WAIKATO A. AND P. ASSOCIATION.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 75, 28 March 1924, Page 7

WAIKATO A. AND P. ASSOCIATION.

UNPAID SI7BSCRXPTONS. TANTAMOUNT TO FRAUD. (By Telesrajih.— Own Correspondent.) HAMILTON, this day. The annual meeting of the Waikato A. and P. Association was held at the association's offices yesterday. Mr, K. Scddon, president, occupied the chair. In his annual report, the president said the entries of stock were far in excess of any former effort made !>y the association, and the quality also in almost every (section showed" marked success, thus certifying to the careful attention that stock breeders were displaying in the management of their studs, herds and flocks. The Industrial section was also reinstated and was very highly appreciated by exhibitors and visitors alike, and the quality of the exhibits in this section were more than favourably commented on. Altogether Ihe entries were a record for the Auckland Province aud probably for the Dominion, having reached over 2330.

The finance was still not as flourishing as could be desired. A good number of the members still seemed to forget that the association could not be a, power for good to the district or the individual without money, so that the help of every member was solicited to nssist in forwarding the association's work, liv payment of accounts where due and in , securing fresh members. The committee during the past year, owing to the stringent state of finances deferred further huilding of cattle pavilions, but secured covers for the cattle pens, which proved a successful venture as they acted well for shade and shelter, and were disposed of after the show with no loss to the association. Still the extension of the shed accommodation was one of the association's most urgent needs, and the retiring committee desired to recommend that an endeavour be made to at least double the present ahed-room before the 1924 show date came round.

The balance-sheet showed a profit for the year of 8/7. It showed that f 1246 was paid out in trophies, the cost of the year's show being £2753 14/9. Depreciation was set down at £412, and over £500 due in subscriptions was wiped off. The income included £083 subscriptions, £508 entry fees, £457 donations, £029 gate receipts, and £884 rents.

The auditor, Air. R. English, commented upon the fact that the association had wiped ofT as bad debts, £."»00 subscriptions, which were overdue. Last year, he said, over £:)00 was wiped off in a similar way. Thus in two years fie association had wiped off £800. "This, the speaker considered too much. He thought a large amount of those subscriptions could be recovered, as he did not think any man would use his entrance tickets and not pay up if asked. If lie did he was deliberately dishonest. After three years it was quite right to wipe off defaulting members' names, but the speaker considered something should !je done to collect the money before the three years elapsed. The writing off of large sums yearly as depreciation on buildings at the rate which the association had been doing would leave them, in about ten years, without any interest in the buildings whatever.

Mr. T. Hinton: But that is only a mat ter of book-keeping.

Mr. English : But it means that when you have exhausted all your capital asets by writing them off, although the buildings and assets exist, they will not belong to you, but to the bank and your other creditors. It was far better to write off any overdue subscriptions than to include them in the balancesheet as an asset.

The secretary said that while lie struck all three-year-old defaulters off the members' list, he yet did not cease striving to get in their subscriptions.

Mr. English suggested that in future the secretary, instead of posting tickets, should forward a circular to each member to the effect that his tickets were available at the secretary's office on payment of the annual subscription.

The suggestion will go forward as a recommendation to the executive.

Mr. R. Seddon was returned unopposed to the position of president, Mr. W. Newell as vice-president, and Mr. J. Teddy as junior vice-president.