A. AND P. ASSOCIATION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9633, 13 June 1919, Page 3

A. AND P. ASSOCIATION.

(To the Editor "Guaiidian.") Sir —In reading the report of the meeting of tho A. and P. Association 1 saw that a few friends of Mr J. Cow have been going round with a petition asking him to retain the office of chairman lor another year. Together with many others, 1 feel very strongly on the matter, for the reason which 1 will give. 1 may say that I have no complaint against my friend Mr Cow, who has been a personal friend of mine tor over 25 years, and, although I do not see everything in the same light-as he does, I <dvo him full credit for all he has done for the association while president He has done splendid work. He stated he was not looking for the chair for another year, and if he had been well advised he would certainly have vacated the chair when his term was up. I have always been under the impression. that the president had only one. vote,; therefore if Mr Cow vacated the chair and was on the committee he could 'still j do as good work as if he were president, and could help the ingoing president to the utmost of his ability. , A few of Mr Cow's friends have made j a great point about paying off the. association's overdraft, but as a matter of fact they sold freehold land that brought in about £460. Was it not • out of place: for Mr Cow to make a suggestion just before his time was up to vacate the chair ? Further, he intimated his intention to move a motion to give good prizes for the best- < kept soldier's farm. When I go down to Moeraki Lighthouse deep-sea fishing the first thing wo do as soon as we get out in the boat is to throw feed to the fish and if they take that wo know that as soon as we throw the baited hook they will take it, and they only want pulling in. This proposition of his savours of this element. How can they expect the poor soldiers to get their farms in show form in a year or, two, more especially after sucfi^, a--had season ? I think that Mr Cow and Mr Stringfellow are well advised if they will both withdraw, as it is opening the door to what is not customary. lam certain. there will be a bitter contest and very strong feeling over the matter, and it will tend to do the association no good; and it is a pity now that it is in splendid working order. I may state lam making this observation based on a life-long experience. I have a record that I believe no other man in New Zealand can show. As for assisting the show along, a few facts will not be out of place. Tho late Mr George' Rutherford made the remark at the Rangiofa show that the first time he met me was in 1873 on the old Sydenham Show Grounds in a jumping competition, and he heat me. I remarked: "I could beat you now riding." I have been going strong ever since. I have taken many prizes in almost every class of stock. I have judged almost every class of stock that comes into % show ring. I have taught all my family to ride, and they have been contestants in jumping events as soon as, you might say, they were able to walk. I doubt if there are any better lady riders or more fearless riders in Australasia than my daughters have shown themselves to be. As a donator to the prize funds, I have given hundreds of pounds, away. As ! has been stated, I have judged stock all over New Zealand from Auckland ' to the Bluff, and never.'within niydenow-,-., ledge havel accepted one shilling, for compensation from any one association, but have always paid my own expenses. I was appointed to judge "at eight different shows this season, and only on two occasions did my name appear in the paperr as having been elected as judge, and as a silent worker in the interests of the various associations asjudge, exhibitor, and donator of prizes, j. .have little to show in the shape ol\ complimentary or newspaper appreciation for a life-time labour, and ; yet there are others who seem to have the happy knack of being boomed and -their every movement is recorded and due publicity is iven to their efforts. In conclusion, I hope that both Mr Cow and Mr Stringfellow will take a broad view of the present position and withdraw their nominations or- intentions to occupy the chair as president, and help to elect to that honourable position the individual who is really entitled to occupy the same for the current year. A. J. KEITH.