduced to taking a Government billet. 
Mr. J. W. Luz (Zillmere) : I have listened to the papers that have been 
read, and consider that many of the ideas contained in them are premature. 
The Chamber of Agriculture, as laid down in these papers, is a big order. From 
my experience in the country, before we can take up a question of this sort, 
we have a lot of rough work to do to get the people up to the idea. There are 
so many different interests all through the State, so far as what we call farming 
is concerned. I am a fruitgrower and may ask the question, What on earth 
has the pastoralist to do with the horticulturist ? What does he know about 
fruitgrowing? The canegrowers have an interest in cane, and can form an 
association amongst themselves, because every man employed in canegrowinge 
knows his business, and they all can unite to work their association in their 
own interests. But the cane industry has nothing to do with potato-growing, 
so far as potato-growing itself is concerned. I think, first of all, these various. 
bodies should concentrate their forces among themselves to understand what 
they need in their own interests. What we want is to focus our powers in our 
separate interests. When these various associations have got worked up to a 
standard when they can approach each other for some general good, then [ 
say the time may come when a Chamber of Agriculture will be necessary. But 
I think at the present time it will be a waste of energy and a waste of money 
to endeavour to bring one about. It will be better, at all events, to shelve it for 
another twelve months before we think seriously of it. In the meantime let 
us work up our separate interests in our different districts until we can look 
upon ourselves as formidable bodies able to do something in the shape of a 
Chamber of Agriculture. 
Mr. W. R. Rostyson (Toowoomba): I fancy that Mr. Peek’s ideas are 
somewhat premature. There is one result. of federation that we are going to 
haye, and that is keener competition. Our produce will have to be done up in 
the very best style. Our second-class stuff will have to go down the throats of 
our poultry, pigs, and dairy cattle, and thus find its way on to the world’s. 
markets. To work Mr. Peek’s scheme will require a lot of money. If you 
have to find markets for the farmers you will have to send notices round to all 
of them; and if one tarmer gets his notice of a rise in the market an hour before. 
another, the chamber will be broken up. As for shows, the Lockyer people are. 
very fortunate ; and a finer show than theirs could not be found, whether it is. 
held at Gatton or Laidley. It is all very well to talk of judges giving their 
reasons for their judgments. It might be well enough for a public servant like: 
Mr. Mahon to do so, but I would not care to publicly condemn, say, the second 
and third horses in a competition by pointing out their faults for the gloritica- 
tion of the first, nor do I think it would be fair to ask me. Judges, however,. 
should give their reasons, in black and white, to the secretary of the show, for 
the private information of the owners of numbers 1, 2, and 3. 
Mr. G. Szarze (Toowoomba) : A great deal could be done with some central 
body, such as a Chamber of Agriculture, if societies would so far affiliate that, 
