FEILDING

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 69, 20 February 1932, Page 8

FEILDING

A. AND P- ASSOCIATION. Mr L. J. Wild presided at a meeting of the. general committeo of the Feeding A. and P. Association last night. Also present were Messrs McLeod, Evans, Booth, Buchanan, Reid, Henson, Whisker, Smith, Campbell, Whisker, Lancaster, Younger and Swainson. A vote of thanks was accorded the Manawatu-Oroua Power Board for granting the association the free use of poles and wire for lighting the showgrounds. '■ It was decided to refer a letter from the Royal Agricultural Society, in regard to an enquiry whether the association had any recommendations to make as to additions to the judges list, to the chairmen of the schedule committees with a view to revision as to deletions from the list. Donations amounting to £9O 9s were received with thanks, the proceeds being the result of the activities of the canvassing committees. The donation* of a considerable number of lambs was also received from several members with thanks. Thirty-two new members were elected. The acting secretary, Miss D. Aliller, announced that Mr Wild had made a donation to the association’s funds which entitled him to be elected a life member, the announcement being received.'with applause. The meeting discussed suggestions and recommendations brought forward by members of the committee for the improved running of the show, several of the suggestions being noted for future application. In moving that a hearty vote of thanks be accorded the ladies’ committees concerned in the catering arrangements, Mr Wild said the new departure instituted at the last show had proved a splendid success, due to the manner in the which the ladies had lent their services, and members would be pleased to hear that a profit of £64 had been shown. This would mean that the four bodies concerned would each receive £l6. The motion was seconded by Mr Lancaster and carried. i Thanks were also accorded the following for the services rendered:— Judges and junior stewards; local concert party; Mr K. D. McEwen for wiring the grandstand; Municipal and Pipe Bands for free evening programme; Polo Association for use of reed boxes; Manawatu A. and P. Association for use of pig troughs; the stationmaster and staff at Feilding. Mr A. R. Carter, caretaker of the Feilding racecourse, was accorded a vote of thanks for his very valuable services and the usual honorarium was voted him. Mr E. H. Lange, who acted as organiser at the show, was voted an honorarium of £25 for his work, Mr Younger stating that it was largely due to Mr Lange’s activities that the show had proved such a success. Miss Miller, acting secretary to*the association, was, on the motion of the president, voted a bonus of £lO for her work in tho association’s interest. In bringing the motion forward Mr AVild paid a high tribute to Miss 1 Miller’s painstaking and conscientious work, other speakers endorsing the remarks of the president. The motion was carried by acclamation. FEILDING SHOW. INTERIM REPORT. The fact that the Feilding A. and P. Association enjoyed a successful two days’ session at its recent show was brought out in the interim report on tho show which the president, Mr L. J. Wild, made to a meeting last night of the general committee of the association. “Tho financial results of tho show cannot easily be separated from tho financial workings of the association for tho whole year, but Miss Miller, our secretary, has very kindly, and at considerable trouble, taken out some figures for comparative purposes. For tho reason mentioned, however, these must be regarded as approximate only, and they may prove to bo considerably out. Comparing with fho income and expenditure account of last year we have definite increases in income from entry fees and sideshow space, from the ram fair, and from the farm account. In addition we have a profit from tho catering, from the -ice-cream stand, and a small profit from the night show which last year made a loss. Tho night show, though showing only a small money „ profit, must be accounted a very valuable feature of this year’s show, in that it has helped to carry all overhead charges, and also it has helped to secure tho income from the sideshows and generally to increase interest in tho show. The committee, therefore, has abundant reason to be grateful for the great amount of time and energy contributed by Mr Collins towards the night show. .Against these profits we have a reduced income from subscriptions, from donations (which, however, can still be augmented) and from somo smaller items such as weight-judging and 6alo of catalogues and advertisements. The most arresting item, however, is a fall in revenue rfom the gates, which is for this year the lowest on record, namely, £97 11s 6d. The admission this year was Is 6d as against 2s in former year 3, but if we calculate it on the basis of 2s wo get the figure of £l3O 2s which is still the lowest figure on record excepting only last year (£lO9 11s) when People’s Day was spoiled by the Napier earthquake. The figures for previous years are.: 1930, £194 16s; 1929, £248 18s Id; 1928, £220 4s. To my mind the figure for this year is so striking as to call for a thorough and. complete revision of our present system of dealing with the gates, and I recommend next year’s committee' to take this in hand.

"On the expenditure side of our accounts,” Mr Wild went on, “wo find the big item, of prize money at much the same amount as before. Show day wages and expenses will also be about the same as before —perhaps a little less. Some decreases brought about by improving organisation have been offset by increases in judges’ expenses, and .in materials and labour for providing for the large entry of pigs. Catering costs have, of course, been reduced, and as stated we have also our share of profit from the catering committee. Altogether, so far as our necessarily doubtful estimates enable me to judge, it is expected fhat after allowing for the usual depreciation the income and expenditure account should come out about square. In fact it may bo safe to say that the question of whether wo show a profit or a loss will now depend on the efforts of those members of the committee who have still to complete their canvass for donations. “Apart from the financial side, the show appears to have been voted a success,” Mr Wild was. pleased to say. “For this happy result my grateful thanks are offered to a Urge body of helpers, which includes not only the general committee, tho night show committee, the officials and the ladies who helped so splendidly with tho catering, not only the large body of exhibitors who simply.' defied the depression and made a record entry; but also tho general public of Feilding and the district who entered heartily and happily into the spirit of tho show, and helped for tho time being to dispel the economic gloom. There are many individuals I should like to mention by name, but I might inadvertently omit, some whose services, though equally valuable, were not so conspicuous. I shall be glad if the Press, for whose services we are already grateful, will further favour me by publishing this' statement, and I trust that all helpers in the .1932 show will accept this as some appreciation of their self-sac-rificing work.” ,i Mr Wild’s report was briefly discussed, Mr Wild explaining that there was still canvassing that could be carried out, and the financial returns obtained would be appreciated. The matter of the drop in gate receipts was also mentioned and an explanation made by Mr Wild on certain points noted for future attention.