MASTERTON A. & P. ASSOCIATION.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1185, 21 July 1911, Page 8

MASTERTON A. & P. ASSOCIATION.

ANNUAL RETORT, 1 Tho twenty-fourth annual report of the •, Masterton Agricultural and Pastoral Association is now being circulated. Tho i opening reference to the- season's piocoed- .' ing.s is that tho association has had "an- !• other successful year." The annual-show, ■ the report states, was held on February 11 and In, and was the first held on the ■• Solway Grounds. The attendance, as evidenced by the increased gato receipts, i was proof that tho association vas. wisein changing the grounds. Tho surange- : ments for tho sh6w bad been completed in i good time, and'the opinion had been ex- ' pressed by visitors that the appointments ' and grouiids wero all that could he desired. Tho grounds had been frrmally opened by the Governor, who had planted ; a tree to commemorate tho occasion. Tho : entries for the show had shown a sub-

I stantial increase on those for the j.revious ; fdibir, and they constituted a record for tho association. The fat cattle ami the . fat sheep classes had again been sn out-, standing feature, having ),een marked by ; un advance on even tho previous year's i splendid exhibit; no fewer than 135 head ; of fa't cattle- and "12 fat sheep had been ■ penned. At tho annual ram fair en "ebruarv lfi i and 17, 103 stud rams, 10 Aw\ ewes,'£6s7 .' flock rams, and 75 fleck twos lit total of ; 2!)35) had been submitted nnd sold at ; satisfactory prices. The membership showed a tqtal of 553, i. Ati increase of 111) en the previous year. 'Jlcmbers Were urged ta endeavour to increase the membership list to at. least ■ 1000, and.it was hop;d that that Tvvmber i. might be attained during the ensuing . year. On the subject of improvements, the ' report says:—"During the yeur the work of removing buildings 'from the Dixon ; Street Showgrounds was completed, ami tho ore'etibn of necessary new buildings' in hand. The whojij of tin- work ;.. was carried cut-by Mr. .T. Talt, under the : supervision of the Building Committee (Messrs. \V. Perry, D. M'Gregov, jun„ '■ and.W. .T. Welch), and the complete and : satisfactory arrangements .made jn.ali de- '; pnrtmonis reflect great credit on the : gentlemen named, who devoted much time ■ and thought tn tho work. The grandi stand is capable of seating over 2000 :' people, and the catering department und'ernentli the stand is thoroughly up-to-date iji every resp"ct. The sheep pavilions, ; phcen-ynrds, and paddeckiug and trucking facilities met the requirements of <x--1 hibiton,, who expressed themselves highly pleased. /The native bush'makes an ideal picnic ground for visitors. To add to the attractiveness it the grounds a great ntun-. • ber of native trees and shrubs, kindly . given by members, were planted this season by a working bee under tho superintendence of Dr. A. Hosking and Mr. E. Hale. Tho thanks of the association arc '. accorded to those who assisted in this . direction." 'The' annual meeting is set down for Saturday, July 29, at 2 p.m. Two mem'bers of the committee. Messrs. .7. L. Cruickshnnk and A. G. Pilnier, do not ;' peek re-election. The former has been a committeeman for the last fifteen'years. The balance-sheet showed Ihe as'socia- : tiou to be in an improved position, to : the extent of about .£1301) as compared ■with the previous year. A sum of illl IDs. 3d. had been written off iinprnve- ;: n..ents, and £\8 Its. id. off plant and office . furniture. Tho year's working of the ■ association, apart from donations to improvement account and from the Sol way Syndicate, showed a net profit of .£209 17s. Sd., which, tho report states, "mav be considered very satisfactory in view of tho non-recurring expenditure necessary in starting, the new grounds." The Bush Districts (Woodville) A. and , P. Association have inaugurated a farm . competition in connection with their next ' show. Points will be given on tho following considerations:—Cleanliness and - general appearance of cowshed nnd yards, provision of winter and summer fodder (cross), individual test of each cow of ■ herd during October, November, and De- . comber next, best average return per cow for the same months' (where the herd is composed mostly of heifers, three heifers count as two cows), stiitnbility of the herd for dairying purposes, also the suitability of the sire to improve the herd.,