A RAM FAIR MATTER.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3110, 8 February 1909, Page 5

A RAM FAIR MATTER.

A QUESTION OF CONTROL

WAIRARAPA P. AND A. SOCIETY'S GRIEVANCE. .

AT MASTERTON ASSOCIATION ASSUMING FULL CONTROL.

THE LATTER BODY'S DECISION IRREVOCABLE.

In June last a resolution was passed by the General Committee of the Masterton A. and P. Association, in which it was resolved that the Ram Fair should in future be held under the sole auspices of the Association, and that the joint arrangements in regard to the holding of the Fair subsisting between the Association and the Wairarapa P. and A. Society should cease. The chief feature of the decision was that nonparticipatiun in the profits of the Fair would entail a loss to the South Wairarapa Society of a sum usually about £35, representing a one-third share of the profits of the Fair. The resolution of the Association was duly communicated to the Wairarapa Society, and nothing was heard in regard to the matter until the present month, when a letter was received from Mr L, Smart, actingsecretary of the Society, stating that a committee would wait upon the Masterton Association at its next meeting to endeavour to come to terms about the control of t*;3 Fair. The succeeding meeting of the Association would in the ordinarj course have eventuated i.ext Saturday, and the Ram Fair will take place on Thursday and Friday of next week.

At Saturday's meeting of the General Committee of the Masterton Association (the meeting was held a week earlier on account of the proximity of the Show) a deputation from the Wairarapa Society, composed of Messrs H. R. Bunny, W. Howard Booth, W. C. Buchanan and H. H. Wolters. waited upon the Committee in reference to the matter.

Mr Bunny stated that the object of the deputation's visit was in a nutshell, to know the reason of the Masterton Association's decision to conduct the Ram Fair or its own behalf. For ten or twelve years an arrangement between the two bodies had gone on amicably in respect of the Fair, and the Wairarapa Society thought that unless, there was some good reason such an arrangement should not be terminated.' The Society itself could assign no good reason, and it was anxious for the Ram Fair to be conducted as in the past. Mr Buchanan said that he endorsed Mr Bunny's remarks. Further, he said, there was involved in this matter, as in ordinary business matters, a question of goodwill. When the arrangements were entered into by the Wairarapa Society regarding a joint Ram Fair the Society would never have consented to the arrangements if it had known that the understanding was not to be even reasonably permanent, and that it would lose the "goodwill" of its Fair. It was acknowledged at the time that certain advantages would accrue from the holding of one Fair, and upon that and other considerations the arrangements had been made. Mr J. Strang (who was present) a3 one of the first and foremost advocates of the union of the Fair 3 would admit that the amalgamation of the Fairs would never have been consented to had there been any idea that the union was the first step to what had now taken place. He thought the matter should be looked at from the point of view of the Wairarapa Society, and if that were done the Masterton Association would see that there was a breach of faith in their action. Mr Wolters said that a matter which had been overlooked was that the amalgamation of the Fairs wa3 the result of a compact made that Carterton was to be the locality of the Spring Show, while Masterton was to have the Ram Fair. This compact was not. he contended, m.ant to bind the Societies only for a time, but perman?ntly. Certainly the Masterton Association had in its power to abrogate the ti-ne, but the Carterton Show people thoucrht it was hardly right for the Association to act in the precipitate way it had.

Mr Strang asked Mr Buchanan if he could state what instructions were given to the Committee of the Cirterton Society when the question of uniting the Fairs was settled. Mr Buchanan replied that he could not do so as no record of the matter had been kept. However, he appealed to the recollection of Mr Strang, as one of the Committee acting for the Carterton Society, to say what had been the idea underlying the Wairarapa Society's action.

Mr Strang said that he could not j remember all that had been s-nd and done, but this he did know, that the Carterton Fair had been a losing one from the start, and the stand taken up was for one Fair, and that a successful one. The speaker did his best to amalgamate the two Fairs. and he was pleased that it had been brought about. So far as the subcommittee entrusted with the amalgamation conference with Masterton Association was concerned, it had received no instructions whatever from the Society, and the proposal to unite the Fairs was carried by the Carterton Association by a majority of seventeen, no conditions being attached. Mr Bunny said that it would be admitted that no definite conditions were laid down, but that did not affect the object of the deputation, who wished to know why past arrangements should not continue. The sudden action of the Masterton Association needed explanation. Mr W. J. Welch objected to the Masterton Association's action being termed sudden, as it was seven months since the Wairarapa Society were notified of the matter.

Mr Bunny said he did not make a point of *he hastiness of the Masterton Association in that respect, but in regard to the termination of the agreement after so comparatively short an existence.

Mr Wolters said the Wairarapa Society thought it should be allowed to continue to enjoy the very modest share of the profit of the Fair which in the past accrued to it.

Mr Wrri, Perry said that it would probably be a surprise to the deputation to learn that the proceedings

* n. •«***" two Fair 3' the for the union of tftv ahou j d re _ proposal that CarteriOv- ana t e d ceive a third of the profit 4 «=■► _ from a Masterton member of the „ ference. . i

Mr Booth said it was distinctly known that no legal conditions were laid down by which the Masterton Association should abide, but the obligation upon them was a heavy moral one.

The deputation then withdrew until the Committee considered the question. Practically no discussion ensued on the matter, members being unanimous from the outset that the decision of the Association to hold the Ram Fair under its exclusive auspices should not be revoked.

Mr Perry moved the following resolution:—"That the deputation be informed that the Committee consider that in the interets of breeders and of the general public it is not advisable to depart from the resolution of June last." Mr Morrison seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously.

The deputation was recalled, and informed of this resolution, the Chairman (Mr D. McGregor) stating that the reasons which prompted the Committee to come to a final conclusion were that tne whole of the auctioneering firms doing business at the Fair were located at Masterton, practically all the breeders were interested in or members of the Masterton Association, because 'the" oullc of the work fell on officials of the Masterton Association, and the wear and tear on the yards, buildings, etc., of the Association warranted them in retaining any IJrOflt made cut of the I 1 air.

Mr Bunny and other member; of the deputation expressed regret ai the decision of the Committee, the former stating he felt that the frictinn existing between the two bodies co-jld not be allayed by tha Association's action. After thanking the Committee for receiving them, the members of the deputation withdrew.