THE SHOW SITE QUESTION

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9043, 9 March 1908, Page 5

THE SHOW SITE QUESTION

DISCUSSED BY A. AND P. ASSOCIATION.

GENERAL COMMITTEE FAVOURS REMOVAL.

The General Committee of the Masterton A. and P. Association met on Saturday afternoon to receive the report of a special committee on the proposal to remove the Show to Solway. There were present:—Messrs J. D. Cruickshank (chairman), T. P. Lett, R. J. Dagg. E. Harper, D. McGregor, E. E. Chamberlain, J. B. Mcodie, W. H. Buick, W. Perry, W. McKenzie, R. Johnstone, Bland Rayner, J. P. Perry, Jos. Morris, H. Morrison, A. J. Percy, O. C. Cuoner, W. Cooper, J. F. Heckler, C. E. Daniell, D. Caselberg, A. G. Pilmer, G. Shaw, R. Gray, J. C. McKillop and G. C. Summerell. The report was as follows :—■ ESTIMATED RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURE FOR 1908-9 ON PRESENT SHOWGROUNDS. Receipts.

In the event of present ground j being retained our expenditure will be increased by £BS, owing to interest on mortgages being £l3s,and the estimated income (rents) £SO. J. D. CRUICKSHANK. G. C. SUMMERELL. J. B. MOODIE. The President said the sub-com-mittee had been caroful *o underestimate rather than to over estimate on the side of probable receipts from the sale of the present grounds, and in other directions where income was concerned. The sub-committee, moveover, had not the full figures for the past season to work on, though they had a fair idea of how the finances respecting it stood. The General Committee and the Association generally could rely on the estimates being well within the mark. The value of the present Showgrounds, for instance, had been put at a very low figure at £l5O per acre. The Association had paid'£l2sper acre for the last piece purchased, situated at the back of the ground, and the speaker was convinced that the front portion I was worth very much more than £l5O per acre. He stated that Mr C. E. Daniel!, who had given an estimate of the cost of removal of the buildings on the Showground to Solway, had personally visited the locality. Mr Moodie also considered the sub-committee had rather over-esti-mated the probable expenditure than otherwise. He said it was a very difficult matter to draw up a report such as was being presented to the I General Committee. The estimated increase of membership was to the value of £IOO, and donations to £4O more, these being generally considered reasonably probable increments. Entries and privileges had been left at the same figures, and £SO had been set down as probable increase of gate receipts. It did not necessarily follow

that because the membership increased the gate money would decrease, nor, for that matter, increase. Tb* rents and RamjFair receipts hadjbeen left unaltered. It was for the General Committee to say whether the working expenses had been sufficiently estimated at £6OO, which was £SO more than at present. The present profit was £235, while at Solway the estimated credit balance was put down at £7O with low estimates on the receipts side and high estimates on the disbursements side. Of course, the Show would need to be fostered in every possible way, and it was only fair to let members know clearly that at present they possessed assets worth £2,375, and this would be expended in making the new ground suitable for Show purposes. In the event of the present grounds being j retained the Association would be paying interest to the extent of £BS per year, that was, after allowing t'or rental. The speaker took it that it was hardly feasible to remove to . Solway this year, and in the event of a shift some arrangement would have to be made with the mortgagees of the present ground. Mr Summerell said the sub-com-mittee had calculated its figures on an average of t,he last five years' working, but it would be recognised that as far as estimating the probable receipts, and expenditure at Solway was concerned they were entirely in the dark. Regarding the gate receipts the speaker believed the estimate was fairly safe. As things were country people were put to considerable expense if they arrived by train.

Mr Caselberg': Flave you considered how it will affect the townspeople if we remove to sSulway? Mr Summerell replied that he had. He thought that the conveyances would not levy a fare of more than about two shillings return at the outside, aud it would nrobably be lesssay eighteen pence. Mr Morris: Do you think there are enough cabs and other vehicles in Masterton to carry all the people to the Show who would like to go? Mr Summerell said he certainly thought so. Extra vehicles would no doubt be running, and a lot of residents had their own. The present fare charged by a good many cabs to and from the Showgrounds and railway station was two shillings each way.

Mr 0. C. Cooper thought the General Committee and the Association generally was indebted to the sub-committee for the lucid report it had presented on such a vital matter. The committee had gone about their work in the right way,and taken a five years' working basis, instead of, as they might have done, estimated it on.last Show returns.

Mr Wm. Perry complimented the committee on its report. It might have been mentioned, however, that one of the grandstands required at least £3OO expended on it, if removal to Solway were not made, and in the estimate for the shifting of the buildings to Solway the alterations necessary to this grandstand had been included. Then again the presn': sheep and cattle yards inside of two years would require another £IOO expenditure to put them into repair. Regarding the £SOO put down in the estimate for the siding the speaker said it was neither wise nor necessary for the Association to do any more than was absolutely unavoidable in this respe:t. He thought that the smallest amount possible commensurate with requirements should be expended on a siding and in a year or two, when the Show had [been properly established, no doubt the Government would, if the right pressure were brought to bear, put down a good siding for its own ends. Mr Morris asked Mr McGregor if Mr Daniell (who had not arrived at the meeting at the stage) had considered in his estimate of the cost of improvements at Solway the building of a high board fence round the whole of the ground to keep out persons seeking free admittance by evading the gatekeepers. Such a fence would, if not estimated for, run into a very large additional sum of money. Mr McGregor said £I,OOO had been allocated for fencing, and it was not necessary to run a high board fence round the whole Showground area. At the present grounds only part of the site was enclosed with such a fence, and the amount set down for fencing at Solway would amply cover all the high fence necessary. Mr Moodie asked Mr W. Perry if, in the event of the estimated expenditure being slightly exceeded, would the gentlemen who were willing to act as guarantors incur the extra responsibility. Mr Perry replied that if a prudent expenditure were necessary, he personally, as one of the guarantors, thought that an extra £I,OOO could be arranged for. He could only speak for himself, but did not anticipate that his co-guarantors would object. Mr Heckler asked if the Association had considered the question of taking over the whole of Solway. The chairman replied that such a proposition was too big an order for the Associatiun.

Mr Heckler then enquired if sufficient land had been set apart Show purposes, and the accommodation of stock, etc. The chairman said that the 75 acres proposed to be purchased was amply sufficient. The chairman also said that the General Committee were practically unanimously in favour of removing to Solway, and lie hoped that no opposition would be encountered from individual members, as such might prejudice the proposal when it came before the general meeting of members. As the original motion passed was that 90 acres be purchased subject to approval and financial arrangements being made, it was decided to amend the resolution before confirmation to make the area read 75 acres.

The chairman explained that the the Association had decided to abandon the purchase of the other 15 acres, which were not really required, and the syndicate had promised that the profit on these 15 acres would be given to the Association. Mr Morris, in speaking to the amended unconfirmed resolution, said he was entirely opposed to it. Such a hurried resolution as had been formulated had, he contended, no bottom to it. On visiting Solway prior to the meeting he was niore than ever convinced that the proposition to remove the Show was inimical to the interests of the Association The new site was rough and crude, and the Association had expended many

years' hard work and vsry much money in improving its present ground. He characterised the whole * agitation to removal to Solway as "rot," and said that the General Committee must not run away with the idea that they ran the Show, for it was the members and the people who were its mains L ay. The only reasonably certain revenue the Association bad was its gate-money, while if the Show were removed to Solway he knew his ground when he stated that a large number of members would rosign rather than patronise a Show where access was bad, and conveyances dear. The mooted amalgamation with Carterton was also, he contended, a very far distant and improbable idea. Anyhow, what was propos?d could never by any stretch of language be termed amalgamation. Were Carterton to_.se! 1 its ground and Masterton do the same, and the combined funds be paid in for the purchase of Solway that would be true amalgamation. If the Masterton Association relied on Carterton coming in later it made a very great mistake, as Carterton Society was as strong now as ever it was, and the probability of its abandoning its Show in favour of Masterton was as remote now as it was twerty years ago. The Carterton people would see that Masterton would never handle a penny of their money at its Show, and, as sensible men, would not patronise Masterton Show after it had killed their own. Mr Morris believed that the proposal would find no favour among the general body of members of the Association and at the general meeting their silent votes vvculd not allow the present proposal, nor anything like it, to be carried. Mr Perry interposed a remark that there would be no silent votes at the meeting. The Act did not provide for that. Mr Morris . said that if the votes were not silent they should be. If the committee resorted to the dark ages method of taking a vote by a school-boy-like show of hands, after country members had ridden perhaps 50 or 60 miles to attend the meeting, it was pretty hard lines. Mr 0. C. Cooper: But we can't defy the Act.

Mr Morris: However, I move as an amendment that this Committee cannot recommend the purchase uf Solway as a Showground site, and that it drops the proposal once and for ever. The chairman pointed out that this was a direct negative, and he could not accept it. Mr Morris said he.felt very strongly over the question of the method of voting to be pursued. He moved that a ballot be taken by circular of members of the Association, the ballot to close on the evening prior to the meeting of members. This, he said, need not be the ballot provided by the Act, but would serve as a guide to the members of the General Committee, and on the day of the meeting of members those who attended the meeting would have an idea of how the proposition was viewed.

A long discussion ensued on the advisability and practicability of this idea, many being in favour of it, but eventually Mr Morris withdrew his motion, as it was generally agreed that the attendance at the meeting of members might be affected. The resolution was then confirmed by 23 votes to 3, Messrs Heckler, Morris and Johnstone voting against it.

The general meeting of members to ratify the General Committee's action was fixed for Saturday, the 28th inst.

£ s. d. Subscriptions 600 0 0 Donations 360 0 0 Privileges 125 0 0 Entries 370 0 0 Gates 250 0 0 Guessing 30 0 0 Rents v 50 0 0 Ram Fair 80 0 0 £1,865 0 0 Expenditure. Cash prizes 750 0 0 Judges 60 0 0 Printing and advertising 100 0 0 Interest 150 0 0 Working expenses 550 0 0 Improvements 20 0 0 Profit and Loss 235 0 0 £1,865 0 0 PRESENT POSITION OF SOCIETY. Assets over liabilities. Freehold property 5,100 0 0 Improvements, buildings, " etc.,, say 1,500 0 0 £6,600 0 0 1 Liabilities. Bank overdraft, say £600 Mortgage on property £2,725 3,325 0 0 Value of assets, say £3,275 0 0 PRESENT PROPOSAL TO ACQUIRE PART OF SOLWAY ESTATE. To take over 70 acres at £60 ner acre 4,200 0 0 Five acres for £700 700 0 0 £4,900 0 0 Estimated cost of shifting buildings, putting ground in order, fencing, railway siding, etc 3,500 0 0 £3,400 0 0 Proposed to finance in following way :— Estimated proceeds sale of present Showground, 34 aires at £150— £5,100 ., Less mortgage-£2,725 2,375 0 0 £6,025 0 0 Add, say, curren*. bank overdraft £600 0 0 Estimated amount required to be found and raised by bank overdraft on ten joint and several guarantees £6,625 0 0 ESTIMATED COST OF HOLDING SHOW ON NEW GROUNDS (Assuming present ground sold at £150 per acre). Receipts. Subscriptions 700 0 0 Donations 400 0 0 Entries 370 0 0 Privileges 125 0 0 Gates 300 0 0 Guessing 300 0 0 Rents 90 0 0 Ram Fair 80 0 0 £2,095 0 0 Expenditure.Prizes £750 0 0—same Judges 60 0 0—same Printing ard advertising 100 0 0—might be £50 Interest 390. 0 0—150 present Working expenses' 600 0 0—550 present Improvements 100 0 0 Ren', siding 25 0 0 Balance, profit 70 0 0-235 £2,095 0 0