A. AND P. ASSOCIATION.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 1437, 10 December 1919, Page 5

A. AND P. ASSOCIATION.

ORDINARY MEETING. The ordinary meeting of the executive committee of the Manawatu A. and P. Association was held yesterday. Mr H. Akers presided. Mr Johnston suggested the prize exhibits in connection with the schools competitions should be sent round to the various schools for exhibition.—Agreed to. The Hereford Herd Book Society wrote stating that the Society proposed to give a five-guinea, gold medal to go to the winner of the Society’s cup at the show. Messrs Weddels, Ltd., wrote agreeing to replace the London Weddel cup won outright by the Levin Dairy Company, and conveying congratulations to the company. The following donations were accepted with thanks:—F. Armstrong, 75-guinea cup for most points in fat cattle, Sir James Wilson £5 5/, Mr T. O. Haycock £3, Mr W. H. Matthews £6 15/6 (including sale of wool), Mr J. Linklater office clock, Mr T. W. Lonsdale £3, Defence Department one 250-man cooker. Thirty-eight new members were elected. The date of next meeting was fixed for January 27 th. SPRING SHOW FINANCES. The treasurer (Mr J. M. Johnston) read the financial statement in connection with the recent spring show. This showed a credit balance of £1358 4/7, but as Mr Johnston pointed out, had it not been for the generous donations of the public amounting to £1471 12/, there would have been a loss of £ll7 7/5. He said they were in the same position as always. It was vei-y satisfactory in a way that the public saw fit to give large donations. Just the same, it was not satisfactory that they could not at least make the balances meet without such donations, even though there was no show in the Dominion which They would not be able to do it till they got a subsidy from the Government, which he suggested should be so much in the pound according to membership. The matter had been brought before the Minister, who had given them a sympathetic hearing, and it was probable that something would be done in the matter. The speaker thought the subsidy should be given to all associations irrespectiveof size on a sliding scale according to membership, with a minimum number of members. He suggested that they should take immediate action in this direction as soon as the elections were over and see if they could not do something. The proposed North Island Conference should be a great factor in this connection. It Avas A-ery satisfactory to find they had a fair amount of money to expend and the work should be proceeded Avith as soon as possible, especially in connection with the horse accommodation.—The president said they had been taken to task by some people in connection Avith the increased gate charges, but he pointed out that the Association was run for the good of the district, and no one Avas making money out of it. The Association had to pay a great deal for upkeep to keep up the standard and advance with the prosperity of the district. Other Associations smaller that their had long been charging 2/ for admission. If the complainants came to the shOAV for education they Avould get their 2/ worth. —Several other speakers gave reasons for the increase.—The report was adopted.

SHOW DATES. Mr J. M. Johnston moved for Mr D. Buchanan, who had given notice of motion: “That the dates for the next spring show should be fixed for November 3, 4 and 5.” —Mr Wheeler opposed the motion on the grounds that it might later on interfere with an autumn show, which he considered the Association would eventually hold in connection with the ram fair. He also pointed out that the motor exhibitors would not be able to give an answer regarding their exhibition till March. He moved as an amendment, that the matter be held over till a later date. At the same time he expressed himself as in sympathy with Mr Buchanan’s motion, as it wns intended to give the cattle breeders a chance to prepare their stock. —Considerable discussion followed, the motion being eventually carried. GENERAL BUSINESS. On the motion of the chairman votes of thanks were passed by acclamation to the judges and their assistants, with special mention of the services rendered by Messrs Lancaster and Knight, to the Railway Department and to all who had otherwise assisted in the show. Suggestions regarding show accommodation and facilities were sent in by members, the lack of accommodation for the horse classes being specially stressed. The recommendations were referred to the various schedule committees, after being fully discussed. —It was decided to set up a • sub-committee consisting of Messrs Gillies, Perrett, Knight, J. B. Johnstone and McKelvie, with pow'er to add, to go fully into the question of horse accommodation and ring* space, and report. On Mr Johnston’s recommendation it was decided to appoint stewards to deal with the catering. In moving that accounts amounting to £4834 4/3 be passed for payment, the chairman said that the amount was largely comprised of prize money. The expenses had been very heavy and this was the largest amount which had ever been passed, by the Association before. He believed it was a larger amount than -was represented by the w r hole business transacted by most of the associations in New Zealand, so they were evidently a large association. —The amount was then passed for payment.