PLAINS A. & P. ASSN.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4851, 10 July 1925, Page 4

PLAINS A. & P. ASSN.

QUESTION OF FINANCE. ART UNION SUGGESTED. The annual meeting of the Hauralii Plains A. and P. Association, held in the Kercpeehi Hall on Monday evening, came to an unusual but not unexpected end. Business proceeded until the appointment of officers, came before the meeting. No one could be found to take the presidency, and .after a discussion on finance the meeting was adjourned sine die. The attendance was small and was comprised of Kercpeehi members, Mr P. Henry presiding over Messrs H. D. J amieson, W. Thompson, A. Innejs, A. McMillan, D. Shilton, C. Loving, I. D. Jones, A. H. Hoff, J. Murdock, J. Hands, H. Ward, C. Pearce, H. Middleton, and W. Booth (secretary). In opening the meeting the president sajd that no annual report had been, printed, as there was practically nothing to report. On account of the infantile paralysis epidemic the show had been postponed and finally abandoned. The showground had been leased. The statement of receipts and disbursements for the year ended April 30, 1925,' showed that at the beginning of the year there was caish in hand and in the bank amounting to £382 Ils 6d, while receipts for the year had amounted to £lB3 11s sd, including membership fees £6l 19s, donations £l2 9s 6d, entry fees £5 12s 6d, advertising £26 2s, Kerepeehi ground rent £3B 19s, Kerepeehi Sports Associatoin’s donation £34 14s 3d, and sundry receipts £3 15s 2d. The expenditure during the year had been: Advertising and printing £llB 8s Id, refreshment booth £5O 18s, postage, bureau fees, etc., £9 Os 3d, rates’ and taxes £53 11s 4d, interest oh loan £9l, improvements to Kerepeehi Showground £175 4s lid , ground equipment £27 Os Id, salary £l4 12s 9d, refund of entry fees £5 12s 6d, sundry expenses £2B Ils lid. The cash in hand was £1 5s 2d, and there was a bank overdraft of £9 2s id.

The statement of assets and liabilities as at April 30, 1925, showed outstanding cheques amounting to £45 7s and sundry creditors £2B 8s 6d. The assets comprised cash in hand £1 5s 2d, cash at bank £3.6 4s lid, membership fees outstanding £315, Kerepeehi Showground at May 1, 1924, plus improvements to April 30, ,19i25, £2717 12s lid, less mortgage (£13010) £1417 12s lid ; advertising, accounts' unpaid £l3 ss, leaving a balance of excess of assets over liabilities amounting to £1709 12s 6d.

Explaining the balance-sheet at the request of members the secretary pointed out that many of the items of expenditure were in connection with .the show of the previous year. The sum for printing and advertising was for .both years, and most of the. printing obtained for the show which had been abandoned could be utilised for future shows. .

In regard to the amount set down as outstanding membership fees the secretary said that.it was impossible to state how many members there Were and how much would be realised. Account's had been sent to all whose names appeared on the books, but a great many replies had been received denying membership and liability. If all whose names were on tne members’ list paid up in full the amount would exceed that stated. Mr Henry contended, that the valuation of 'the showground should be written down. The secretary stated that die had taken the value from the previous balance-sheet. , The balance-sheet was adopted. 1 ELECTION OF OFFICERS. Mr Henry said that the next business was the appointment of officers, but before vacating the chair he wished to thank those membres who had .supported him during the year. He was very sorry that these were confined practically to Kerepeehi people,, and that the farming community generally had taken very little interest. It was unfortunate for the Kerepeehi members that it had not been possible for a show to have been held in the first year after control had been shifted. He paid a tribute to the secretary, who had done a very great deal of work for the association. , . There being no written nominations for the office of president the secretary called for nominations. Mr Henry was proposed, but he declined, as .also did Messrs H. D. Jainieson, C. Pearce, and A. Innes. Mr Henry was urged by several members to reconsider his decision, but without avail, he contending that he did not have the time to do the office justice. His thanks were due for the offers of assistance from the Kerepeehi residents, but he knew that

their enthusiasm was not shared by the farming community, who were ot opinion that the show should be abandoned for a year or two. The only, hindrance was the big liability : which had to be met annually for interest and rates, otherwise the ground would be lost. Mr Booth s,aid there wap no doubt that the poorness of past shows had a great deal to do with the lack of support from the farming community. In hits opinion some method of reducing the mortgage should be found. An art union should be-held, or sheep dog trials, sports, or Highland dancing competitions organised to raise funds. '

Mr Henry thought that the show should be abandoned for a couple of years. The farmers of the Plains were not now breeders of pedigree stock, and there was no railway communication to bring pedigree stock from outside. Then there was no hunting in the district and no incentive to breed good hacks. Mr Booth suggested that the meeting go into committee to discuss ways and means of carrying on. Mr Henry consented to preside pro tern and discussion followed as to whether the other officers *of the society should be appointed. After it had been pointed ,out that aside from vice-presidents secretary, etc., the only offices to be filled were those of the management committee, and in the past the men appointed had taken no interest in the show, it was suggested that all present be appointed the committee. The matter was not followed up, Mr Booth renewing his sugegstion .that the meeting go into committee to discuss ways of raising funds. He had already written to the Minister for Internal Affaire in regard to an art union and had received an application form. He had also written for and bee promised the support of the member for the district towards getting the necessary permission. Mr Henry resumed the chair and asked for suggestions in regard to financing the show. Members supported the art union proposal, contending that it £l5OO could be laised the association would be on a sound footing. The matter was discussed at length, members suggesting that it be made a Dominion-wide appeal on the line's of recent aat unions. No dissent was voiced, and several agreed to act as guarantors for the prizemoney, as required by the Minister. The sum of £5OO was considered sufficient prize-money. It was decided that the secretary communicate with the secretaries of other art unions and ask for all information possible ; also to approach likely guarantors, and report to a further meeting. The meeting was then dajourned for an indefinite period.