STRATFORD A. AND P. ASSOCIATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 May 1921, Page 6

STRATFORD A. AND P. ASSOCIATION.

A SUCCESSFUL YEAR.

THE ANNUAL MEETING.

The annual meeting of the Stratford A. and P. Association was held on Saturday afternoon, ’ the President (Mr. George Sangster) presiding over an attendance of over thirty members.

The President, in moving the adoption of the annual report and balance sheet, a summary of which has already been published, said the members could be congratulated on a very successful year’s operations. As far as finance was concerned the past year was a record. They were something like £430 to the good compared with the previous year, and taking last year and the year before they were £7'4o to the good, which meant that they got the cattle pavilion free. Members’ subscriptions were not as good as in the previous year, and donations to the prize fund and the cattle pavilion fund, placed together, were a. little better than in the previous year. Of the £230 promised for the cattle pavilion fund £l'Bo had actually been received to date. Referring to the last show, the President eaid that credit was due to the secretary, the general committee, and more especially the executive committee. A better lot of workers than the members of the committee he had never met, and anything with which Mr. Barr (the secretary) was connected, could not fail to be ~a stlccess. During the past year there had been no friction between the members of the committee. The Stratford Show was purely a dairy show, and while the Association was chiefly a dairy show, and while the Association was chiefly concerned with rearing better stock, that should not be the sole object of the Association. Right throughout the Stratford district feed was not provided as it should be. He referred to summer feed as much as to winter feed, and he sometimes wondered how some farmers pulled through on the pastures they had. He suggested that the Association should start a competition in connection with pastures for both summer and winter feed. No matter what stock a farmer had they should never be starved. A dairy cow should never go hungry, summer or winter, but some of them did. If proper feed was not provided in winter the farmer could not get his proper returns in summer. If the Association could start in some small way at first he was confident it would da much good. Another matter to be considered was that of giving greater encouragement for the exhibition of farm horses, more especially pedigree farm horses, of which there were now a fair number in the Stratford district. This matter could be considered by the incoming committee. Regarding improvements •to the appointments at the show grounds, he said that though they had not felt the financial stringency in Taranaki yet owing to it being dairying community, the time might come when they would feel bad times in Taranaki, and he considered they should go steady as regards spending money. However, certain improvements were absolutely necessary, and among these were certain matters in connection with the catering and -the hot water arrangements. He moved the adoption of the report and balance sheet. Mr. A. H. Kendrick seconded the motion.

In reply to Mr. E. Marfell, the chairman said the Association now had 648 financial members.

The secretary, in reply to Mr. Kendrick, said the dog section had paid for itself last year. *

Mr. W. H. Rutledge asked if tickets were sent to members last year whose subscriptions had not been paid. The secretary replied that tickets had been sent to all members whose subscriptions had been paid for the year previous.

' A general discussion ensued, after which it was decided, on 4he motion of Mr. F. D. Gaffaney, that unfinancial members who used their admission tickets last year be requested to pay their subscriptions. In reply to Mr. Rutledge, the chairman stated that the cost of the complimentary luncheon tickets at the last show was £B5.

The report and balance sheet were adopted. Mr. G. E. Jago, secretary of the Taranaki Rugby Union, attended the meeting, and stated that at the last meeting of the Union it was decided to approach the Association with reference to providing netting in the grandstand to keep the birds out, and also in making the oval sheep-proof. The Union had made a donation of £lO for the grandstand. and he pointed out that the /amount which the Association was likely to receive as its share of the gate money this season would be in the vicinity of £so.—lt was decided that it he-a recommendation to the incoming executive to get the work done at

once. Messrs. Sangster and Phillips were appointed a sub-committee to deal immediately with the placing of netting in the grandstand and making the oval sheep-proof. The, following officers were elected:— President. Mr. G. Sangster (re-elected): vice-presidents, Messrs. .1. W. Boon, E. Walter, and Mr. T. Phillips; honorary treasurer. Mr. A. R. Masters: auditor, Mr. J. H. Thompson: general committee, Messrs. TT. A. Hunt. A. H. Huggett, E Linnell, C. A. Marchant, D. O’Sullivan. C. Jackson, W. Pettigrew. L. Webster, W. Pollock, A. Robertson, T. Perry, J. Stewart. R. McK. Morison, J. Crowe, F. D. Gaffenev. H. Johnson, Hart, W. Holmes. .1. T. Belcher, and R. Steer. Considerable discussion took place on a motion moved by Mr W. Pollock as follows: “That the secretary have full control of the distribution of luncheon tickets.” Mr. E. Marfell moved as an amendment: “That no luncheon tickets bp issued to exhibitors.” The amendment was defeated and the motion carried.

Mr. Marfell brought up the question of winter fora<?e growing, and moved that the committee give it earnest consideration.—The motion was carried. Messrs. Sangster, Hunt, C. Merchant, Linnell and Phillips wore appointed to represent the Association at the conference of A. and P. Societies to be held in Stratford on Tuesday next.