A. & P. ASSOCIATION

Taranaki Daily News, 29 May 1933, Page 8

A. & P. ASSOCIATION

ANNUAL MEETING OF MEMBERS. BALANCE SHEET CRITICISED. Some criticism by one member of the balance sheet put forward by the officers of the association enlivened the earlier stages of the annual meeting of the Stratford A. and P. Association at Stratford on Saturday. Mr. A. David presided over an attendance of 40. The balance sheet showed on the liability side a balance at the end of March, 1932, of £7229 18s lOd and a profit x or the year of £1484 4s 9d. Assets were shown as credit balance at bank £129 8s 3d, cash in hand £B2 9s 6d, land £2105 15s, debentures £2500, plant and general £lB4 7s 3d, conveniences £lO9 5s 9d, caterng plant £93 16s 2d, office furniture £134 4s Bd, ground improvements £B2 0s Id, kiosk and lunch counter plant £2l Is and buildings £3271 18s lid. After the adoption of the report, which has already been published, and the balance sheet had been moved and seconded Mr. Campbell Jackson spoke. He did not consider the balance sheet was a fair report of the association’s position. It was, he said, almost impossible to understand it. He suggested that the association’s purchase of a printing machine was unwarranted and that in future the report and balance sheet should be printed properly. “I do not wish it to be thought I am hostile,” said Mr. Jackson.

“I object to property being shown in the statement of assets at its value years ago,” he continued. Plant was shown at £174, he said. What did it consist of? The secretary, Mr. W. F. Ross, replied that the plant was all shown in the ledger in detail and had been passed by the auditor.

Mr. J. W. Boon, the treasurer, said the item represented chiefly jumps and hurdles, of which there were hundreds— Mr. Jackson: Not worth £5O! Mr. David: That’s your opinion, Mr. Jackson.

Mr. Jackson proceeded to criticise the iteming of the balance sheet, until Mr. H. A. Hunt moved that a time limit of three minutes be imposed on speakers. Mr. Jackson: I am not speaking, I am asking questions. Mr. Jackson proceeded with his criticism until his time limit. What it appeared Mr. Jackson wanted, said Mr. W. Pettigrew, was that all assets should be revalued every year. The association should be pleased to show a credit balance, said Mr. A. H. R. Amess. The land and buildings belonged wholly to the association and it did not matter whether the value was shown as £5O or £2OOO. They were to be congratulated on producing a balance sheet that was enviable by any similar association in New Zealand. The fact that 50 new members had been elected, said Mr. D. O’Sullivan, showed how hard Mr. Ross had worked and how he had been responsible for a large part of the association’s good position. Mr, A, E. Piper considered the art union had put the association into its good position, and Mr. Ross had been largely responsible for that The president said he could only echo the congratulations of members on the good balance sheet The association was free from any debt The show had been a success and receipts from' various sources had risen. They had been able to build new sheep pens.

The adoption of the report and balance sheet was carried unanimously. The election of officers resulted: President Mr. A. David; vice-presidents, Messrs. A. H. R. Amess, H. C. Johnson, W. Pettigrew and S. Gadsby; general committee, Messrs. E. B. Bayly, W. A. Betts, A. H. Bowen, A. R. Claridge, J. W. Crowe, H. A. Hunt J. C. McDowall, D. O’Sullivan, J. Parish, W. H. Peick, L. K. Tarrant, M. G. Trotter, A. D. Walker, E. Wells, C. Mcl. Young, R. Ferris, E. Soundy, V. J. Henderson, F. Kirkwood and F. C. Currie; treasurer, Mr. J. W. Boon; auditor, Mr. G. A. Carter. Mr. Jackson explained his notice of motion “that at each anfiual meeting a president shall be elected, a senior and a junior vice-president and a committee of nine members to be called the executive, and that the general committee be deleted and all financial members meet each month ...” He then moved the portion- dealing with the appointment of the vice-presidents. Mr. W. A. Betts moved an amendment that it be a recommendation to the incoming committee to completely revise the rules. There were many loopholes, said Mr. Betts, and he considered two improvements that could be made would be the closing of nominations for the election of officers before the annual meeting and the provision of machinery to regulate, the membership of the association.

The amendment was carried. Mr. Jackson said he believed it was the first time in New Zealand that a notice of motion had not been discussed properly and had been defeated by the introduction of an amendment. Mr. H. W. Hancock pointed out that many farmers were having a hard time, and he moved that it be a recommendation to the executive that subscriptions be reduced by half until times improved. The motion was carried. Mr. M. G. Trotter asked what the position was with regard to non-financial members and show privileges. The president stated that if a member remained unfinancial for more than one year privileges were denied. Mr. Campbell Jackson recommended that the secretary’s salary be reduced to £234, of which sum he should find heating and lighting, the association to supply the office, furniture and equipment. At the same time the secretary could be permitted to take outside work provided the association had first call. If that were done and the secretary was not agreeable then applications could be called for the appointment of another secretary at £2OB a year. After considerable discussion the meeting passed a vote of confidence in the secretary, whose position remains as before. BASKETBALL AT TARIKI. STRATFORD TEAM DEFEATED. Playing in ideal weather, the Tariki basketball girls defeated the Stratford team by 20 to 12. There was a good attendance of the public. Right from the commencement both sides made the pace hot. Miss J. Young refereed.