LOSS OF £800.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 210, 5 September 1925, Page 14

LOSS OF £800.

COMPETITIONS SOCIETY. CANVASS FOR MEMBEBS. A loss of £800 resulted from the Auckland Competitions Sovietty% first annual festival, held during the latter jpart of July and early in August. The ! liabilities amounted to £1000 and the i receipts totalled only £200. j The position was discussed last evening at a meeting of the committee, | over which Mr. A Menzies presided. It • •was mentioned that it was decided at | a previous meeting of the committee to j approach Sir James Gunson, patron of i the society, in connection with the mat- ! ter. Sir James stated that he would do j what he could to assist, but pointed out | that when he accepted the position of patron he was the Mayor of the city. He could not be expected to be of the ! same service in an individual capacity. jHe agreed to head a deputation to the ! Legal and Finance Committee of the City Council.. On his advice the present Mayor, Mr. G. Baildon, was approached, and he also promised to do what he j could. ' That a comprehensive drive for members should be made was advocated by the chairman. The finances of the society , would be made sound if 1000 more mcmi bers. at £1 1/ each, could be obtained. ITn the meantime. Mr. Menzies suggested that the largest creditors be asked to grant the society time to wipe out its inabilities. ] Mr. Menzies compared the lack of supi port here to the excellent manner in fwhich the festivals in other cities were | patronised. In Christchureh, with 70.000 jiesjs people than Auckland, the attendances at the last competitions had I totalled 62.000 a_ainst 7000 in this • city. He lays the blame on lack of j organisation. j Mr. R. H. Marryatt. secretary, said ; that the public should be told that the society did not aim to make money, but that the profits were used to purchase i prizes and scholarships with the idea jof furthering the study of the various j arts. j In the opinion of Mr. C. Maekley the ' attendances would have been larger had the children been charged less for ad- ■: mission. Mr. H. S. Robinson suggested that a canvass should be made with a view to increasing- the number of members, i This was approved and a sub-committee, consisting of the chairman and "Messrs. Robinson, R. I. Gardiner and J: H. Rev-. j burn were appointed to take charge of , the matter. It was decided to call a meeting of i local Drize-winners over the age of 16 I years, to discuss the future of the society.