A PROGRESSIVE SOCIETY.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 October 1930, Page 8

A PROGRESSIVE SOCIETY.

A society that holds its 55th annual meeting may fairly claim to have taken its share in the development of this province. The Taranaki Agricultural Society- achieved that record on Friday, and had the pleasure of reviewing a successful year’s work. It took a good deal of faith in a settlement just emerging from the chaos of the Maori Wars and some recognition of the value of good stock and good farming to found the society. Transport problems were severe, and the social side pf the society’s work was limited accordingly. Nevertheless its progress is part of the history of North Taranaki, and there is every indication that the same qualities of vision and foresight are evidenced by those directing its efforts to-day as were manifest when the society was formed. It is satisfactory to note that the efforts made to improve the society’s finances have .been so successful and that its readiness to assist the boys and girls’ clubs no longer entails a drain upon its funds. From its formation the society has stood for improvement in live stock and husbandry throughout the district, and at a time when movements in that direction were neither so frequent nor so well organised and supported as they are to-day. It is greatly to its credit that the high standard of the summer and winter shows is so consistently maintained and that they are still regarded as among the most important social functions of the year. All this entails hard work upon the committee and officials of the society. Their work does not often “come into the limelight” and it is only when it comes up for annual review that is excellence is made, public. The society’s aim is, primarily, to assist the farming community. It is to be hoped those it seeks to help will recognise and ungrudgingly support the efforts made on their behalf.