A. AND P. ASSOCIATION.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16167, 22 March 1918, Page 8

A. AND P. ASSOCIATION.

ANNUAL MEETING. / The annual meeting of the Canterbury A. and P. Association was held last night, Mr J. Deans, the president, presiding over a large attendance. The Canterbury Chamber of Commerce forwarded a resolution, and requested the A. and P. Association to pass a similar resolution: —"That in the interests of the Allied nations and the safety of the Pacific, particularly of Australia and New Zealand, the Canterbury A. and P. Association is of tho opinion that none of the islands in the Pacific formerly owned by Germany should revert to her on the conclusion of peace.'' This was j>assed unanimously. ANNUAL REPORT.

The annual report stated that tho balance-sheet showed a debit balance ot £207 ITs Id, due to the decreased takings at the show, which amounted to £190 9s Hd less than in the previous year, due probably to the curtailment of excursion trains and fares and to the imposition of the amusement tax. The report went on to give show details, and details of the other activities of the Association during the past year. The committee had completed tho purchase of the section of land leased from the Canterbury Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, containing; 3 acres_ 1 rood 20 perches. It was also decided to purchase three sections in Whiteleigh avenue, adjoining the show grounds, as a motor enclosure. The to'.a; loss of the Association in the fire at His Majesty's was £987.

PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. In moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, the president said that there were one or two matters mentioned in it which would bear further consideration. The first of these was one which had been rendered more acute by the fire which destroyed the Canterbury Hall, and with it much valuable property of the Association. During the year a committee set up for the purpose* went very fuliy into this question, and a scheme for the purchase of a site in Liverpool street and the erection of a substantial office building was submitted. After considering the report from all points ? the committee did not feel justified m incurring the extra annual expenditure of about £230, which its adoption would have entailed. In normal times they would have been right in going on with this project, or a similar one, but in view of the prospect of a very considerable reduction in their income from causes directly attributable to the war. the scheme was abandoned. To his mind they should aim at providing, in addition to the

necessary office accommodation, a good library an'd ■writing-room for tile use of members, and perhaps their wives, which would form a focus for the life.of the farmer when in town. The Association at • present, in the mind _ of the farming community, simply existed as an organisation for carrying out an annual show, ram fair, and horse parade. They should aim at more than this, and should endeavour to 'become the medium through which th® farmer could get into touch with the latest ideas of other lands and other minds, through the library, and with his fel-low-farmers, through meeting them in the rooms of the Association. He had hoped during his year of office to have at least inaugurated somo very necessary improvements on the Show Grounds, but the continuance of . the war had, of course, relegated all such ideas to th© background. Improvements would have to be made if th© show -was to keep its recognised position, and members would have to face the question sooner or later. He only hoped that before anything was done it would be well thought out and form part of a general plan. The whole ultimate arrangement of tho ground should be decided upon, and no work of a permanent nature undertaken unless it formed part of this general scheme. Another question they were face to face with to-day was how to meet tho increasing needs with a falling revenue. The slump in their income was directly due to war conditions, and was, therefore, only temporary, but money must be found to carry on with. The only suggestion he would put before them was that a strong endeavour should bo made to increase the membership. A suggestion that he had to make to tho incoming committee was that thev should encourage competitions on the linrs of the Merino and Halfbred Cups. These were practical demonstrations of the merits of various sheep under natural and exactly similar conditions, and formed a far more reliable basis for comparison than the usual show classes. Ho would like to se© these competitions extended to all the principal breeds at the Show. They were alwavs being told that something should be done to make the Show more attractive, but when those responsible for criticism were asked for concrete proposals, ifc was very seldom that anv useful or practicable ideas were forthcoming. Here, ao-ain, he was sure that the cormnittee would be only too pleased to receive suggestions, and give them everv consideration. *

IMPROVEMENTS. Mr D. W. Westenra suggested that tho meeting should discuss the matter of new offices. Mr H D. Vavasour said that there was in his opinion a serious lack of shelter for sheep at the Show Grounds Christchurch was about the only lar-i-e place which did not have cover for the sheep pens, and it constituted actail cruelty to expose valuable sheep to the hot sun or the pouring rain. This matter should not be lost sight of when ground improvements were being considered. After soipe discussion it was decided neither to proceed with the building

of offices nor with any improvements to the Show Grounds at the present time. MEMBERSHIP. Mr J. G. Herdman moved, and it was carried, that the committee should formulate a schemc for enlarging tho membership of the Association. Mr D. McMillan moved that it be a recommendation to the committee that ladies should be accepted as members at half the men's subscription. The motion was lost, and the report and balance-sheet declared adopted. Mr D. G. Wright moved as a recommendation to the committee, that the Show be held on Wednesday and Thursday, instead of Thursday and Friday, to enable outside exhibitors to get home. If necessarv a fair or sale of stock could be held on the Friday. The motion was lost.

WHEAT PRICES. ' Mr J. C. Gebbie moved that the Association protest against, the prices offered bv the Government for wheat, the returns from which compared very unfavourably with the returns from meat, wool, and butter-fat. Mr R. W. Lochhead seconded the motion. _ .. , Mr . W. F. M. Buckley said he thought it would be better if the Association did not pass any resolution which was a resolution of censure of the Government. The mover maintained that the Association was well within i£e rights in considering such a matter. The wheat question was most serious, and unless something was done to encourage wheat-growing they might want in New Zealand. The motion was carried. , SHEEP COMPETITIONS. Mr H. T. Little moved that the halfbred and Corriedale competitions be abandoned, or, if this could not be done, that the sheep should be hidden from thfe public view. The mover maintained that as carried out the competition damned two of the best and most popular breeds in New Zealand. The motion was seconded by Mr G. D. Greenwood. ih- R. Reid said that it was true that last year the sheep in the competition had not looked well, but unfortunately footrot had broken out amongst them, and, in spite of all that could be done, it had pulled them down considerably. Mr R. W. Lochhead endorsed Mr Reid's statement. . Mr B. Seth Smith said that in the future Inspections of the sheep in vhe competition wouW be arranged for, which he thought would prevent th>< trouble recurring. I The motion was lost on the voices. I Mr Little then moved that similar competitions be instituted for all the other breeds of sheep. I This was seconded by Mr G. D. Greenwood and lost on a show cf i liands. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. Mr Bucklev said he thought the i.n- ---| written law 'of the Association that a president should only act for one 7 ear was an unwise one. * From a business

point of view it was apparently a weak move to remove a man just , when he was getting a grasp of nis work. Mr J. Coop thought it was a good idea to have new blood every year. The president was always elected from the committee, and committeemen knew just about as much of the work as the president. Mr C. P. Hugonin supported Mr Buckley's contention. The election of officers for the ensuing year resulted as follows: —President, Mr R. W. Lochliead • vice-presi-dent, Mr T. D. Boag; auditors, Mr W. Jamieson and Ollivier Bros.; general committee, Messrs T. W. Adams.. R. E. Alexander, I. Andrew, J. Boag, jun., W. B. Cunningham, J. Deans, A. Drummond, H. E. Fincham, J. C. C. Gebbie, J.G. Herdman, J. Johns, H. Little, K. Mcintosh, D. McMillan, W. AV. Mcßao, R. M. D. Morten, A. "W. Rutherford, jun., B. Seth Smith, \V. Griffiths Smith, G. B. Starky, H. E. B. "Watson, D. W. Westenra, T. C. Withell, and Dr. St. L. H. Gribben. GENERAL. Mr R. W. Lochhead moved, as a recommendation to tlie Sheep Committee, that stud ewes be admitted to the ram and ewe fair at half price. Mr. J. Coop moved that the Association request the Minister of Agriculture not to interfere with the price of New Zealand hides in the future. The motion was not seconded, and lapsed. The meeting concluded with votes c f thanks to the retiring president and officers of the Association.