MANAWATU A. & P. ASSOCIATION

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6451, 24 February 1908, Page 3

MANAWATU A. & P. ASSOCIATION

ANNUAL MEETING. (From Oar Own Correspondent.) PALMERSTON, February 22. The annual meeting of the 'Manawatu Agricultural and Pastoral Association was hrfld on Saturday. The president (Mr W, F. Jacobs; presided. There was i a good attendance of members. ! PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. I In moving the adoption of the annual | ropwit and balance-sheet, Mr Jacobs said that tho swan was not, as a rule, ; a Jhusical bird, but was supposed to I sime one song before dying, and tho prei eidfcJit of tho association was, in the 1 same way, expected to make one speech ( —before going out of oflice. His year hiid been an uneventful one. He had tegun with an overdraft of £2OO above Oho legal limit, and ho had had to take a couz-se of strict ec->nxmzy. The committee had done its best to increase the * revenue on the one hand to keep down expenses on the other. The result had not been so satisfactory as was hoped. The year’s profits were £7O better than the previous year, but this was not sufficient. It was absolutely necessary to provide more accommodation fot the Winter Show, Then the horsemen wore asking for more accommodation, the sheep-ownors wanted a new pavilion, and a drainage scheme would sooner or later have to be considered. He hoped. Mr Arbon would salvo the difficulty. There were three course's open to them : The raising of more money by overdraft, with the assistance of a guarantee from the committee; the selling of some of the land purchased from Mr McHardy; and the course suggested by Mr Lang, that donors should bo asked to donate a lump sum on condition that they should not bo asked for their annual donation for a number of years. There had been numerous reductions on the amount received from members’ subscriptions, and the falling off was due to a great extent to the reduction of privileges, though it could alsobe largely put down to people leaving the district and other reasons. He urged the making of a systematic canvass to bring back the number to what it was before. The donations for the year had been, better, largely due to the efforts of Messrs Balsillie and Gillies. Their existence was practically dependent on these donations. The Winter Show was certainly a great success, and was growing in imp Jrtance. Hehadbeen one of those who had voted against it at its inception, and he was delighted Dial his false prophecies had not come true. He hoped they would soon see a dairy school established hem It would be a groat adjunct to the winter show, which would-in turn become the most important in tho Dominion. The great feature of the last spring show had been the visit of Sir Joseph Ward and the Parliamentary party. It was almost unique in the history of the world that a Parliament should adjourn to attend an A. and P. show, but the visit hn been a great success in ovury way. The visit was to a great extent 'due to tho efforts of Mr W. T. Wood, M.P, The Palmerston members of the committee had been accused by some of the country members that thd show was run "all for Palmerston/’ Ho had not detected any such inclination among the members, and ho thought that if it were not for tha Palzncrsfcon members there would be no show at all. Country members were very good in attending monthly meetings, but they wer© not good in attending sub-committoes. A number of members of the committee had given an immense amount of time and work towards the interest of the association, among whom ho would specially mention Major Dunk, chairman of the winter show committee, and he took that opportunity to publicly thank Major Dunk and the other members for the goo dwOrk done. The Canterbury Agricultural College scholarship had'been a success at first, but latterly application had not been received, azid ho thought they should withdraw the scholarship. Ho concluded by thanking the members of tho committee for the wav fchev had worked with him and Mr Lane (secretary)* and for keeping him posted up in the affairs of the association. An association which eli-owcd a surplus of assets of £l-4,000 over liabilities was not in a bad way. Those assets were there though thny could not spend them. The receipts were not advancing as they should do, or as they had done in tho past, and their expenses were gradually creeping up. The numerous szzccossesof the past had inclined thorn to rest on their oars, but they made a mistake in this, as the success of the association depended on the individual zAlorts of members in the way of getting new members, donations, etc., and if they would only do this they had nothing to fear in the future. MORE MEMBERS WANTED. Mr Cohen, in seconding the adoption of tho report and balancc*-sheet, stated he fait certain he was voicing vhe thoughts of all present in stating that he had much pleasure In listening to the lucid address of Mr Jacobs. He thought, however, the viutve of the president wore capable of being extended. It appeared to him that the association should bo in * such a position that they should nob need to go to the public for donations, and that it was too much to ask that those who had given donations one year should continue to do so in the future*. In one year £390 was received from thirty-nine members, who had been commuted to life mntnbers, and he felt that were this possibility exploited to the extent of one hundred members, it would bring in about £IOOO. The reason they had not fccf>t up their full strength was a lapse of activity. If they would actively canvass for members and bring in one hundred members whose subscriptions would be commuted, it would be a good thing, and would augmetnt the funds of the association to a considerable extent.

Mr R. S. Abraham upheld Mr Cohen's views, and thought that it would be a good thing to increase the life membership if possible. He thought the result of the slight falling off had been partly due to the refusal to allow sheep other than those in the flock-book to be exhibited. In _ addition to this he thought the committee had not givon sufficient attention to the needs of the horses. They could not ojpect people to bring valuable horses from a great distance and be satisfied with the treatment received at present. He thought the horses should now be put in front of the sheep* and that they should be given aU possible prominence. It was a mistake to offer prizes and then make a reduction in tho amount in cases where only small entries were received. The members’ privileges had caused come dissatisfaction, but he would be sorry to see* them reduced. The members worked well, and deserved all the privileges they got. It was not wise to be too stringent. Mr Johnston stated they were living on their donations. The borough rates wc/t© also a heavy tax, and one that required the conedaeration of the committoe. They did a lot for tho town, and they should get some concession. The qu(*.tion of tho dairy school site had not yet been settled, but in his opinion it must com© to Palmerston, and would make this the biggest centre in tho country. Ha did not agree with Mr Cohen about the members’ subscriptions. There were a number of well-to-do men in the distritet, who could easily afford to give about £25 towards the association. Tho association was in a good financial position, but that was no reason why they should not receive outside assistance. He thought they . were giving more privileges than they could afford to. After some further discussion, the report and balance-sheet were adopted, and the mating adjourned till 2.30. A QUESTION OF PRIVILEGES. After the luncheon adjournment, a motion was proposed by Mr Balsillie that the general committee be rccom-

mended to issue the members* tickets for tlu» show the earn© as last year, and for the winter show four ladies’ tickets, good for any day for a single admission, to bo issued , and for the spring show sis ladies' ticket*, good for any day, for single admission; passes at the stand at tho spring show to be issued as usual. A long discussion ensued, and eventually Mr Ryl© proposed as an amendment that the general committee bo recommended to adopt the system of one member’s pass, good for gat© and stand, for both shows; two ladkfc* ticket* to admit any day at th© dairy show, single admissions; "spring show, single admission each day of slmw at gate. Th© amendment was carried. Tho election of officers then took place, tho following being erected os officebearers for the emsuing year President, Mr F. Arbon; vice-presidents, Messrs \F. T. Wood, M.P., E. R. Lancaster, E. Short, T. J. D. Harkncss; treasurer. Mr J. M. Johnston; committee, Messrs Jacobs, McHardy, Luxford, VVht’der, Buchanan, Pratt, Pringle, Aidworth, J. S. Lang, Duncan, Jarvis, and Davis.