YEAR REVIEWED

Evening Post, Issue 79, 2 April 1936, Page 4

YEAR REVIEWED

MAWAWATU Aa AND P.

ASSOCIATION

1792 MEMBERS

"A study Of the annual accounts will show that there has been a continuance of the, upward trend of revenue items both in the winter and spring sho\f accounts and in the general revenue items. Receipts have increased by 20.17 per cent. At the same time expenditure has shown an increase and amounts to 13.33 per cent.," states the annual report of the general committee of the Manawatu and West Coast Agricultural and Pastoral Association. "The loss for the year amounts to £2530 18s 3d, compared with £601 19s 5d last year. Of this amount £2339 7s Id represents depreciation of assets. The -working loss for the year was thus £197 11s 2d The loss of revenue from' gate receipts on the first day of the spring show, due to incessant rain, was estimated at £200. Had the weather been fine on that day a small working profit might have resulted for the year. "The hurricane on February 2 Caused very extensive damage to our property. ' The members' grandstand roof was demolished and the roofs of the sale ring workshops, and some horse stalls suffered a like fate. The Winter Show buildings escaped from senouy damage.' The official, estimate of the cost of reinstatement was £2177. It may well be said that the hurricane has caused a crisis in the affairs of our association. Problems that might not have been tackled for some years are now receiving the most careful consideration of the committee. "As pointed out last year, the chief source of pur'trouble is the heavy burden of interest payments amounting to £700 a year. A stock drive was conducted for the purpose of creating a fund for the reduction of mortgages and the receipts for life members subscriptions were also placed to the credit of this account. ■ The stock drive was not the success it was expected to be and realised only £332 6s lOd Our sincere thanks are extended to those who generously gave either stock or cash for this purpose. Life memberships realised £156 10s, and the mortgage reduction account has now a credit balance of £488 16s lOd. It must be realised, however, that this figure is only a very minute proportion of our, heavy mortgages, totalling £17,000 "Plans for remedying this position form the subject of a special resolution, from-the committee to. the annual meeting recommending the.- sale of I about 28 acres of the showgrounds and the removal of the spring show to a from members subscriptions show an increase of £206 and 57 new; members have been enrolled for the coming year. It is hoped that m the course of the next two or three years the annual membership roll wijl reach the 2000 mark. At the present time there are 1792 members, of which 220 are either life or honorary life members. . , "Fine weather was experienced throughout the show. Considerable rearrangement of the method of display of produce and home industries resulted in unstinted praise from many quarters.- Although the expenditure at this show was £422 higher than for the previous winter show the receipts were £633 higher, and, a profit of £850 was tlie" result, compared 640 .the p'revious:,yearJ.";. ■ ,": r 'Lv.,, !';' Reference; is also,made ; tq the Golden Spring Show.; X; ■•;■,:•. '; The'Gove'rrior-GeheraliXViscount Galway) is patron of the association. The vice-preside&ts elected by the general committee Messrs.^,. F. Knight, A. E. Mansford, J. A. Nash, W. J. Blundell, J. A. Russell, and H. Voss, and Messrs. Jos. Bachelar and T. R. Hodder were elected president and hon. treasurer respectively. A list of officers elected by "postal ballot, and of members remaining in office is given in the report;'-'/,; ■ - •