SOCIETY IN DECLINE

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32975, 22 July 1972, Page 13

SOCIETY IN DECLINE

Plea macle to gardeners

Dwindling membership and ageing members are problems facing the Canterbury Horticultural Society, now in its 120th year. Membership declined by 72 over the last year. It was a mistake to say that young people were not interested in the society, said the president (Mr S. W. Gower) at the annual meeting this week. “We are not selling the society to the gardening public, which must be interested if we are to survive,” he said. Subscriptions would have to be raised to meet higher costs, said Mr Gower. The meeting decided to increase the subscription by $l. It has not been raised since 1965. Officers elected were: Patron, Sir George Manning; president, Mr S. W. Gower; vice-president, Mr A. J. A. Dewar; honorary-vice-presidents, Messrs E. Taylor, J. WaUing. W. J. Humm, O. Anderson and N. E. Taylor; secretary-treasurer, Mr J. C. Fraser; committee, Messrs I. A. Bennett, E. G. Collett, N. W. Drain, H. G. Gilpin, J. H. Hannan, J. A. Martin, T. E. Meager. J. N. Oliver, R. A. Proctor, D. D. Raich, E. W. Rodgers, J. O. Taylor. Mrs J. Okey and Miss M. Watting; honorary botanist. Professor W. R. Phillipson; honorary solicitor, Mr N. E. Taylor.