The Sun.
London, England, 1856-12-05 00:00:00

BUTLA.ND AGRIOUTURAL SHOW.

OAKHAM, DEC. 3.
This 'important meeting took place to-day in the spa-
cious building known as the Riding School. As on
former occasions, a number of animals were exhibited
which were intended for the Smithfield show. Among
those who visited the show-yard were the Earl and
Countess of Gainsborough, Lady Victoria Noel, Lord
Aveland, Col, Lowther, the Right Hon. Sir J. Trollope,
M.P., Mr. A. Stafford, M.P., the Hon. G. H. Heath-
cote, M.P., the Hon. J. G. Noel, M.P., the Hon. E.
Freke, the Hon. H. Noel, Col. the Hon. S. Jocelyn, of
the Scots Fusilier Guards, &c.
The dinner took place in the Agricultural Hall, under
the presidency of Mr. A. Stafford, M.P., whd was sup-
ported by the county members and other gentlemen of
position and influence.
After the usual loyal toasts,
The Csautotler rose to propose the toast of the even-
ing, " Success to the Rutland Agricultural Society."
Now, said he, we really come to business ; and I am
going to use the language of the Riding School of this
morning in speaking of this toast. Other toasts were
" highly commended," but this is the prize toast.
(laughter and cheers)—therefore vou must honour it
accordingly. With regard to the Rutland Agricultural
Society, we find that it does not confine its operations,
cdoes not stint its benignant influence to the little
ounty but extends them so fart l
the bounds that
,
it crosses the banks of the Welland, and with such
effect that, while a member for Northamptonshire has
the honour to preside for this meeting, an ox from North-
amptonshire has had the luck to win the first prize.
(Laughter and cheers.) Therefore it becomes us to rejoice
as a society, and certainly we have a right to do so.
Very well, as everybody is contented, some one might
turn round uponlme and say, " What have you got
to talk :about ? Why not drink the toast in silence,
and, as Benedict' says in the play--' Give God thanks
and make no boast ?' (Laughter.) And, to a certain
extent, I-don't know why we should not do so. Bet if
we choose to have two or three word-, in a colloquial
sort of way I don't know who should forbid 119 ; and
why should not we have a few words socially and plea-
santly together ? (" Hear, hear," and cheere.) Now,
gentlemen, I intended to say nothing to you on a sub-
ject on which I spoke at Southampton, and which was
under consideration then, and is under consideration
now, among the tenant farmers of this country and
among the landed proprietors of this country also. But
a friend of mine from Ridlington said, "You must
bring forward the question of agricultural statistics."
s' Well," I said, "it has been worked very much dur-
ing the whole of this autumn, and perhaps the Oakham
Agricultural Society might get a little tired of it."
" That is not the fact," he said ;k" besides, if you don't
bring it forward at such an important meesing the
enemy will get hold of it and declare that, as the
tenant farmers present were not appealed to on the
subject, it might be assumed that they were in favour
of the measure proposed by Government." But now I
think that the contrary is the fact, and that you do
consider that, however desirable it might be to have the
details of the agriculture of this country presented to the
House of Commons in a popular form, that advantage
would not, with your approbation, or with your consent,
or with your assistance, be bought at the price of an
inquisitorial system to which no other class of her Ma-
jesty's subjects is liable. (Hear, hear.) Now, with
regard to this question of agricultural statistics, the
agriculture of this country rests precisely upon the same
footing as every other class of the manufacturing in-
dustry of this country. We know the imports of
agricultural produce also. They know the import of
cotton wool, and they know the export of cotton
wool. It is the same with iron ; it is the same
with every other article. But what would Mr. Turner
or any other respectable shopkeeper of Oakham say if a
Government inspector stepped in and said, "How many
yards of calico," or "how many yards of rihand have
you sold daring the last six months ? Write it down
for me, and deliver it under a penalty." Then, if the
inhabitants of towns would not like that inquisitorial
process, why should the farmers be subject to it ! for as
are the cotton and the ribands of the haberdasher, as is
the iron of
~the ironmaster, so is the wheat, so is the
corn, so is the poultry (we were to descend even to the
ducks and hens) of the farmer. (" Hear," and cheers.)
And we were to register the results, and have them
served up to the Houses of Parliament in a blue book.
Now, I don't wish at all to undervalue the importance
of knowing in this great and flourishing community the
increase of food raised—the increase, if I may so speak,
of agricultural wealth which is year by year produced in
this still more and more fertile island. But, as a guide
to the agriculturist, as a guide to the corn merchant, as
a guide to the consumer, I believe so large as our im-
portations of foreign cereal produce—that these agricul-
tural statistics would be of little or no use whatever.
(Hear, hear.) As I said before at Northampton, I now
repeat at Oakham, we have seen practically for several
years agricultural statistics collected in Ireland. They
are sent over and served up, or rather buried in a blue-
book every year before the House of Commons ; hut I
never yet met with one farmer, or one corn merchant, or
one consumer in Ireland who ever made the least refer-
ence to this blue book in the carrying on of his business
or in the arrangement of his crops. (Hear, hear.) The
agricultural statistics which we want would not be the
statistics of the past, but if I may so speak, of the fu-
ture, and should not have reference merely to England,
but to those enormous tracts of corn growing country 01
which we know nothing except when the cargoes arrive
at our ports. (" Hear, hear," and cheer.) And why
the farmers should be subjected to the process in question
I do not understand, except that there is a class which
stiil cherishes a feeling against us, and which is never hap-
py, and never seems to be quite pleased until it is doing
something to tease the agriculturists of this country.
Well, if those, or anything like those, are your opi-
nions, it will be your duty to instruct your members
on this subject ; and I confess I shall be anxious to
hear the two hon. members on my right (the Hon.
G. H. Heathcote and the Hen. J. G. Noel) give their
opinion on the matter. (Loud cheers ) The chairman
concluded amid vehement plaudits, and the toast was
drunk with every demonstration of enthusiasm.
The Hon. J. G. NOEL was first to reply. He was
truly glad that be could congratulate them on the
success of this society, now, he thought, in its 26th
year. He was glad to say that Providence had blessed
us with a more than average harvest—a better one
than that of last year ; and be was given to understand
that prices were unremunerative,- and that, generally
speaking, agricultural prospects had not been better
for many years past. He thought that the Agricul-
tural Statistics Bill, as presented to Parliament, was
- an insult to the tenant-farmers—(cheers)—and right
glad was he to find that that bill was withdrawn, He
thought the agricultural districts had spoken out pretty
significantly during the last two months, and had con-
demned most strongly such a prying, inquisitorial, and
nn-English measure as the one which had been pro-
iec bed.
The Hon. G. H. Heathcote also returned thanks for
the honour they had done him in drinking his health
there for the first time as their representative; and he
could assure them that it would always be his endea-
vour to serve them well and truly, and to promote the
success of agriculture. (Cheers.) We had had an abun-
dant harvest this year, and he therefore thought this was
a good opportunity for carrying on all those improve.
meats which he saw in progress. They saw how necessary
it was to bring science and machinery to bear upon
agricultural labour. Indeed, he did not know to what
length they might go at last ; they might, perhaps, see the
ateamplongh at work in some of their fields by and by.
He would now allude to a subject which be felt to he
deeply interesting, and upon which he had been asked by
the hon. chairman tc gi •
ve his opinion ; he alluded to
agricultural etatistics.
He bait great pleasure in receiv-
ing a deputation from his constituents in London, and
in reading the petition they cent up. With that petition
he suite agreed, and had the G^vernment hill as it stood
then come to a vote inhathe House of Commons it was
his full intention to given his opposition to it.
opinion upon
Should any new measure"
to receive their • • he introduced, he should hope
was sure, would meet with every e r
it, and that opinion, he
attention on his part.
lie could not, of coarse—
him—nchgentchouald not pledge himself to
hardly ask it of he thought they would
opposs any biilflawnhyigehhod might
comprehensive
until he saw
it ; because,
ih,pheelatehneive measure of
this kind could be brought
agreed by all parties, even by thfroiseeng:iui gentlemenit seemedwh il
ef the fariueri
they had a' ways !reeked up to as
that it
—and Lord Derby he thought seas in
favour of isome-
vhans desirable,
thing of the kind—it seemed aeeeed
After to give a
and he thought they could le, ;dig expect
pledge to oppose such a measure.
again thank
log his audience, the hon. member sat down amid
applause.
Various other toasts were given and the proceedings
prolonged until eight o'clock. ngs

MEETING OF WATCHMAKERS. —A numerous meeting
of this society took place on Tuesday evening I,7ng
at
the Adam and Eve, St. John-street-road, Clerkeuwell
for the purpose of con-idering what would be the effect
of the introduclon of female labour 'into those h„j.
neseis. The following rerolution was agreed to :.....
" That a committee be formed in order to call a.publie
. meeting, at a time and place suitable to Mr. Bennett
. (the great advocate for the introduction of female
labour), to argue the subject as fair between the em.
. ployer and employed."
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