The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-08-29 00:00:00

THE DINNER.

The annual dinner in connection with the meeting
was held in a spacious tent on the grounds, and was
served by Mr. Bourne, of Dudley, in first-rate style.
The Right Hon. the Earl of Dudley presided, with
singular felicity, on the occasion, and supporting his
lordship were Earl Beauchamp, Lord Lyttelton,
Lord Hampton, Sir E. Lechmere, Mr. H. Allsopp,
M.P., Mr. T. E. Walker, M.P., Mr. W. E. Dowdes-
well, M. P., Mr. F. W. Knight, M.P., the Mayor of
Dudley (Alderman Wilkinson), the Mayor of Wor-
cester (Mr. H. G. Goldingham), Rev. Dr. Cosetts,
Rev. Mr. Slater, Rev. J. Pearson, Major Mmickton,
Mr. H. F. Vernon, Mr. E. T. Smith (Earl Dudley's
agents), Mr. J. E. Swindell, J. P. Colonel Bariows,
J.P., R. L. Freer, J.P., Mayor Smith, J.P., Alder-
man Rudge, J.P., H. Cochrane, J.P., J. Holberton,
F. Cookson, B. Wooldridge, J. Raybould, R. S.
Casson, E. M. Warmington kc., see.,
The noble Chairman, in proposing the toast of
" The Queen," said every year added to the know-
ledge we had of her Majesty, and therefore the toast
should have more in it as years went by. It might
perhaps happen—though he trusted not in our time
—that England and Russia would be the only two
nations left with a Sovereign at their head, and whose
people may onLi be able to quote their names at
every festive assembly. But, with the experience
we:had had of a limited mouorchical Government, he
wished not for this country, and could not predict
for it, a happier comae than to have a Sovereign at
its head—(applause). And he would only add one
word more— may the Sovereign who succeeded the
present one be her Majesty's equal in all the virtues
that had distinguished her !—(lond applause).
The' toast of "The Prince and Princess of Wales
and tlie'rest of the Royal Family." and the healths
of The High Sheriff (Mr. J. Jones," and" The
Lord-Lieutenant and the House of Hagley," were
next appropriately given from the chair, and were
well received. . . .

Lord Lyttelton, in responding, to the latter toast,
said he could hardly vary the expressions he had
made use of for many years in acknowledging the
unvaried kindness and forbearance with which his
of Lord-Lieu-
truant -
lot
teut
name aud his office had been received for so many
olinartdahbhalteclidfptoihtseith:ooffinurah e might do
experienced in past years—(applause). Looking
nothing''t years—evernat intnodr thantthBi.he:et h
tU' trustedl
he had
the kindness which he had
back to the past year, there was one subject con-
nected with agriculture which invited observation—
the relation of the agricultural labourer with those
above him. He was not about to touch upon that
subject, but he might make one very general obser-
vation, which he for elle had always persisted in,
namely, that whatever difficulties or embarrassments
had arisen during the past year in regard to this
question, however more or less agreeable a truth it
might be found in the long run, agricultural lab-
ourers, with all their troubles and embarrassments
which they and their advisers may have consent,
would never get more or less for their labour than
they were fairly worth—(applause). He hoped they
would all eventually acquiesce in this state of things,
and trusted—though they had had little of it in that
part of the country—that they had semi the worst,
and that occasions of such a kind would not occur
again, amid that they would be attended with no more
anxiety than had the past crisis—(applauee).
The noble Chairman, in giving the nextiteast." Success
to the Worcestershire Agricaltural Society," congratu-
lated the memberefirst on the goodly company assembled
on the occasion of the dinner, although he bud a doubt
his own mind whether everybody, lathes included, had the
greatest possible knowledge of and interest is, agriculture
—;laughter). But he said this distinctly—that it was
useless unless they made meetings of that sort popular,
and miless they got both men and woman—he said it in
the general sense—to conic together and bee what was to
be seen, and to admire what was to be admired, and to
criticised the bad. They bad seen preceding gatherings
with their—he would not may varviug fortunes, because
they were invariably bad —(ltaughter)—and they must
congratulate themselves on the idea being started that
instead of haring the meeting only at the central town
rad capital of the country, it would be very much better
to take it to different parts of the county —(hear, hear).
That idea was not hotter than was expected, because it
turned out to be a successful one. He had himself seen
such small gatherings that had the meetings been con-
tinued to have been held in the capital of the county it-
self he firmly believed, sad thought it would have turned
out to be the case, notwithstanding all the care and
ass e.y of these who were desirous of keeping the society
together, that it would long ago have ceased to exiet—
khear, hear). It was a question, however, how they could
make it even better than now. That they had, contrary
to what was generally supposed, found the vitality of the
society increased since it was moved about, instead of
beios kept in one local habitation, was something; but it
appeared to him that even something more might be dune
without adding to the work of those who were good enough
to work for it, to increase its strength. More was to be
expected of the society, and if it were possible, they
should get together such tundra as would make it worth
while for the very handsomest beast of its peculiar genus
in the country to be brought there; and a local fund
should be provided specially for competitors whom it
would not be fair to place in competition with those anis
male, and prizes should thus be given for animals which
would be the pick of the whole country, against which it
was not likely that a local A.,11., or C. could contend—
(hear, hear). His lordship next jocosely referred to the
satisfaction it most give to the magnificent animals fin the
shorthorn class) to 11[14 that they were so diversely placed
by the judges at the rexpective bIIOVIS at which they were
nest to compete, and said he remembered with what as.
tonishment the sale of a beast belonging to Lord Decie
was regarded some years ago at £000; but now a friend
of his went over to America a little while ago and bought
scow for £6,000, and nobody expressed any astonishment.
He deduced from this how much it most he considered
to the interest of local fanners to have good specimens of
animals before them, and pointed out that it was not the
small consideration of a £lO prize that made men put
themselves to the trouble of sending their animals no
these shows, bat the desire to be recoguised as leasing,
if not eminent men its their profession. He W9S glad to
find it stated, in the Birmingham papers of that morning
that although there might have been more entails at the
show, yet it was acknowledged to be. good one. Anil if
only the funds could be forthcoming in the direction and
for the purpose he had hinted, is order to attract the
most sucemsfill specimeus, they would be likely to mike
the associanou not only a successful one, but long-lived,
which was what they hoped--(hear, hear). It baA pasind
from • purely agriculturial exibition, of implenieuts and
so forth, into an exhibition of much that no doubt tickled
the popular idea and popular view. The horse jumping
was never without ite admirers, but though that part of the
exhibition was good enough in its way, and though the
horses were a very valuable part of the exibition, yet lie
hoped it might be kept in view that the prosperity of the
association was in danger if, first anei foremost, the larger
animals—the oxen and cows—and, next, the smaller, but
equally successful, animals, the sheep—were wade sub-
servient to the other parts of the exhibition—(hear, hear).
They were not very great horse breeders in the county of
Wurceeter, and he thought it well not to add any very
considerably prizes to their exhibition—(hear, bear, and
applause).
Mr. W. E. Dowdeswell, President of the Association,
espended.
Lord Hampton proposed the health of" The Preaident
the Earl of Dudley." aund loud applause. It did hot
require a speech of even five minutes' duration in order
to ensure the toast a most cordial reception in any part
of the county of Worcester, much less in the locality of
Dudley. And that being no he might be allowed for a
moment to divert from the subject of the toast, and
congratulate bin brethren of the eociety on the proof that
meeting afforded of the singular success that bad at-
tended them ever since they had adopted the excellent
system of holding its meetinge, which gave • stimulus to
the soetety by calling into action not only the active
principles of the association, lint the active agricultural
interests and the good feeling that existed in the various
localities in which the show was held—(hear,
Next to this they had to Le thankful for the present har-
vest, which, as regarded the wheat crop, had been seldom, !
if ever, better in the comity ;llwhile the barley was as good ,
as in any bad year; and added to this they had bad the •
finest possible weather for getting in the hsivest—
(applause). He thought the late state of the grass lands
bad taught the farmers a lesson about putting down their
arabie land into pasture. One remark he wished to
make before he sat down, and it was one that he had not :
unfrequently made before, namely, that he hoped to live
to see the day when it should be made one of the rules
of the society that no pigs should he permitted to be
shows that could not are and walk—(langhter). He
thought, after what they had seen in that show yard of
the distressing condition of some of the animals, this
would be a perfectly fair thing to go upon, for he was
certain that one animal at least them in the show yard
had done neither one nor the other for e .me time—
(applause and laughter).
The noble Chairman briefly acknowledged the coni-
plimeut, and attain adverted to the suggestions be had
already thrown out is regard to the competition, and
that of animals from a distance, observing that the latter
should be confined to compete in • •• champion class,"
so that local owners would not pretend to bring their
exhibits into competition or comparison with them Ilia
Lordship concluded by mentioning that the caverus
under the castle, would be open and illuminated for
inapection of visitors to the agricultural show at e,r o'clock
this (on Thursday) eyeing, an announcement that was
received with loud applause.
Earl Beauchamp next gave the health of" The Chair-
man of the Local Committee—the Mayor of Dudley "
(implause)—remarking upon the arduous nature of their
duties, and how much the public were indebted to them
! for the very great success that had attended that meet.
tog.
The Mayor of Dudley (Mr. Alderman Wilkinson)
responded and expressed his pleasure and that of the
whole committee that their efforts should have been
crowned With success. He hoped and trusted that it
would not be long ere the Worcestershire Agricultural
Society met again at Dailey, and that the meeting
might be as successful as the present—lhear hear, and
applause).
The concluding toast, given by the noble Chairman
was that of •• The Secretary" (Mr. Albert Buck), who
briefly and appropriately responded.