Short title

Interpretation

THE

CHAPTER 69.

An Ordinance respecting Agricultural Socieites.

HE Lieutenant Governor, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Territories, enacts as follows:

SHORT TITLE.

1. This Ordinance may be cited as "The Agricultural Societies Ordinance." 1903, c. 17, s. 1.

INTERPRETATION.

2. In this Ordinance, unless the context otherwise requires— 1. The expression "department" means the Department of Agriculture;

2. The expression "commissioner" means the Commissioner of Agriculture;

3. The expression "society" means any agricultural society organized or continued under this Ordinance. 1903, c. 17, s. 2

OBJECTS OF AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES.

Objects of societies

3. The objects of a society shall be to encourage improvement in agriculture, horticulture, arboriculture, manufactures and the useful arts

1. By holding meetings for the delivery of lectures and for the discussion of subjects connected with the theory and practice of any of the said industries;

2. By promoting the circulation of agricultural, pastoral, horticultural, arboricultural and mechanical periodicals, and by the formation and maintenance of a reference library on such subjects for the use of its members;

3. By importing and otherwise procuring seeds, plants and animals of new or valuable kinds;

4. By holding exhibitions as hereinafter provided at which prizes may be awarded for

(a) Excellence in the raising or introduction of live stock; (b) The invention or improvement of agricultural machines. or implements;

(c) The production of grains and all kinds of vegetables,
plants, flowers and fruits, home manufactures and
works of art; and generally for excellence in any
agricultural production or operation;

5. By offering prizes for essays on subjects relating to agriculture, including the prevention of prairie fires and the eradication of noxious weeds;

6. By taking action to eradicate poisonous and noxious weeds and to exterminate such animals as are found to injure or impede agriculture;

7. By carrying on experiments in the growing of crops, the feeding of stock or any other branch of agriculture or by testing any system of farming;

8. By affiliating and co-operating with associations organized to improve live stock or encourage grain growing, dairying, forestry or fruit growing, or promote the study of plant life or the destruction of injurious insects and plants. 1903, c. 17, s. 3.

4. The funds of agricultural societies, howsoever derived, Expenditure shall not be expended for any objects inconsistent with those authorized by this Ordinance.

(2) Such funds shall be deposited from time to time to the credit of the society in a chartered bank or other banking house; and all cheques shall be signed by the president or a vce-president and the treasurer or secretary-treasurer of the society. 1903, c. 17, s. 4.

EXISTING SOCIETIES CONTINUED.

societies

5. All agricultural societies established and in operation at Existing the time of the coming into force of this Ordinance shall be continued as agricultural societies under and subject to the provisions of this Ordinance and the present officers of such societies shall continue to hold office as such until the next annual meeting of the society. 1903, c. 17, s. 5.

ORGANIZATION OF SOCIETIES.

6. An agricultural society may be formed under the pro-Organization visions hereof in the following manner:

1. An application in form A in the schedule hereto and containing the information indicated as required thereby shall be signed by not less than fifty persons all being over eighteen years of age and residents of the Territories and not being members of any other agricultural society;

First meeting of members

Report to be sent to

department

2. Every person signing the said application shall pay at least one dollar as or as part of his first annual subscription to the funds of the proposed society and such moneys shall be paid to and be held by one of the subscribers in trust for the society;

3. The application shall be verified by an affidavit of one. of the subscribers in the form appended to said form A;

4. The application so verified shall be transmitted to the commissioner who, if he approves thereof, shall declare the subscribers thereto to be organized into a society under the name of "The... Agricultural Society," and shall issue a certificate of such organization in form B in the schedule hereto and thereupon the society shall be deemed to be formed and it shall be a corporation and in addition to its other rights as such it shall have the power to hold real estate necessary for the objects of the society; but any society may, subject to the permission of the commissioner, change its name at any time;

[5. A new society shall not be formed unless the chief place of business for the proposed society is at least ten miles distant from any existing society in the province;

6. The annual exhibition must be held at the chief place of business as specified in the certificate of organization.] 1903, c. 17, s. 6; 1910 (2nd Session), c. 16, s. 1.

7. As soon as practicable after the formation of the society a meeting of the subscribers and of such other persons as may desire to become members thereof, which shall be the first annual meeting of the society, shall be held at the call of such person as the commissioner may nominate for that purpose and at such time and place and with such prior public notice as he may direct. 1903, c. 17, s. 7.

8. A report of the said meeting certified by the president and secretary which shall contain a statement of the number of members and a list of the officers elected and appointed shall be sent by the secretary to the department within one week after the meeting. 1903, c. 17, s. 8.

MEMBERSHIP.

Persons
e igible for

members! ip

9. Any person who would have been qualified to sign an application for the formation of a society may become a member thereof at any time on payment to the treasurer of a membership fee of not less than one dollar.

(2) Payment of the said fee shall entitle the person paying it to the privileges of membership for the year for which it is paid.

(3) At the time of payment of his membership fee every member shall give to the treasurer the post office address to which all notices of meetings and other notices shall be sent.

(4) Subject to the by-laws of the society a firm or an incorporated company may become a member of any society by the payment of the regular fee, but the name of one person only shall in any one year be entered as the representative or agent of such firm or company and that person only shall exercise the privileges of membership in the society. 1903, c. 17, s. 9.

SUPERINTENDENT OF FAIRS.

appointed by

10. The commissioner may from time to time appoint a Officers superintendent of fairs and institutes and such other officers commissioner as may be required to carry out the provisions of this Ordinance and may appoint an inspector to examine the books and accounts of any society and may confer on him any or all of the powers which may be conferred on a commissioner appointed under the provisions of An Ordinance respecting Inquiries concerning Public Matters. 1903, c. 17, s. 10.

OFFICERS OF SOCIETY.

11. The officers of the society shall consist of a president Officers and two vice-presidents who shall be ex officio directors and nine, twelve or fifteen additional elected directors as may be determined by the society, a secretary and a treasurer or a secretary-treasurer and [one auditor who shall be an official auditor]. 1903, c. 17, s. 11; 1910 (2nd Session), c. 16, s. 2.

of voters and

[12. The persons qualified to vote for officers or to be elected Qualification shall be only those members who have paid their membership officers fee for the ensuing year. To enable persons to join, the secretary shall be present at the place appointed for holding such annual meeting one hour previous to the hour set for holding such annual meeting for the purpose of receiving membership fees.] 1910 (2nd Session), c. 16, s. 3.

elected at first

13. At the first annual meeting all of the officers except the Officers to be secretary and the treasurer or the secretary-treasurer shall be annual elected by bailot. 1903, c. 17, s. 13.

meeting

of president

14. The president, vice-presidents, directors and auditors Term of office elected at the first cr any subsequent annual meeting shall elected at first hold office until the next following annual meeting. 1903, c. 17, s. 14.

meeting

treasurer

15. The board of directors may from time to time appoint Secretarya secretary and a treasurer or a secretary-treasurer who may be a director or directors and who shall hold office during pleasure. 1903, c. 17, s. 15.

Security to be given by treasurer

Vacancy in office

Commissioner may call

in certain cases

[16. The secretary and the treasurer or the secretarytreasurer of any society or exhibition association within one month of his appointment shall obtain a bond from a guarantee company for such an amount as the directors may deem sufficient and such bond to be renewed yearly and said bond to be sent to the minister.

(2) No grant shall be paid to any society or exhibition association under the Ordinance unless and until the said bond has been forwarded to the department.] 1910 (2nd Session), c. 16, s. 4.

17. In the event of an officer of an agricultural society dying or resigning office, or in any other way vacating his office during the period for which he has been elected, the board of directors shall appoint an eligible person to fill the office for the unexpired term of the person so vacating office. 1903, c. 17, s. 17.

18. If at any time there shall be no officers of a society or meetings, etc.. if there is an insufficient number of officers and they do not act the commissioner may authorize any person to call a meeting of the society for any purpose or to take such other action as the commissioner may deem proper in the interests of the society. 1903, c. 17, s. 18.

Annual meeting of society

Notice of annual meeting

Substituted meeting

MEETINGS OF SOCIETY.

[19. Every agricultural society shall hold its annual meeting on the first Wednesday in the month of December in each year at the hour of two o'clock in the afternoon and at such a place as may be decided upon by the board of directors:

Provided that should the first Wednesday be a holiday, the annual meeting shall be held on the following Thursday afternoon.

(2) The work for the year of the agricultural societies shall close three days prior to the date of the annual meeting.] 1910 (2nd Session), c. 16, s. 5.

20. At least two weeks' previous notice of the time and place of holding an annual or other meeting of a society shall be given by the secretary by written or printed notice mailed to each member of the society, and such additional notice as the directors may decide. 1903, c. 17, s. 20.

21. In case any society shall, through any cause, fail to hold its annual meeting within the time appointed the commissioner may appoint a time for holding the same, and the meeting shall be called by the secretary or by some person appointed for that purpose by the commissioner in the same way as the regular annual meeting and this meeting shall in all particulars be taken as the annual meeting of the society. 1903, c. 17, s. 21.