A. AND P. ASSOCIATION.

Feilding Star, Volume III, Issue 816, 1 March 1909, Page 4

A. AND P. ASSOCIATION.

MANAWATU'B ANNUAL MEETING. INTERESTINtOTEVIEWS AND DISCUSSIONS. The annual meeting of the Manawatu and West Coast A. and P. Association was held on Saturday afternoon, Mr F. Arbon presiding. There was a fair attendance of members. PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. Mr Arbon, in moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, made reference first to the question of finance. Last year their overdraft amounted to £5378, while this year it totalled £5616. There was thus a deficiency of £237, against which there was an -expenditure of £431 in buildings. Some of the members might wonder why the overdraft was still increasing, but hewould mention that they had purchased £2100 worth of land during the past three years and during the past five years had expended £3300 on buildings, therefore it would be apparent that they had a very good asset against their overdraft. Alluding to the Dairy Show, he stated that altogether it had been very satisfactory, inasmuch as they had started in a very small way and were still forging ahead. Mention should be made of the school gardens display, which was the means of distributing a great deal of useful information and was encouraging to the young idea. The thanks of the farming community as a whole were due to j the school masters and TVanganui Education Board for their assistance in the matter. There were many j children in the community who were j not connected with matters •apperaining to the farm, but who, seeing these exhibits might be induced to take an interest therein. The farmers of the district were beginning to realise the possibilities in the fruitgrowing industry. Alluding to the fruit classes he stated that this year they were offering a special prize of £10 in the class for apples. Taking the Dairy Show as a whole it could safely be said that it was a success and he thought that in years to come it would probably forge ahead of the Spring Show. With regard to the dairy industry the President said in this country the industry was yet in its infancy, and on that account the Spring Show had answered all purposes for many years. Things had altered of late years and the dairy industry was forging ahead and was going to "be a big thing. There were people now who said that the Spring Show had practically reached its limit. This could not be said of the dairy industry : and farmers who were working it as it should be would in time to come see a tremendous boom in the country. With regard to the Spring Show, however, they still occupied a leading position in the North Island, possibly from its geographical position, which gave it an exceptional value as a show. There were some 360 miles of railway by which people could travel to and from Palmerston. There were no other towns that had such a number of railway lines leading into them and for that alone our Show held a leading position. The biggest item of expenditure in connection with it was the huge sum of £1400 in prizes. Some members thought they had gone far enough in this matter, but, although it seemed a huge sum to expend, results have proved that it was justified They still wanted additional breeders. The sheep pavilions should be added to but the committee were hampered by the question of finance. The horse people were also anxious that something should be done for them. One of the last things the President referred to was the membership roll, which he considered was in an unsatisfactory state. The membership had been going down for the last few years. There was no doubt I that the other smaller societies springing up in adjacent districts, and the present financial stress, had a great deal to do with the question, because members found they could only support one society, ami decided to support the one nearest them — forgetting the much greater amount of good the Manawatu Society did for them. The whole crux of the financial position, the speaker considered, was to get the membership back to where it was before, and to get _it past that point. A great many resignations Mere undoubtedly caused by members leaving tße district — at least, that was the excuse given. It would be a very simple thing for members^ when a new man came to the district,, to get him as a member. About 90 per cent, of the new members seemed to be brought in by the general committee, and the other members had got into a very bad habit of leaving it all to the committee instead of doing their best to increase the membership. "If every three members made an effort and got one more we should be in clover," were the concluding words of the President, who sat down amid applause. THE TREASURER SECONDS. Mr J. M. Johnston seconded the motion, and in doing so said that although they had got down considerably in their figures they were by no means on the wrong side, and the society generally, was in a first-class position. There was no doubt that a great deal of the loss in income was due to the spending power Being considerably reduced through the tightness of the money market, and especially by the fall in wool. The Association was in a first-class position. It was absolutely sound, and if they had a set-back last year they might have a set-forward this year. Mem. bers should strive, by securing new members, to increase the receipts and put the Association on a still sounder tooting. THE DISCUSSION. Mr J. Kyle, after questioning one or two items in the ballance-sheet, which were satisfactorily explainedj said the Association had lost the confidence of the public to such an extent that they had lost heavily in membershop. People thought the Association was running things on its own lines, and the show was falling off. The Committee was not representative of the members, and the rule regarding the status 1 of an unfinanciali member wanted amending. Ib would pay some of the members of the committee to disguise themselves and go about among the farmers, so as to hear some of tihe discussions that went on, and the estimation the Association was held in. The president had referred to the difficulty experienced in getting farmers to read papers. Had any farmers been asked to do so? Mr Harkness: Yes. Mr Kyle: Did the/ refuse? Mr Harkness: Yes. Mr Kyle: Well, I know several, who could do it, and would be willing to do it. In fact, 1 would have much pleasure in reading one myself at one time, though I don't say I would do it now. (Laughter.) Mr Andrews, announcing, himself as an unfinaaicial member, criticised the management of the Association, saying that it was "carried on by. just a few old gentlemen who had remained in office year after year, giving no one else an opportunity to get in." "If you afllow me to vote, 1 ' said Mr Andrews, "I will become a; financial member at once. The principle of not allowing a member to vote until he has paid' his subscription is a bad one." Mr Stevens said that, before such a rule was introduced, members who were anxious to secure their election went round the country and got every Tom, Dick, ami Harry to join so that they could vote. After the election was over they were seen no more, nor their money, either. The President said that if Mr 'Andrews was not a financial member he was not privileged to speak. JMsr St. C. Jounniaux conwdlered that it was a good thing for people to air their grievances. He suggested that the matter! should be put to the meeting. The matter was, however, allowed to lapse. / MR HAEKNESS, OPTIMIST. Mr J. O. Harkness failed to see any great reason for despondency. Had any institution done as well this year as last, They moat expect dark years as well" «c wight. ' Had the

gate receipts last year equalled those & the preVious year, the A" o ®**™ would only have beeu £lOu be&wd the best year it had ever had. There was much in tlie receipts to show progress. The matter of membership was undoubtedly important. Unfinancial members were useless. 1 hey wanted men to join the Association and to pay their subscriptions. He, as secretory of the National Dairy Association, was responsible for the papers at the Conference, and he ► Jiad SKys had great difficulty m getting qualified men to read them. He had announced from the platform that they were prepared to take papers I for next year, and he was now doing his best to get hold of men to read papers, but it was very difficult. He wasprepared to take Mr Kyle's name for a, paper. The report and balance-sheet were then adopted. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. President Mr R. S. Lancaster (unopposed): Vice-Presidente, Messrs Levett. karkness, D. Buiok, M.P., and Aldworth; treasurer, Mr J. M. Johnson; committee Messrs 1. Arbon, H. Gillies, E. Stevens, K. TV. Dalrymple, M. Cohen, E. Short J. McCrea, E. J. Wide, H G Gibbons, «A! Sutherland, J. 0. Batehelar, and T. R. Hoddter. In the contest for the treasurership, Mr Johnson beat Mr TV. b. Stubles, 231 votes to 375. * Messrs Rutherfurd and Connell were re-elected auditors. Mr Arbon, in giving up the chair to Mr Lancaster, thanked members of the Association, of the committee, and the press for courtesies extended to him during his term of office. Mr Lancaster returned thanks tor liis promotion to the Presidency. The usual comprehensive series of votes of thanks brought the meeting to a close.