FOXTON HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3878, 1 December 1928, Page 3

FOXTON HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

COMMITTEE MEETING. A committee meeting of the Foxton Horticultural Society was held in the Presbyterian schoolroom on Thursday evening to pags accounts and to receive the statement in connection with the summer show. There 'were present: Messrs D. Christie (President), S. H. Poole, T. Hughes, Jas. Ross, W. E. Bullard, R. Horublow, Mrs. F. Procter, Misses A. Speirs and B. Gower, and the secretary (Rev. W;. H. Nicholas). Apologies for absence were received from Mesdames P. and S. Easton, Heasman, Misses J. Ross, Hughes, and Mr. John Ross. The secretary’s statement in connection with the show disclosed a debit balance of £5/3/5. Receipts were as follows: Special prizes donated £l3/1/6, entrance fees (548) £9/3/6, doors: (afternoon) £l/17/-, (evening) £7/10/6; sundries 3/-, a total of £3l/15/6. Expenditure to tallied £36/18/11 and was made up as follows: — Prize money £23/11/6, printing and advertising £5/18/6, hall rent £3 10/-, judges’ expenses £2/10/-, refreshments for stewards 18/11. In explanation of the statement, the secretary said that there would "be a credit balance at the end of the year. Several donations could have been included in the receipts but unless they had been specially appointed for prizes in that particular schedule they had not been included but will appear in the annual balance-sheet. The President said that it was a pity that a loss was shown in connection with the show but the only revenue derived from such an exhibition was from the entrance fees and door takings. It was, pleasing to note that the latter had proved a record and was even more than what used to be collected from two-day shows in the past. Mr. T. Hughes was of opinion that the school exhibition had been responsible in a great degree for the increase in the door-takings at the last show. The exhibition had been a very creditable one and had reflected credit on the teachers and pupils. The President said that something extra was required each show, apart from the flowers, to make the exhibition a success financially. In the past cake and sweet stalls had been arranged for. It was as much as they could expect from a show if it did not show a deficiency with-, out some extra attraction.

The secretary pointed out that at a show held in 1926 a cake stall had taken £4 and an ice cream stall another 30/-. The President suggested that the sale of exhibits at the conclusionof shows would greatly help the finances of the society. Donations and subscriptions would bring the annual balance up and there was no need for disappointment over the recent show disclosing a debit balance. The society looked to the subscriptions and donations for its profit. A good credit balance should be disclosed at the end of the year. Miss Gower pointed out that provision was made in the schedule for the sale of exhibits, which really belonged to the society, unless specially stated as otherwise on tho entry form. The secretary also pointed out the necessity for an alteration in the rules governing. the allocation of prize money. The rules provided that prize money would be paid as long as there was competition in any section. In the recent show in one or two instances theie had been only two entries in certain sections but this had constituted competition and 7/- had to be paid, out for an income of 1/in entrance fees. In his opinion there should have to be competition in the class as well as the section before prize money was paid. The local society paid out more prize money than any other society in the district. s The statement was adopted and it was decided to refer the secretary’s recommendation to the annual meeting for consideration. Accounts amounting to £36 18/11 were passed for payment. Votes of thanks were accorded the Foxton Silver Band for the attendance at the evening session of the show and the teachers and pupils of the local District High School for their splendid exhibition., It was decided that a committee be set up to revise the schedule at an early date. The President reported that he had received two offers for prizes for cottage gardens for next yeai, one of the donors specifying the conditions.