RECORD YEAR REVIEWED

Chronicle (Levin), 6 July 1946, Page 4

RECORD YEAR REVIEWED

A. and F. Association ANNUAL MEETING HEtD Probably the most successful year in its forty.-year history was seen in retrospect at the annual ) meetipg of the Horowhenua A. i and P,4 Association, held in Levin j last night. The president (Mr. J, A. Kilsby) occupied the chair ; and there was a good attendance i of members. Apologies * for absenee were [ received from Messrs. Moynihan, 1 Williams, Winkler, Coulson, Kirkcaldie and Bismark. Year's Activities Reyiewed The annual report read as _ f ollows: — "After a lapse of four years, vhe annual show was held in January of this year ' and proved an unparalleled success. In every section of the show, with the exeeption of the school's section, the number of entries proved a record, "T'he follovfing figures will reveal the large increase in the main itenis of the accounts. The figures are for 1946, with the figures for the next best year in parenthesis : Irrize money £720 (£4471, entry 'fees £353 (£237), gate receipts £390 j (£180) , donations £180 (£87), gross 'receipts for year £1828 (£1078), nett! ! surplus for year £363 (£104), numi ber of entries 2048 (15.21), number j of members, including life members, as at July 1, 1946, 604, new mem1 bers enrolled during year 264. I "This year over 600 compliment- ! ary tickets were-sent out to return- ! ed servicemen. i "During the year considerable ! progress has been made .m the j restoration of grounds and build- ' ings. The concrete and gravel left 1 oy the military authorities, totalling ! over 2000 tons, was removed from ; the oval the ground levelled, re- ! sown and enclosed with a new ] fence. ' The home industries build:ing has been remodelled and lined | with pinex boarding, the result 1 being most attractive and more : suitable for the display of work of j that section. The cattle sheds havebeen restored and remodelled, giv1 ing 32 additional stalls. The qoni crete floors have been removed i from 1^ie pig sheds, the existing ! pens have been rebuilt and ten ; additional pens erected. Sixty new ' sheep pens and horse lines to I aceommodate 44 horses have been ■ built. ' Much of this work has been done by voluntary helpers. ! "The usual ram fair was held at the showground.s this year. Only rams passed by the ofiicial inspectors of the respective breed societies were offered for sale and the resulting profit of £46 v/as greater than any previous year. j "The death of the late Mr. P. W. j Goldsmith, a f oundation member land a vice-president, proved a jgreat loss to the association. He had been a great worker in the •interests of the association and he will ever be remembered. for his courteous manner, willing help and sound advice. "To the members, committeemen . and stewards who gave such yeoman service to make the show a success, I extend my personal thanks. Special thanks are accord- - ed the judges; the ladies' committee, which took charge of the home industries section;' the manager, staff and boys of the Boys' Training Centre; Mr. W. Beal and Mr. J. M. Irving, who rendered valuable assistance to the secretary; the traffie officers and A.A. offl'cials; the police; the stationmaster; Mr. L. Melville; the hoiiorary auditor; the Press and all those others too numerous to mention who assisted at the show. To the retiring committeemen I return thanks for their past services and trust their interests in the association will be maintained. "I regret to report that Mr. J. A. Goodwin has, through. health rea- , sojis, reaigned from the position of j secretary. During the ten years ! that he has been secretary of your i association he has been niost ' prompt and thorough in all his work, and most courteous in his | rnanner. Much of the success of the association can be attributed to the ; efficient manner in which he car- | ried out his duties as chief executive officer of the association. I extend to Mr. Goodwin my personal thanks for his loyal assistance to me since I have been president. Mr. J. E. Fullarton, who has been appointed secretary, will I trust, be aecorded the full suppoi't and cooperation of all the members." The president's annual report land the balance-sheet for the year were adoptea. In seconding the motion for the adoption of the report and balancesheet, the Mayor (Mr. H. B. Biu'dekin ) , who is a vice-president of the association, said that the good results achieved were a credit to :h.e association and the president, and due larg.ely to the enthusiasm 1 showm and work done during the year in which the- show had been held. The distriet from which the association drew its entries for the show had grown .and developed to an extent which made such results possible. He was sure that the association need have no fear of the .results of future shows. Mr. Burdekin stressed the need for assistance in the rehabilitation ■of ex-servicemen on the land. At che moment, he said, there were 3000-men graded A, wh.o were waiting for fanns. Assuming that they were all provided with land, fencing and fertilis.er, there would still remain the necessity to provide fhem with stock. Farmers in this distriet could help in th.is way by saving stock, especially good heifer ' calves, and he appealed to all farm- . ers in the distri.ct. to assist in this way. With a distriet as closely isettied as this, it was peihaps nqt i possible to do a great de.ai, but ; something could be done. The state of the balanee-sheet,

Alr. Burdekin continucd, was an indicarion 'of what coufd oe done by ,ound management hi bringing o'nings baek into good m'der. • He nopea that in the fuouro the people ' oi the town would taxe a greater inkerest in the aeu\-.les of the association, and said ihe.: a brighter lucure lay anead. | Officers Elected The elecuon of onicers for the coming year was then held. On reelection to the presidency, Mr. Kilsuy. said that members had honoured him in re-electing him to the position. Although he had been [president for one show, this was the 1 0ixth ytar he had been president. i He had the interests of the associa- ! hon at heart, and appreciated the 1 co-opcration and support he had i aeen given. He would again do his » « ! best in the interests of the associa- | tion. I The officers were elected as foljiows: — Patron: Mr. S. A. Broadbelt; [president: Mr. J. A. Kilsby; vicei presidents: Messrs. H. J. Lancaster, i H. 'B. Burdekin and G. D. Harris; Committee: Messrs. C. Adkin, C. H. Arcus, S. W. Barber, J. Bienkhom, A R. Bryant, P. E. Catley, R. W. Evans, J. W. Gimblett, G. C. Knight, K. R. Knight, R. Law, A. S. Macfarlane, A. R. Macfarlane, F. O. I Malcolm, Rex Mexted, S. B. Mexted, !f. H. Monk, W. Moynihan, G. W. ! Munford, J. H. Mungavin, A. L. iNcwell, R. L. Robinson, A. M. Scott, • C. E. C. Webb and W. M. Williams; I secretary: Mr. J. E. Fullarton; hon- • crary auditor: Mr. P. C. Hill; 1 finance commit-tee: The president, ' Messrs. H. J. Lancaster and R. W. £vans: distriet members: Messrs. V. Bird (Oroua Downs), D. C. Blake i (Otaki), W. L. -Carter .(Foxton) , J. ' 'H. Staples (Manakau) and H. Weg{gery (Waikanae). 1 Mrs. Speedy was re-appointed 1 convenor of the ladies' committee I for the home industries section. i • Valpe of Shows '• The president then spoke of the j value of shows to farmers and 1 breeders. "He said that the show ring j was to breeders what the classroom ; or examination was to the student. | There they could leam: old breedters could make comparisons, and j carry out improvements or mainJ tain the standard they had already acquired. New breeders could see I their mistakes, and produce stock ! along the right lines. Progress ; v/ould be made in the country with j the improving of stock. Such ipoints as a weak constitution were shown up in the show ring, and constitution itseif was one of the most important points. A good constitution made stock less susceptible to disease and might iengthen their life. The average life of dairy stock was five years, and if it was lengthened to six dhere would be a great increase in production. The same remarks ■! applied to sheep ' and other stock. it was from the products of stock :hat we lived and paid for imports. Ihe yearly value t of produce was £180,000,000, and if'by improvement 1 ten per cent. increase was made ic would be a worth-while effort. The livelihood of the whole counrry depended on the products of New Zealand livestoek, continued Mr. Kilsby. It was the duty of a}l vith the interest of the country at heart to improve 011 them. No other organisation was doing so much to •mprove the standard of stock as the A. and P. associations. It was issential for districts to have these | issociations, if the progress and i .naintenance of stock standards I were to be upheld. The Horowhenua show served a distriet that v/as suitable for the breeding of Lud stock. At present the association was at the cross roads — should it remain as it was or progress? It was in the interests of all j in the town and in the country to ] idvance in the management of ; ,hows. i Mr. Kilsby then suggested the i .formation of an associate e.ommit- | :ee of townspeople to take over j certaip sections of the show, with j fiill responsibility. He was confi1 dent that this could be done, and ! therefore moved that such a com- ; niittee be formed. ' Mr. Burdekin seeonded the 1 motion, saying that the suggestion | offered the opportunity of ' greater : co-operation between towh and ! country. He suggested that the Junior Chamber of Commerce couid jT'Sj jbe of assistance in the matter. j Oth'er members supported the * c j motion, considering that it was a jstep of importance in bringing the j town and country together. j On the motion being carried, Mr. j Burdekin was invited by the presiident to convene the meeting. in , conjunction with the Junior pham- ; ber, to form the comipittee. My. Burdekin replied that he would do so. It was decided to continue hold.ipg committee meetings 017 the second Friday in each month.