NELSON POULTRY ASSOCIATION.

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12400, 16 November 1908, Page 2

NELSON POULTRY ASSOCIATION.

ANNUAL MEETING. | I The annual mooting of the^ above Association was held at Mercer's Itoom on Saturday evoiiing. There was a good attendance of members, and the President (Mr E. T. Savage) occupied the chair, v. The- Committee's -report was read and the Secretary stated, inter alia : For the second time in succession q your Committee has the pleasure of c recording that the annual show was t the second largest in the Dominion, s a_ circumstance on which the Associa- ( tion is entitled to congratulate itself, i The entries for the 1908 show did not quite reach the number for 1907, j still the fact that only one centre-^— c Clmstohurch — was ahead of us in i point of exhibits, is evidence tliafc the fancy in Nelson is in a healthy state. I There was this year a falling off in : poultry ■ entries, but a substantial in- i crease in pigeons and. canaries. The latter were a distinct feature of the show. Taken altogether the 1908 show may in regarded as the best all round exhibition yet held— this was the- unanimous opinion of both the members of the Association and of the visiting public. " ? It will be noted with pleasure that ■tto cllEtTJipioxliSllip sliO-re- will lxj IxglcL here in 1909. This the first occasion on which this fixture has been i allotted to Nelson. The champion- i ship show, however, will entail more i work and a larger expenditure than an ordinary show, and it will be for members to bear this in mind and give all the assistance they can in an endeavour to make the first championship show an unqualified success. From' the meagre details to hand from Ohristchurch it would appear that the. Nelson only secured the championship after a hard fight. Three other centres had applications m for jthe big event, but, the claims of Nelson were recognised. Our warmest thanks are due to Mr W. B. MeKenzie and Mr Arthur Smith for the manner in which, as our Association's delegates, they fought for oiir interests. The canary fanciers •will have observed that a canary cham pionshrp has also been allotted to Aelson, and in view of the great in- ' terest at present displayed in this branch of the fancy the canary secturn at the 1909 show may be expect- ■ ed to be far and away the best ever seen here. The Association is at present conducting an egg-laying competition at Stoke under the management of Mr Cecil Beatson. The competition commenced ion the first of April last and so far has been most successful. The competition is unique in that this is the first occasion of which the competing birds are kept entirely under cover. Up to date the birds at Stoke have responded liberally to the treatment they have received from the manager, ' tlte production of eggs having been eminently satisfactory. The re- ■ turns of the competition are being followed with groat interest throughout, the whole district; and the indications are that the contest to be held next year will attract considerably more pens than the preesnt one. Thanks are due to all who donated tfophies or cash prizes, to Mr Baraford for auditing the accounts, to tho Garrison and Citizens' Bands for playing at. the show, to those who took part in the recent concert given in aid of the Association's funds, and to the press. . The balance-sheet, audited by Mr F. A. Bamford, showed'that the expenditure during the ypar was £391, this amount including liabilities incurred in the previous year. The bank overdraft was £28. It was explained that the paying out of six five-guinea cash prizes and an expenditure of about £70 in new plant had prevented a credit balance being shown. The report and balance-sheet were adopted. Officers were elected as follows: — Patron, Mr G. A. Macquarie . (reelected), President Mr E. B. Martin; Vice Presidents, Messrs E .T. Savage, TV. W. Snodgrass,- G. A. Harkness, A- W. Shallcrass, J. Boon A. E. Hounsell, W. .Coleman, H. C. Jfacka, F. O. Hamilton, G .G. Wearing and J. Hockey ; v Committee, Messrs F. Plum, W. Hockey, F. Gibbons, F; Coleman, S. Boundy, A. G. Betts, P. McNamara, D. Thomson ; Auditor, Mr-F. A. Bamford (re-elect-ed) ; Custodian, Mr J. Hockey (reelected) ; Treasurer, Mr. J. A. Stringer (re-elected) ; Secretary, Mr W. H. Simpson (re-elected). In vacating the chair Mr Savage acknowledged the assistance he had received from his fellow officers, congratulated Mr Martin on his election to the position of President, and wished the Association a prosperous . year. • . - Messrs Savage, Stringer, and Simpson were heartily thanked for their services during the year! ' Mr C. D. Beatson, manager of the egg-laying competition, acknowledged the assistance he had received from tho officers of the Association. The Secretary was instructed to write to several judges ro .their terras for judging lit the next -ehpw. The members spent some time in discussing various matters .in connection with the championship show, and the meeting eventually ended with the customary vote Of thanks to the chair.