THE SHOWGROUNDS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 16, Issue 14, 1 November 1950, Page 4

THE SHOWGROUNDS

Sir, —In your footnote to my letter on A. and P. matters two errors crept in, A resolution to leave a property was carried the writer being the sole objector. He wrote the letter after the resolution became public property and also after consultation with Mr lan Gow, the A. and P. Society president, I join , issue with the Beacon’s, leading article advocating shifting the Summer Show from the Domain as being an unfinancial proposition and these cold hard figures prove it.

After some 30 years of shows at Taneatua and Whakatane the balance sheet shows total assets of £1250 and this after the self sacrificing labours of the various executives who gave trucks, machinery and labour free for each show.

The property now being leased will cost with pens, sheds, levelling and purchase price a minimum of £SOOO and at 5 per cent bank interest will entail a yearly charge of £250 plus rates £52 or a total of £302. This would be reduced by grazing rentals of £4O giving a nett yearly charge of £262. The best profit ever made by the Summer Show was £236 so a yearly loss must be faced. We have a 40 acre Domain and if the Community Hall scheme is finalised the Show would have fine buildings to use and no capital locked up which would be used only two days a year. No local body would dare put the Summer Show off the Domain and surely if we are to have true unity and a real community spirit Whakatane will welcome a farmers’ show for two days out of 365. Yours etc., RICHARD COBBE.