The Beautifying Society.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8153, 31 March 1906, Page 2

The Beautifying Society.

« Annual Meeting. There were fourteen gentlemen present last evening in tho Borough Council Chambers to attend the annual meeting of the local Boautifying Society. Mr Hurley, president, was in the chair.

Tho roporfc referred to the various works carried out during the yew. Itwas stated that operations in tho northwest portion of tbo Square had been delayed owing to tho immense amount of filling that had to be done, tho spoil being supplied by tho Borough Council when available. It was hoped that this would be completed very shortly, when tenders would bo called for the layingout of paths, ctc., and also the erection of a rockery in the pond. It was not thought advisable to do this, however, until the feneos and gates promised by the Borough Council are erected. Tho thanks of the Society were due to those who had in any way contributed to its funds, more especially tho ladies who took so much, trouble in getting up a flower show. The hope was expressed that they would be ablo to see their way to repeat it at an early date this year. The work done by Mr Rogers, civil engineer, was also gratefully referred to. The balancesheet showed that there were sufficient funds in hand and to be collected from overdue subscriptions to meet all existing liabilities. The balance in hand was £47 5s 6d. Subscriptions amounting to £83 18s 6d had been received, and donations as follows: Chamber of Commerce £10 10s, Trafalgar Day Committee el 18s 6d and Madame Heller £1 4s. Wages amounting to £39 18s had been paid and also all accounts. The assets were shown to be £11 5s 6d, and the liabilities £319s 6d.

Mr Hurley, in moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, said that the Society had done a considerable amount of work in the Square during the past year. Ho referred to the fact that the year previous a very considerable sum of money had been received frbm various sources, gome £450 in all. Of this a gooclly proportion had come from the Borough Council. With this money a lot of good had been done that j'car with satisfactory results to everybody. At the present time, he said, some people seemed to be under the impression that the committee had not been very energetic during the last twelve months, but he would like to point out that they had not been receiving quite the support they had had before. They evidently could not work without funds, and there was no reason for saying that the committee had not worked hard in the interests of the Society. The concrete work at the fish pond had been pushed on and now nothing much more could be done until the portion of the Square was fenced in as provided by the Borough Council. The motion was seconded by Mr Haydon and carried without further discussion.

The election of officers resulted as follows President, His Worship the Mayor ; vice-presidents, Messrs Barraud and Haydon ; general committee, Messrs Nash, Beck, J. Strang, Dixon, Hurley, Dunk, Lissaman, Freetb, Dr Greig, Elliott-, Kerslake, J. Mowlem, Clausen, Simmons and Bond; secretary and treasurer, Mr F. Mowlem ; auditor, Mr R. Keeling. Mr Nash brought down his notice of motion that the rule dealing with the election of president be rescinded, and that at the annual meeting candidates be duly nominated and ballotted for it necessary. (The rule provided that the Mayor should be president of: the Society.) Mr Freeth seconded the motion. Mr Haydon thought it would be a retrograde step to rercind the motion. He felt it would be good policy to have the Mayor in the cbair always, especially when they wa.nted help from the Borough Council. ' The motion was carried unanimously. Dr Martin proposed and Dr Greig seconded, that the name of the Society be altered to the " Amenities Society." The motion on being put was lost. On Mr Barraud's suggestion it was made a recommendation to the incoming committee to endeavour to stir up more interest in the work of the Society and also to get more funds. Mr Haydon also urged that some means should be adopted to get all subscriptions paid in decent time. In the past this had not been done and it had undoubtedly hampered the work a lot. On the motion of Messrs Haydon and Beck a very hearty vote of thanks was ( accorded to the hon. secretary and treasurer, Mr F. Mowlem. Mr Hurley explained how it was that the committee had not been called together more frequently during the year, and also the apparent delay inthe completion of the fish pond. - Mr Freeth said that he now recognised that the committee had not received the support from the public that it should have got. He had thought that the work was not progressing as it ought to have done and for that reason had resigned his position as vicepresident. He felt that if the committee had been called together more frequently they would have received more help from the Borough Council and support from the public. An annual meeting was quite useless if they desired the interest of outsiders to be kept up. On the motion of Messrs J. Nash and W. Dixoja,. it was decided that the ladies" ajKnuaL- subscription- should ' be reduced' to 2s-6d, and that Messrs Barraud and Freeth should be asked to wait on Mrs Mellsop and invite her to get a number of lady members. • The opinion was expressed that'so ladies could easily be induced to join, i A vote of thanks to Mr Hurley for his work as president during the past year was carried by acclamation. At a subsequent meeting of the committee the following executive was appointed Messrs Freeth, Strang, Elliott, Nash and Hurley. It was. also decided to have the first.: committee meeting next Friday evening.