MANAWATU A. & P, ASSOCIATION

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 206, 20 May 1918, Page 8

MANAWATU A. & P, ASSOCIATION

WOBK IN A WAR TEAK

In moving the adoption of th'o report and balance-sheet at tho annual meeting of the Manawatu A. and. P. Association, held at Palmerston North, the retiring presidont, Mr. A. Sutherland, inade reference to the war and sacrifice ;M;tho life of the manhood of the Empire. Three members of the association, Messrs. Balsillie, Lovett, and Lancaster, had lost eons. Sit. H. D. Buchanan, a brother, and Mr. E. Stevens a nephew during the past year. The Now Zoaland Council of Agrioulturo held its conv ferenoe. in Wellington in July last. A .remit from the Jlanawatu Association, that all A. and P., associations shonli be exempt from local rates, wag passDuring the year the committee, abtine in conjunction with the Palmerston Borough Council, succeeded in obtaining by Act of Parliament, exemption or , their showgrounds'from tho. borough general rates.- It was a subject for ' congratulation that this matter was now Bottled satisfactorily. The association had also to thank the Palmerston North Kairanja Kiver Board for a remission of rates. The tntrios all round were well lip to the standard at the spring show, and in fat cattle there was probably the finest exhibit tho associatiofr had ever had on the ground. As usual a generous response had been made by . the publio in subscribing to prizo funds. The amount collected this year, ,£1293, was only exceeded in the year 1915-16. when a special canvass was made, and the profits of the show given to pnrriotic purposes ; 0f this total, Wellington subRoribed ,£326 135., Palmerston ,£287 is., country districts .£459 Ws., am!, members of'committee .£220 4s. 6d. The thanks of the association were duo ■ to. donors, but, 'like .past., :presi•u, J l9 ' wislle,, ' the- association oould become more sslf-snpportirg. and the necessity of canvassingfor special funds done away '.with. A- suggestion had been made that flie ram fair should be held every .year -at -Feilding,: but to this the committee could not'agree! That , their action was justified was seen by ■ the unqualified success of the fixture held In Palmerstpn recently, when there were record entries, good prices, • and the nrrangements for yardinj the animals work. fd most smoothly. The secretary, Mr. Penny, had conducted the affairs "of the -. association with his usual urbanity nnij .efficiency, and his assistants, Mr. Balpin "and Miss Boyne, had carried out.their duties well. - ■• Mr. R. M.- M'Knight, hon. treasurer, analysed the balance-sheet, and showed' that the association, instead of becoming self-supporting, was becoming more and Imore dependent upon (donations. Generally speaking, however, the balancesheet presented-a most satisfactory state of affairs, upon which the association had reason to be gratified. Neverthe : less, members should still strive for bet ter Tesults, with more independence, In t . the way of finance, and the association could not fail to prosper., . Mr. John Balsillio was elected president, and the vice-presidents elected were Messrs. D. Buick, H.F., J. A. Nash, H. Akers, J. P. Atkins, W. M'Kenzie, R. Stevens; honorary treasurer, Mr.' R. ..M'Knight; Messrs. ,T. Saunders, F. W. Acton, IT. A. Conway, A. Sutherland, ,T. Linklater, H. Gillies, J.H. Perrett, F. ,T. Ellis, L. H. Collinson, G. I. Marshall, M. A. Eliott, and D. Buchanan were elected- members of the committee/ Mr. Connell was re-elected, auditor.