IMPROVER YEAR

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21729, 11 March 1936, Page 15

IMPROVER YEAR

mmwmm SUCCESSFUL ACTIWOTS A very considerable financial improvement on the previous year, after allowing for. extraordinary items o£ expenditure and nearly £7OO- depreiciation, is shown in the annual report and balance-sheet of the Canterbury Agricultural and' Pastoral: Association for the year ended December 31; 1935. i "Fairly heavy expenditure has been made in. the last three years on ground 1 maintenance," states the report. "During the year the committee rearranged the mortgage of £9500 upon the grounds with the Mortgage Corporation. The benefit of the lower interest rate and 5 a slightly increased: halfyearly payment will extinguish, the indebtedness in 30 years! The: corporar tion requires a borrower to contribute 2 per centw of the loan, to the reserve fund of the institution and this amount, £l9O. is charged against the year's revenue. With an improvement in farming conditions it is hoped the subscription account will show an improvement. "The membership of the association: stands at 1469, made up, of 362. life members, 1077/ annual' members, and 30 junior members* "The ram fair in 1935 was successful, and in most sections of the sale there was an improvement in prices compared with the 1934? fair. "The 1935 show, which was held on November 13 and 14, was the most successful in: the history of the association. The stock entry was a record, and taking the four main stock sections, set figures never previously, recorded by this or any other association in the Dominion. The largest increase was in horses, and each year since 1929 shows a marked increase in. this division. In 1934 a record of 778 was established, but for 1935 there was a big increase to 871, and a pleasing feature was the increase in draught horses.

"Many kindred associations were unfortunate with the weather for their spring shows, but after a phenomenally wet spell in the days preceding the show, which hampered organisation, the weather cleared, on the first day, with the result that the gate receipts were the best since before the slump. "During December, the association conducted a competition for export lambs on behalf of the New Zealand Meat Producers' Board, and the selection of 45 lambs from the large entry of 738 should ensure that North Can>■terbury will be represented by a really good lot when the South Island display is made at Smithfield."