The A. and P.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 28, 25 May 1914, Page 5

The A. and P.

STRATFORD ASSOCIATION.

FINANCIALLY HEALTHY.

The annual meeting of members of the Stratford A. and P. Association was hold on Saturday afternoon, the president (Mr J. 1). Healy) being in the chair. Mr S. M. Porritt forwarded an apology for absence.

REPORT AND BALANCE-SHEET.

In moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, Mr Healy congratulated the Association on the satisfactory state of affairs. The 1913 show had been a very successful function, despite several things milir tating against it. The labor upheaval had affected all the shows on the coast, and on the first day the weather was not too favorable. The show returned a profit of £206. The cattle entries were not so big as usual, but for next show he hoped that more entries would be sought among local farmers, and he trusted that local farmers would respond liberally with entries. Thanks were due to those members of the Association who had put in work on the grounds and to those who made donations to the gift stock fund. During the past year not much money had been spent on the grounds, the executive holding that it was wise to curtail expenditure. A conference had been held of delegates from Associations on the coast. Such conferences would do a good deal of good. The Government had recently created a Board of Agriculture, and he had to congratulate Mr Dingle on having been appointed a member. A party of members had paid a visit to the Monmahaki Experimental Farm. His opinion was that much good would be done if there were small experimental farms in Taranaki which would deal with farming, more especially from a dairying point of view to a greater extent than was done at Monmahaki. No doubt Mr Dingle would keep this in view. Timber had been donated for covering the bull-boxes and the work would no doubt be done this year. They all regretted that the secretary was leaving them, but they Itoped the new man would be just as good a secretary. The Railway Department had boon approached regarding a siding on the north side of Flint Road, but had replied that a more suitable placo could be got on the south side just below Flint Road. The matter had not yet been advanced further. If members continued to show the same enthusiasm as they had during the past four years, the Show would yet be the biggest in the country. When communication was secured with the Main Trunk railway the entries would greatly increase. At present they had the largest membership of any association in the province. Mr Healy concluded by acknowledging the uniform courtesy of the members and the secretary towards him during his term as president. Mr R. McK. Morison seconded the motion.

Mr R. Masters said the depreciation of 5 per cent, on buildings did not seem sufficient. It would take forty years to entirely write off the buildings at 5 per cent., but there no buildings on the ground which would last forty years. He thought it would he wiser and in the interests of safe finance to write off ten per cent. In his opinion the Show would have shown a loss except for the Gymkhana and gift stock. Mr E. Jackson said that when he * was secretary it was stated that 5 per cent, depreciation was while.the buildings were new, but that the depreciation would be increased as the buildings got older. Last year's Show was highly successful, the public and the exhibitors seeming to be thoroughly satisfied. Exhibitors had told him that nowhere else did they get such good accommodation f<>r stock as at Stratford, and they were pleased to exhibit. Mr Richards pointed out that during the year about £4OO of accounts brought forward were paid. The creation of the Board of Agriculture was a big step forward, as /».. and P. Associations were permitted to elect members who could make direct representations to the Minister fcr Agriculture. The finances of the Association would proba, >'y not stand the cost of putting ii the tail way siding. Mr Dingle asked what tne actual profit on the Show was. It was.not shown on the balance-sheet. The Chairman said it was £206 Ms 3d.

Mr Young: That includes members' subscriptions? The Chairman: No. Mr Masters said he could only find a profit of £34. Mr R. McK. Morison said the success of the Association was largely due to the fact that town and country pulled together liko a good team of horses. Members had not been backward in mentioning things which they thought would ho for the good of the Association, and he hoped that spirit would continue. Mr Kirkwood said the criticisms of Mr Masters would have a good result, but at the same time lie thought there was nothing to cavil at in the affairs of the Association. Indeed. lie thought the Association was unique among similar bodies in respect of its finances. In the past, town and country members had liberally subscribed special donations, but they would probably not always continue to do so, and therefore the Association should consider some other means

of raising revenue. The special donations now made were a fairly heavy tax on those concerned. The Chairman said the total profit for the year was nearly as large as the Palmerston Association's and not every Association could make such a boast. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. Mr Morison proposed Mr E. Jackson for the post of president. Mr Jackson, he said, had been connected with the Association from its inception, and knew its affairs from A to Z. It would be a fitting honor to confer on him in view of his many services to the Association.

Mr Masters seconded. There was not a man there who could not testify to the amount of work Mr Jackson had done. Mr Jacksdh had been a really live member, and if the honor was due to anyone it was due to him.

Mr Kirkwood said that with due deference to the claims of Mr Jackson, there was another member who had some claim to the honor—Mr Young, who had been a member almost since the inception of the Association. Whenever any money was wanted he undertook the duty of getting it, and probably he ha more money than any other member. Mr Young was in close touch with town and country, and would fill the post of president with honor and profit to the Association. There should be no dissension over the question, and the president elected should be recognised as the choice of the majority, and loyally supported. He therefore proposed Mr Young as president. Mr B. Orr seconded.

Mr Dingle said Mr Young had boon on the executive almost since the Association started. Mr Young had sold his business, but would be in Stratford during the coming year and would have ample time to attend to the affairs of the Association. Next year, if Mr Jackson stood for president he (Mr Dingle) would willingly support him, but Mr Young was entitled to the position for the coming year.

Mr Jackson said he had been requested to stand, and did not intend to withdraw; but if Mr Young was elected he would extend his hearty support to him. On a ballot being taken Mr Jackson was elected, and he took the chair amid applause. In returning thanks, Mr Jackson said the honor done him was the greatest that could be extended to a past secretary. He had always been an exhibitor since the Show started. A Wellington exhibitor said the Show was the best outside Palmerston. He frequently rode round the farms of the district, and he could say that there were cattle running in the paddocks which would take a first-prize ticket at the Show.

Mr Young briefly thanked those who had voted for him. He trusted that Mr Jackson and the new executive would have a successful year. The Chairmen of the Stratford and Whangamomona County Councils, the* member for the district, and the Mayor of Stratford were elected vicepresidents. The meeting then elected the following members of the general committee:—Messrs T. Walker, F. E. Dobson, R. T. B. Mellow, W. P. Kirkwood, W. H. H. Young, J. B. Richards, R. Dingle, J. Brake, E. David, R. Masters, J. D. Hcaly, A. C. Walsh, J. Shotter, J. E. Kelieher, J. Linn, R. McK. Morison, B. J. Malone, B. Orr, J. T. Belcber, G. M. Cleary, and W. Viekers. Mr T. BT. Penn was re-appointed auditor, and Mi' Mason, hon. vet. GENERAL. In reply t« Mr Lyford. the Chairman stated that the amount of members' subscriptions outstanding was £IOO. - Mr A. Stewart moved that it bo a recommendation to the committee to effect insurance on the days of the Show and the Gymkhana. At the last Gymkhana there was. an accident

which might easily have proval fatal. —Mr Healy seconded.—The Chairman thought the £9 it would take to insure for the three days might he well spent in other directions. The person injured had to prove negligence before the Association was held liable. —Mr Richards said the policy was of little value and certainly not worth the money it cost.—The motion was lost. f W Mr T. Lyford stated that he would donate £3 3s as a special prize for the best pedigree three-year-old Holstein heifer.—A vote of thanks was passed to Mr Lyford.—The same courtesy was extended to Mr B. Orr, who donated the prize he won for proposing most new members as a special prize. On the motion of Mr A. Stewart a vote of thanks was passed to the out-going executive. Mr Huggett asked if anything had been done regarding the taking away of stock before the Show was over. —Mr Healy said two offenders had been fined, and another had produced written authority.—A voice: Did they fine you ?—Mr Healy : Yes. ' The first meeting of the general committee was fixed for next Saturday. CONGRATULATORY. Mr Morison said that the meeting would be the last under the present secretary, and he thought it wa3 fitting that a special vote of thanks should be passed in recognition of the energy and ability he had shown during the time he had held the post of secretary. All members of the Association would be sorry to lose Mr Fearon.

Mr Healy said he had much pleasure in seconding the motion. They were indeed losing a good secretary in Mr Fearon, but he had qualified himself, for a better. position. He hoped the new secretary would be as successful as Mr Fearon.

Mr Dingle said Mr Fearon had been a very energetic secretary. He was not in the office all the time doing the figuring, but moved about a lot among the farmers. They had found Mr Jackson an excellent secretary, and when he left they almost shed toars, but then Mr Fearon came along and turned out to be a good secretary also. AVithout disparaging Mr Fearon, they might hope that the newsecretary would be even better;

Mr Fearon thanked those present for their complimentary vote, and also expressed thanks to the executive and other members of the Association who had come in contact with him for the assistance they had given him. The general and executive committees had done most of'the work—he had merely carried out their instructions. He was going to Kaponga—a good district. He would "remain a live member of the Association and not forget that Stratford had an A. and P. Show. THE GENERAL COMMITTEE. The elected members of the general committee held a meeting, and appointed the following additional members: —Messrs W. B. Fearon, H. T. Twiss, E. Brocklebank, W. G. Huston (Waipuku), S. M. Porritt, H. Good, J. Stewart, W. J. Hamblyn, W. T. Bailey (Eltham), W. A. Hewitt, W. Skedgwell, E. Walter (Douglas), A. A. Piper, W. H. Were, T. Godkin, G. Sangster, T. Kirkwood, G. Pugh, C. Jackson.