SOUTHLAND AGRICULTURAL & PASTORAL ASSOCIATION.

Southland Times, Issue 1646, 11 October 1872, Page 2

SOUTHLAND AGRICULTURAL & PASTORAL ASSOCIATION.

» The annual general meeting of the Southland Agricultural and Pastoral Association took place on "Wednesday at two o'clock in the Masonic Hall, adjoining bhe Prince of Wales Hotel. There w.iß a good attendance of members. Mr Wood, the President of the Association, occupied the chair. Mr Macrorie, the Secretary, having read the report adopted at the last annual meeting, submitted tbe report which had been prepared for this year as follows : — In presenting to the subscribers to the Southland Agricultural and Past >ral Association the fifih annual report, the directors have to treat of subjects possessing features both of encouragement in their work and the reverse. To deal with the unpleasant matter first, reference will have to be made entirely to the Treasurer's department, inasmuch as the original expenditure on the yards has in reality been the cause of the somewhat embarrassed posirion of the Society's finances for the last two years. With the exception of the show of entires, which was a tax upon the funds in the large premium of £40 awarded to the best draught atallion, and which experiment, contrary to expectation, did not prove self-supporting/ the actual receipts of the year novr expired exceed considerably the expenditure, while a good deal of money has been devoted to paying off liabilities properly belonging to the transactions of previous years, the items of which will be seen in the accounts furnished by the Treasurer, and the directors do not consider it out of place at this stage to make certain suggestions, by which means the society may get free from debt, when there will be no difficulty in maintaining that position in the future. A proposal from the committee of the Caledonian Gathering will be submitted to you, which, if approved of, will in the meantime assist jour finances, and by not increasing the amount of yo-r prizes for another year, adopting some means of making it imperative that each holder of subscription lists shall get in ail such

money prior to the Show, and being careful of any unnecessary outlay on the yards, a radical charge msv he effected in the present monetary position, the details of which yon will hare an opportunity of inspecting in the Treasurer's balance- sheet. As the Wunicipnl Corporation have given every encouragement to the -A Fsociatior), hy the endorsement of the previous Government pledges of an exterded lease of the Show Grounds, and have authorised the ispue of such lea e e for fourteen years at the noirinal sum of £1 per annum, you will be called upon to-day, as your directory change* every year, to elect three trustees on behalf ofthe Association to enable that document to he properly signed. The directors have to state their regret at the absence of s more hearty co-operation on the part of the pastoral interest, the apology for ■which i.« stated to be owinp to th^ Show tubing place in the month of December, when shearing operations are in full vigor, and they desire to express the hope that in future years a cordial support will be eiven by those gentlemen connected with the rearing of sheep in the district. Having the experience of the past before them, you will have observed that the directors have advertised a Walking Show of Entires in the grounds of the Association next Saturday, on which occasion no prize will be awarded out of the fnnds of the Society. This will, however, be the means of enabling breeders to form their own judgment ofthe respective merits of those horses which are about to travel the district during the season. In conclusion the directors can point to the good results of the working of the Association, n the successful number of last Show's exl.ibits, the healthy spirit of emulation wbieh ia promoted, the increased attention to the production of English grass paddocks, and the growth of various descriptions of long wools, all having a tendency to general prosperity, shewing a steady increase n the value of our exports, and by these means attracting a population of industrious habits to our chores, and the directors cordially trust, that the perception of these advantages will act as a stimulus to the management during the incoming year to push the operations of this Association to a successful issue. The Treasurer, Mr Morrison, then read the annual financial statement of the Association, an abstract of which we subjoin : —

The Treasurer remarked that during last year the Association had been able to pay £100 7s 2d for prize money and medals for the previous year, 1870, out of the receipts of the year just ended, besides £118 Is on account of prize money for 1871. He further impressed on the members the necessity of baTing the subscription lists sent in prior to the nhow, in order that the directors might be in a position to judge of the ex-

penditure which it would be prudent to incur. Tho subscriptions were nearly the same as last year, and he thought that by the exertions of members they might be considerably increased. The position of the Association demanded a special effort of this kind. Mr G-. F. Martin, seconded hj Mr Saunders, moved the adoption of the report which was unanimously agreed to. Messrs Peter M'Kellar, John W. Mitchell, and John Dalgliesh were then elected trustees of the Association for the purpose of receiving the lease of the show grounds which had been obtained from the Corporation. A proposition on behalf oi the Caledonian Society to pay £10 per annum for the use of the show grounds for the annual gathering, three years' rent to be paid in advance, gave rise to a good deal of discussion, but was ultimately declined, the amount offered not being considered sufficient to warrant the Association in entering into such an | arrangement. The desirability of altering the date of the annual show, to enable pastoral subscribers to exhibit sheep in the wool, was considered and discussed at some length. Mr M'Kellar, at the request of the President, having stated that in his opinion the first week . in November would be a suitable time , for that purpose, a proposition was made that after the next show, to be held »B I usual on the second Thursday in Decem- ! ber, the date of the show should be altered to the first Thursday in November. An amendment was subsequently proposed that the Bhow should take place in February ; and a third proposal that the date should remain as at present. On being put to the vote, all three propositions were successively negatived. The Association then proceeded to the election of officers for the ensuing year. Mr Dalgliesh was chosen President ; Mr Brydone, Vice-President ; Mr George Martin, Secretary ; and Mr Morrison, Treasurer. It was announced that the four retiring directors were Messrs Elliot, M'Leod, Weir, and A. Smith. In succession to these gentlemen the following directors were chosen : — Messrs P. M'Kellar, John Elliot, John Thomson, sen., and John W. Mitchell. A vote of thanks to the retiring officers, and the President as chairman, closed the proceedings.

I XPESPITTTBB. J?rize Mon^y — On account of ur« rears, 1870 ... £34 0 0 Bleep's account,medals, 1870 66 7 2 On account, of Prize Money, 1871 ... 118 1 0 £218 8 2 "Yard Expenses— I Putting yards in order for Show, 1871, taking tickets, attending stock.gates, music, &c ... 22 1 6 Entire Horse Show, 1871— Premium to Mr John Gow, owner of draught horse Lord Baslan £40 0 0 Expenses advertising Show, &c ... 5 4 0 45 4 0 Advertising, Printing. &c. — Craig and Gilmour's accoun t for pri n tin g tickets and posters, and advertising Show, 1871 ... £14 1 3 L. Rodgers's account for stationery ... 2 0 0 16 1 3 Miscellaneous — Secretary's salary ... £25 0 0 I Honorarium to Trea- j surer 10 10 0 Dinner and lunch to Judges, &c. ... 13 1 0 Freight of Medals from Eallarat; Int*rest, Discount, Petty Cash ... 510 8 Bepaid Advance to Bank 60 0 0 114 1 8 £415 16 7 BECKIPTS. i Balance in Bank, 30th Sept., 1871 £2 12 4 Subscriptions — Arrears of 1870 received £21 0 0 For year 1871 received 128 14 6 149 14 6 Entry money for Show, 1871 £38 10 0 Sale of Booth for Show, 1871 32 4 6 Collected at gates.Show, 1871 57 4 1 127 18 7 Entire Horse Show, 1871— Sale of Booth, and Gates £15 0 0 Subscriptions collected 12 8 0 27 8 0 Miscellaneous — BentofShowGrounds, 1871 £7 0 0 Caledonian Society,for use of Grounds ... 15 0 0 Advance from Bank 60 0 0 82 0 0 Balance due to Bank 26 3 2 £415 16 7 AS3IT3. Urpsid Subscriptions — For 1869 £46 11 6 For 1870 59 19 0 For 1871 41 10 6 £148 1 0 Less estimated not recoverable ... 68 15 3 £79 5 9 Bent o[ Show Grounds 7 0 0 £86 5 9 Estimated valneof Show Grounds last year... £453 6 1 Less 10 per cent, now written off for depreciation ... ... 45 6 1 408 O O £494 5 9 IIABILITIM. Unpaid Prize Money — For 1869 £38 0 0 Medals, 1869 ... 69 0 0 £107 0 0 For 1870 11 10 0 For 1871 66 0 0 £174 10 0 Unpaid Accounts — For Printing, Advertising, Timber, &c. 21 0 0 Balance due to Bank 26 3 2 £221 13 2 Surplus 272 12 7 £494 5 9