WAIRARAPA CALEDONIAN SOCIETY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3129, 4 March 1909, Page 3

WAIRARAPA CALEDONIAN SOCIETY.

A meeting of Directors of the Wairarapa Caledonian Soci-ty was !i:mJ yesterday afternoon, in the Dominion Hail. There were present,—Messrs D. McLacblan (chairman), T. P. Lett, J. B. McKenzie, G. R. Sykes, | T. Wyeth, A. McLeod, G. Stewart, W. Sellar, G. McHattie. i The resignation of Mr F. C. Lewis was accepted. The President submitted the following report on the sports and concert on January Ist last: In presenting to you a statement of receipts and expenditure in connection with the Society's annual gathering and concert of 1909, I regret having to record a retrograde movement. With regard to the sports this is due, in a great measure, to an almost unaccountable falling r.fE in gate and grandstand receipts, the figures for these two items being £l4l 14s 6d and £26 10s respectively, as agair.st £163 Is 6d and £43 18s 6d for the previous year-a drop of £3B 16s. This, added to a loss of £ll 10s lOd on last year's sale of privileges and programmes is largely responsible for the heavy debit on sports account. Entrance fees more than held their own with those of 1908, showing an increase of £4 Is 2d. On the other hand the total cost of spurts is only £8 7s 2d in excess of last year, s« that, bad we been favoured with a good gate and sale of privileges, there is no doubt j that the gathering would have ranked j favourably with its predecessors. Put into plain figures, the debit on sports account for 1908 and 1909 waJ £52 2s 7 J and £lO5 7s 5d respectively—an increase of £53 4slod; and, of this increased debit, £SO 6s 10J, ■ is traceable to gates, grandstand and privileges. In my opinion, the existing depression, added to counter attractions, nearer tneir home, prevented the travelling public (to whom we must look for a gate) attending our last gathering in as great numbers as heretofore. Front their inception as a fixture in 1906, the Society's annual concerts have proved an unqualified success, the profits oi each being:—l9o6, £26 8s j4d; 1907, £ls 8s 6d; 1908, £32 4s lid. Your Concert Committee wisely ' decided, in view of future concerts, to introduce ouside talent of a high order with the object of giving an impetus to the crowning effort of the Wairarana Scotsmen's holiday. They were fortunate in securing the services of such gifted artists as Madame Groome and Messrs E. Parkes, D. Kenny, P. A. Eadie, and D. Gilchrist, in addition to the best local performers. This effort to build up the reputation of the concert ran into an increased expenditure of £l2 15s as compared with 1908, but 1 feel sure the foresight of your Concert Committee will be apparent in the near future. We should endeaI vour, above all things, to prevent ' the conceLt failing to the level of ; mediocrity; to do so, we must ocj casionally sacrifice a certain propor- • tion of profit to ensure a continuance j of the gratifying support accorded by |an appreciative public. A considerI able meed of praise is due to Mr Wm. j Sellar for his judicious selection of ; the best performers available. The 'j concert receipts amounted to £64 6?, ! and expenditure to £sl 4s 6d, thus ' leaving a credit balance of £l3 Is 6d, as shown by the secretary's statement submitted. In conclusion, gentlemen, I desire to place on record my sincere appreciation of the willing assistance rendered to me by the Directors during the term of my Presidency, and of the hearty co-opera-tion of Stewards who so materially ! aided in the successful issue of cur annual gathering. I trust the same cordiality will be extended to my successor. J On the motion of Mr Sellar, seconded by Mr J. B. McKenzie, the ; President' 3 report and secretary's statement were adopted. ! In reference to a protest that the first prize in the Maiien Sawing ; Competition be withheld from Law and Benbow, it was resolved that unless Benbow is proved not to be a ' maiden sawyer the protest be thrown out. j It was resolved, on the motion of ;Mr T. P. Lett, seconded by Mr T. j Wyeth, that the third prize in the . mile running event hi paid to D. J. , Clow, who finished fourth, the com- : petitor who finished second having been disqualified. The secretary was instructed to | br-ing under the notice of the djreej tors in due time the necessity of ap- ' pointing a protest committee at future gatherings. I Mr W. Martin, o> - oua, wrote asking for a refund of entry fees in J j connection with the last sports. On ' I the motion of Mr Sjkes, seconded i by Mr Lett, it was decided not to 1 grant the request. ,