Egmont A. and P. Association’s Jubilee Show SHOW’S EARLY HISTORY (Cont’d.)

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 7 November 1933, Page 12

Egmont A. and P. Association’s Jubilee Show

SHOW’S EARLY HISTORY (Cont’d.)

considered that they were slighted. He moved that Patea. be informed that an amalgamation of Patea, Hawera and Taranaki Associations had been suggested, and before proceeding further in the direction of amalgamation ... it was held desirable to include Taranaki in the proposal. Mr. R. E. ' Mcßae seconded the resolution.

Mr. Yorke explained that no slight had been intended to New Plymouth. It was held that Patea was the association that was nearest and most likely to., amalgamate, and as they had not been willing to do so the matter had been allowed to drop the previous year. He was sorry tnat offence had been given to Taranaki by their action, but it was certainly unintentional. The motion was carried, and also a further resolution by Mr Livingston that steps be taken to incorporate the Egmont A. and P. Association, the subscription to be £l. INCOME DURING YEAR. In a leaner in the ‘•Star" on June 19, 1885, reference was made to the excellent work done oy lVir. n. u. Morecroft m the early part or tne

previous year, incluuing canvassing if lor subscriptions, laying out of yarns, £ and selection of sue. The death oi Mr, Morecroft is referred to in the leader, and it seems that Mr E Gower stepped into the beach. At that time tne association had £8 or £lO in hand, the yards, which cost £BO or £9O had been paid for, and the lease of the grounds to the association fiau been executed and paid for. For the year 1884 the amount passed tnrougn the books of the association was £B^o. At a meeting of the general committee of the Jtgmont Association neiu on July 15, the question of appointing delegates to meet four appointed by each of the Taranaki and Patea Associations for the purpose of , considering an amalgamation proposal was considered. An informal discussion arose on the best steps to be taken and the extent to whicn amalgamation should be carried out. The general feeling appeared to be decidedly against enrolment in one society, it being considered best to let each asso- *■ ciation rest on its own resources, except that each should bind itself to subscribe towards the central show of the year. Mr. G. McLean had something to say about lavish expenditure on the part of the Egmont Association. He held that the secretary, who was paid 10 per cent, on all receipts, . was treated too liberally, and tnat the Association, in leasing three acres from the Borough Council at £2 per acre, was paying much more than the land was worth. Messrs. J. Davidson, M. Hunter, D. McLean and the vicepresident were appointed delegates to the conference, and it was agreed that, the subsidy to be paid to a central | show should not be more than £SO orj £6O. The conference was held at Hawera on July 15. The Taranaki dele-' Agates were Messrs. Maee, Olson and I Davies, while Patea was represented i by Messrs. Bright, R. B. Hamilton I and W. Wilson. A motion by Mr. ‘ Bright that the three associations amalgamate did not meet with much favour, and had no seconder. Mr. Davies moved a resolution, which, after sundry minor amendments, was generally approved, seconded by Mr. W. Wilson, and carried as follows: ‘‘That in the opktion of this meeting:, -it is desirable that the Patea, Hawera ( Taranaki Associations should eom- : bine for a period of three years for the . ?urpose of holding an annual united } t’est Coast Show, such show to be held alternately in each district, each society j -to contribute such sum by way of sub- , sidy as may be agreed upon.”’ It was further resolved, on the motion of Mr ‘ Bright, that a committee of manage- | ment, consisting of three members J elected by each society, should have .control of the funds belonging to the , united show. The amount of the con- j tribution from each society for the j central show was fixed at £SO, and it , was agreed that any profits should be j held for the purposes of the next unit- £ ed show, that the shows be held in ( regular rotation in each district, and ' that the place for the first show'be j decided bv lot. AMALGAMATION REFUSED. I

When the proposal came before a general meeting of the Egmont Association held on September 26 there was a good deal of hostile criticism Mr Hunter said he was, satisfied that it would be better not to join up with either Patea or Taranaki; at any rate, not just then. A united show would kill the local show, and there might (Continued top of

be no show in Hawera for the next two years to come. He moved that the proposals of the delegates he not entertained. This was seconded by Mr McLean and was carried unanimously. At this meeting it was decided to adopt for the Hawera Show, subject to amendment, the Canterbury rules, and a committee consisting of Messrs. J Mason, Davidson, G. Wilson, Heslop, Caverhill, Hunter, and Yorke was Eet up to draft amendments. The annual report presented on October 10, 1885, stated: “Owing to the untimely death of the late Mr. GoweT, the data in connection with the year’s work was found to be somewhat imperfect. The only accurate copy of the rules cannot be found, and no doubt a few irregularities have occurred in consequence. Such, however, are of less consequence than they might have been owing to the decision arrived at last July to register the association and enrol members afresh, thus making a new start.” FIRST BALANCE-SHEET.

The balance-sheet showed the gross receipts in 1884 to be as follows: Entries, £67 4s 6d, subscriptions £l2o’ 9s, donations £5, special prizes £4l 7s, privileges £22, gate money £93; total £355 Os 6d. Expenditure: Yards 82 11s Bd, labour £l2 11s, salary and sundries £37 2s 7d, show expenses £lii 7s 6d, legal expenses £5 9s 6d, prize money £149 18s, printing and advertising £29 19s 6d, petty cash £5 18s Sd, balance in bank £l7 12s Id; total £355 Os 6d. A letter was received from Mr Caverhdl requesting that, on account of illness, he should be relieved of his presidential duties. The request was acceded to, and it was unanimously resolved to request Mr J R. Lysaght to accept the office. The following were asked to act as a general committee: Messrs. M. Hunter Nolan, E. H. Brett, D. McLean, J. D Mitchell, J. Mason, I. Bayly, Mcßae. Baird, D. Knight, W. Caverhill, A. W. Budge, D. Buchanan, Lucena. Davidson, Ross, G. Wilson, Dive. Crocker, Winks, Babbage, Godkin, R. E. Mcßae and T. Robson. A working ‘committee, with full power to arrange all details for the forthcoming show on December 2, was appointed to consist of the president, vice-president (Mr. Yorke), and Messrs. Moore Hunter, John Mason, W. E. Dive, J. Davjdjson, W. Caverhill and D. McLean. Mr Bate’s appointment as secretary and treasurer was confirmed.

On October 28, 1885, the “Star” announced the incorporation of the Egmont A. and P. Association had beernotified in the Gazette. LOSS ON SECOND SHOW.

j According to particulars taken from !the balance-sheet and published in the “Star” on December 19, 1885. the reIceipts for the second show, exclusive of ja balance of £5 19s 7d from the previous year, amounted to £263, and the .'expenditure to £271 10s lOd, leaving ! a debit balance of £2 11s 3d, but there was a further contingent liability of i about £2O for judges’ expenses. ' The' receipts for the whole show fell off £79 9s 3d as compared with the previous year. The question of amalgam-1 ation was again brought before the association by means of a circular letter from Patea and support, with cer-j tain reservations which are not made clear in the report, was given, Messrs Yorke and Dive being appointed to act as delegates to any meeting that might be called to discuss the matter. I A meeting of the association wasi held on December 11, 1886, at which an 1 apparent deficit on the third show was' announced of £3O including judges’ ex- . penses. If hurdles, which had cost some £22 10s. could not he sold in the same way as in the previous year, the deficit would be about £SO, including £lO to the debit from the previous year. 'The secretary explained thatj the chief reason for the deficit of j about £35 in the show account was the' falling off of about 24 in the numberof members. Two years previously 150 persons had subscribed, the next year 88, and the following year onN- 64. Mr. Fantham raised the question of payment to the secretary, who, lie said, had received 10 per cent, on the amount given by donors of special prizes. Ho had, when canvassing for : such prizes himself, told the donors that no such deduction would be made, i The resolution under which the secretary was appointed was read and was found to bo to the effect that he : should receive 10 per cent, on all moneys collected. It turned out that 1 column next page.)