FOXTON BEAUTIFYING SOCIETY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3049, 17 June 1926, Page 3

FOXTON BEAUTIFYING SOCIETY.

ANNUAL MEETING. There was a poor attendance at the annual meeting of the Foxton Beautifying Society held in Ross’ rooms on TuQsJqy night, presided over by the President, Mr. M. E. Perreau. Those present were Messrs. A. E. Adinore, Christie, Peryman, Walton, McMurray, Mrs McMurray and the secretary (Mr F. Kiinmjer). An apology for absence was received from Mrs Perreau. REPORT AND BALANCESHEET.

The balance-sheet showed that the year had started with a credit balance of £167 11s Od. Receipts amounted to £46 10s Od, making a total of £214 Is. During the year £63 Is had been spent on improvements, while other expenditure totalled £69 4s Bd, bringing the total expenditure up to £132 5s Bd, and leaving £Bl 15s 4d in hand.

The annual report read as follows :

The only work, undertaken during ithfi past' year/were as follows: — The completing of the footpath around the hill in Ihakara Gardens and the completion of the beautifying of the Courthouse section, putting down footpath, grass plots and seats. Your Committee feels sure that you will all agree that the beautifying of the Courthouse section is a decided improvement and a benefit to Fox-ton in general. Your committee did not meet very often during the year as they would not undertake any new work until the finance of the Society had been improved. A public meeting was convened to consider the advisability of raising a sum of money, but so far we cannot report any success in this connection and your Committee suggests that tho incoming committee give the question of finance their earnest consideration. An application was made to the Borough Council for a donation towards the caretaker’s salary, as a result of which a grant of £45 was received. The President, in speaking to the report and balance-sheet said that, great credit was due to the Society for its works in connection with beautifying the town. The Courthouse corner had been converted into a beauty spot while Ihakara Gardens, once an eyesore, was nowvery pleasing to the eye. He was pleased to report that the shrubs in Easton Park were doing well and this reserve was growing into a very fine place. The gardens had been well looked after and the trees cared for by the caretaker. The Society had done good work in tho past and he hoped they would continue to do so in the future. Mr. Christie considered the position very satisfactory. The transformation of the old cemetery hill from what it was to Ihakara Gardens had alone justified tho existence of the Society. He also referred to the other good work done by the Society and complimented them, on the efforts to beauThe report and balance-sheet tify the town, were then adopted. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. Tho election of officers resulted as follows: —President: Mr. M. E. Perreau; vice-presidents: Mrs F. Robinson, and Rev. S. H. Peryman; committee: Messrs Christie, Admore, Walton, McMurray, J. K. Hornblow, Wjjnstanley and Mesdames McMurray, Moore, Perreau, Woods, Barr and Murphy ; secretary: Mr. F. Rimmer; auditor: Mr. E. Jackson. CARETAKER’S REPORT. The caretaker reported that satisfactory work had been carried out on Easton Park during the year, the trees having done very well. A few more trees and plants were required to fill up spaces, however. Wfith regard to Ihakara Gardens the caretaker recommended the doing away of the flower beds, the spoil to be used to fill hollows in the ground. The back of the hill also required topdressing. The report was adopted and it was decided to procure 30 plane trees to replace those that have died. It was also decided that the flower beds in Ihakara Gardens be lowered and that they be planted with roses as well as seedlings. A QUESTION OF FUNDS. Mi 1 . McMurray brought up the question of beautifying the piece of land opposite Victoria Park and also the river bank. The strip of land opposite the Park could be ploughed up and sown in potatoes, from the sale of which, he considered the Society would make £SO or £6O.

The President said that it would not be wise to do anything at the north entrance to the town until uftetf [the 'Main (Highways Board had bitumenised the road. They would probably require some of the land mentioned by Mr. McMurray. Mr. Rimmer said that lie would move that no new works be gone one with until more funds were available. The small amount of money tlie Society had on hand should be used for maintenance work. It would be a great pity to let these works go just in order to do some new work.

McMurray said that if the Society liked they could come into the Tennis Clubs proposed art union scheme to raise funds by taking over that portion of the Football Club’s share which it did not require. The Football Club only required about £SO and he con-

sidered each of the three clubs concerned would receive about £6OO from the effort. Mr. Rimmer’s motion was then put and carried. A vote of thanks to the chair in-minuted the meeting.