Bill ;No. 66 of 1949. A BILL TO AMEND THE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES ACT. NOTE. This Bill amends The Agricultural Societies Act being

chapter 246 of the Revised Statutes of Alberta,

Section 3 of the Act is amended by the Bill. The amend­ ment slightly enlarges the objects of agricultural societies to include such things as homemaking, home economics, soil conservation, reforestation, rural beautification and things of a like nature.

Section 5 (3) is struck out in order to remove a restric­ tion which required the annual exhibition to be held at the chief place of business, of the society. This was in conflict with

section 30 which stated that an exhibition eould be held at any place decided upon by the directors.

Section 19 requires a society to hold .its annual meeting after its annual exhibition. Some societies do not hold annual exhibitions and others which do may hold other activities after the exhibition. It is the intention that the annual meeting should follow all activities of the year so the Bill amends

section 19 to require the annual meeting to be held on or before the twentieth day of December in each year.

Section 23 is amended to clarify the intention of two of the present paragraphs and to delete the reference to co­ operative agricultural experiments which have been discon­ tinued.

Section 27 deals with the returns required by the Depart­ ment. This

section is amended slightly to give more particu­ lars as to forms required to be filed and to clarify the inten­ tion of the section. The date for filing these returns is extended from the twenty-third day of December to the fifteenth day of January of the following year. A new subsection (2) is added to

section 30. It pr~hibits a fair or exhibition from being held within fifty mIles of an existing fair or exhibiton unless the consent of th2 Minister is obtained or unless the fair or exhibition was held in that location in

Section 33 of the Act dealing with grants is struck out and replaced by two new sections 33 and 33a. The former paragraph (

a) dealing with me~bership gr~nts and ~he former paragraph (

b) dealing wIth grants In connectIon

ii with co-operative agricultural experiments have been struck out as both have been discontinued. The Bill also reduces the grant for holding an exhibition or fair from a maximum of three thousand dollars to a maximum of fifteen hundred dollars for holding Class B fairs and to a maximum of four hundred dollars for any other fair. The amounts of the remaining grants are generally unchanged although the wording of the

section has been clarified by the amendment. KENNETH A. McKENZIE, Acting Legislative Counsel. (This 'lWte does not form any part of the Bill but is olfered in explanation of its provisions.)

BILL No. 66 of 1949.

An Act to amend The Agricultural Societies Act. (Assented to ,1949.) HIS MAJESTY, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the PrDvince of Alberta, enacts as follows: 1. The Agricultural Societies Act, being

chapter 246 of the Revised Statutes of Alberta, 1942, is hereby amended as to

section 3 by striking out the same and by substituting the following: "3. The Dbjects of a society shall be to' encO'urage improve­ ment in agriculture, horticulture, hO'memaking, manufac­ tures and the useful arts by the fDllO'wing means, that is to say: "(

a) by holding meetings for the delivery of lectures and demDnstrations and fDr the discussion Df subjects connected with the theory and practice of any of the said industries; " (

b) by 'promoting and encouraging conservation of natural resources, including soil conservatiDn, refor­ estation and rural beautification; " (

c) by holding ,exhibitions or competitions as herein­ after provided at which prizes may be awarded for,- "(

i) excellence in the raising or introduction Df Ii ve stock; "(ii) the production of grains and all kinds of vegetables, plants, flowers and fruits; " (iii) proficiency in such farming operations and skills as plowing, etc.; "(iv) the invention or improvement of agricultur­ al machines or implements; " (

v) proficiency in such homemaking skills as food preparation, sewing, home crafts, etc.; "(vi) prDficiency in such skills as blacksmithing, carpentry, etc., which relate to' agriculture; "(vii) hDme manufactures and works Df art; " (viii) excellence generally in any agricultural prDduction or operation; " (

d) by hDlding auction Dr other sales through which };myers and sellers Df live stock, poultry and farm equipment may be brought together;

2 " (

e) by developing activities to enco~rage and i~te~est bQYs and girls in the work of agrIcultural socIetIes; "(

I) by supporting and co-operating ~ith associations organized to improve the 'productIOn of farm pro­ ducts .or to promQte and encourage those activities which are designed toO better rural life.". 2. The said Act is further amended as to sectiQn 5 by striking out subsecti.on (3). 3. The said Act is further amended as to

section 19 by striking .out the same and by substituting the following: "19. Each society shall hold its annual meeting on or before the twentieth day of December in each year at such time and plaoe as may be determined by the board of dir- ectors." . 4. The said Act is further amended as to

section 23 by striking out paragraphs (e), (

I) and (

g) and by substituting the following: "(

e) a separate statement for each of the activities car­ ried on by the society during the year showing the amount offered and the amount actually paid out in prizes or awards and the number .of entries in each class; "(

I) a report of each activity carried out by the society during the year giving a brief description of the activity, the number who participated and the names of the persons who may have officiated.". 5. The said Act is further amended as to

section 27 by striking out the same and by substituting the fQllowing: "27.-

(1) A- list of the officers elected at the annual meeting and a copy or

summary of each report and statement presented thereat shall be transmitted to the Department by the secretary upon the forms provided fQr the purpose on or before the fifteenth day of January of the next fol­ lowing year. "

(2) Any agricultural society and any incorporated com­ pany or board of management .of a j oint exhibition desirous of obtaining a grant in respect of any activity shall transmit to the Department .on or before the fifteenth day of January of each year a return furnishing the informatiQn set out in paragraphs (c), (

d) and (

e) of sectiQn 23 in respect of the activities conducted during the immediately preceding cal­ endar year. "

(3) In case the returns required by subsections (1) and (2) are not transmitted before the date specified, the appli­ cant for the grant shall not receive any portion .of the grant unless the Minister is satisfied by the explanations given that the delay was unav.oidable .or inadvertent in which case he may pay the grant which the society would be entitled toO after deducting the sum of five dQllars for each week of the delay.

s " ( 4) The Minister in his discret.ion may extend the time for filing any return.". 6. The said Act is further amended as to

section 30,­ (

a) by renumbering the same as subsection (1) of sec­ tion 30; (

b) by adding immediately after subsection (1) the following new subsection: "

(2) No society, company, or board of manage­ ment shall hold any fair or exhibition within fifty miles ,of the place where any existing society, com­ pany, or board of management holds a fair or exhibi­ tion unless it has the consent in writing of the Minister, or unless it held its fair or exhibition at that place in the year 1948.". 7. The said Act is, further amended as to

section 33 by striking out the same and by substituting the following: "33.-

(1) A grant may be paid to any society and to any company or board of management holding any of the activities set out in subsection (2) out of moneys approp­ riated by the Legislative Assembly :for the aid of agricultural societies. "

(2) The grants which may be paid for each activity shall be calculated as follows: " (

a) for holding an exhibition or fair where the total expenditure for prizes in the agricultural and domes­ tic classes at such exhibition or fair exceeds three hundred dollars, a grant equal to. fifty per cent of the amount actually paid out in such prizes, but not exceeding the sum of fifteen hundred dollars in the case of a fair which qualifies for recognition as a Class B fair as defined by the regulations of the Dominion Department of Agriculture and not ex­ ceeding the sum of four hundred dollars in the case of a fair which does not qualify as a Class B fair; " (

b) for holding a seed grain fair, a grant equal to fifty per cent of the amount actually paid out for prizes at the fair, but not exceeding the sum of one hundred dollars; "(

c) for holding a winter exhibition of poultry, a grant equal to fifty per cent of the amount actually paid out for prizes at the exhibition but not to exceed the sum of one hundred dollars; " (

d) for holding a horticultural exhibition, a grant equal to fifty per cent of the amount actually paid out for prizes at the exhibition, but not exceeding the sum of one hundred dollars; " (

e) for holding a farm and home improvement competi­ tion, a grant equal to fifty ·p.er cent of the amo,!nt actually paid out for such prIzes, but not exceedIng the sum of two hundred dollars;

, '(

I) for holding a tillage match, a grant equal to fifty per cent of the amount actually paid out for prizes, but not exceeding the sum of 'One hundred dollars; "(

g) for conducting a live stock show or sale, a grant to cover judging fees and other incidental expenses equal to fifty per cent of the actual cost of these items to the society, but in no case to exceed the sum of one hundred dollars; "(

h) for conducting a competition for junior clubs at the time of a fair or exhibition, a grant equal to ten dollars for each recognized junior club which takes

part in the competition, but not to. exceed a total grant of one hundred dollars. u

(3) Notwithstanding the provisions contained in sub­ section (2) no sum shaH be paid to any society in excess of a sum bearing the same ratio to the moneys appropriated by the Legislative Assembly for the aid of agricultural societies in general, as the sum permitted to be granted to the said society does to the total moneys permitted to be granted to all societies. "( 4) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (2) if any society operates so near a provincial border that its activities serve areas outside 'Of the Province, the Minister may make grants to the said society in proportion to the ratio of the activities of the society which s€rve the Prov­ ince. "

(5) No society, oom'pany, or board of management shall secure financial assistance under subsection (2) for more than four aetivities in any calendar year nor shall a society, company, or board of management be entitled to receive more than one grant for each type of activity in any calendar year. "

(6) In any case where the activities for which grants may be paid undernaragraphs (b),(c),(d),(e),(

f) and (

g) are conducted at the time of the exhibition, they shall be considered as part of the exhibition and shaH not be eligible for separate grants. "

(7) The Mil1iRt-p-r may withold payment of that portion of any. grant. offered for a prize which in his opinion is not calculated to promote the legitimate objects of an agricultur­al society. "

(8) No incorporated compa.ny that permits voting by proxy or allows more than one vote to be exercised by each shareholder, irrespective of the number of shares owned or controlled by the shareholder, shan be entitled to any grant under this section. "3&0-.

(1) The Lieutenant Governor in Council may, if he ~eems 1~ proper so to do, ma.ke a special grant t.o any s~Iety whIch has actually held an activity but which has faIled to comply strietly with all the requirements of

section 33.

5 , ,

(2) The amount of any special grant shall not exceed the grant to which the society would have been entitled had it complied with the requirements of

section 33. "

(3) The Lieutenant Governor in Council, upon the recommendation of the Minister, may make a speci~l grant to any society which has held an activity approved by the Minister other than an activity set out in subsection (2) of

section 33.". 8. This Act shall come into force on the day upon which it is assented to.

No. 66 FIRST SESSION ELEVENTH LEGISLATURE 13 GEORGE VI 1949 BILL

An Act to amend The Agricultural Societies Act. Received and read the First time ........................ . Second time ..................................... . Third time ........... . HON. MR. URE. Title: 1949 (11th, 1st) Bill 66,

An Act to amend The Agricultural Societies Act