WAIRARAPA AND EAST COAST PASTORAL AND AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 1975, 27 April 1885, Page 2

WAIRARAPA AND EAST COAST PASTORAL AND AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.

ANNUAL MEETING.

The Pastoral Society's annual meeting was held at the White Hart Hotel, Carterton,' on Saturday afternoon. The Chair was occupied by the vice-President, Mr H.R. Bunny, .

The Chairman said he regretted the occasion had arisen of his taking the chair through the illness of the President, Mr W. C. Buchanan, who was under a course of treatment for sciatica, and if he fjid, no) jnpjye ho would ; be compelled to give up'his public dutjep,' apd' jfe M not know py man the djstrjet would miss more than the President of that Apcfa,: tion (hear, hear,) He would immediately prooeed to business, and present them with tho Committee's report and balancesheet.

In presenting the annual balancesheet and accounts, the Committee beg to report as follows: —The parade of stallions took place on the 20th September, 1884, and was attended by eight stallions, and it is to be regretted that comparatively little interest is taken in thjg eyent b,y bpthownors of staljjonj and prpeijerfi. In qrcjer - item qf the Sqoiety's'fixturep, fa Qqmniittee haye reduced the PlltCTce fee from 10s to 5s for each horse, no admis, sion being charged at the gates to the public. The attendance also has not been satisfactory; but it must be borne in mind that just at that time, communication along the main road was interrupted owing to the Waingawa bridge having been washed away. The Annual Show was held to be a highly successful one, all important classes of stock being well by" eiifcrjes,' Tlie weatlier. jpveyei', turned 'gut tp ])V stormy and. wet, ant} consequently the number pf exhibits, as well as the aftenp]: anqe of the public on the grounds, were considerably-less than they would have otherwise been, tlie gate money being .the lowest on record since the formation, Notwithstanding the wretched weather whioh prevailed, the judges'and stewards went .carefully through the work assigned to them, and the Committee gratefully acknowledged their services, rendered under so trying circumstances. The Committee have also again to, return thanks'for the many, liberal gifts of pri-

vate prizes offered for competition at the Show, the total value of suoh private prizes amounting in cash to £143 10s, besides plates of the value of £2l. The annual Earn Fair was held on the. 25th February, 1885, and both in point of weather and other accessories, as well as regards the number and quality of sheep entered, ayos a marked success. Though it is impossible for every vendor to be perfectly satisfied in the result of the sales, the Committee have reason to believe, that generally speaking, fair prices were realized, and that year b'y'yeav the annual ram fairs are gaining importance. During the past year the Committee have had under their consideration the advisability, of establishing a second show shortly after the usual annual show, with the view of giving more adequate arrangement to such classes of exhibits as dairy produce, poultry, dogs, pigs, flowers, &c. A proposition has also been made to reduce the entrance fees on ewes and lambs at the annual fair, so as to induce that class of sheep to pass through the yards. The Committee propose shortly to take up the question again, so that timely action may be taken during the next year in the event of the proposals,being carried. The accounts herewith presented have been duly audited, and found correct, The meeting will be called upon''to elect a president, vice-president, and treasurer, ballot out five members of Committee, and to elect five others in their stead, also to elect > auditors. Shortly after the termination of the financial year now under review, viz., on 2nd April, 1885, the buildings of the flower shed and cloak room were destroyed by fire. The premises were insured for £SO, and the insurance money has been duly paid over to the Society. The Committee are not yet in a position to say when or whether they will orect another building in its place.— H. R, Bunny, Vice-president. BALANCE SHEET. Receipts—

Assets—Value of grounds £15130 ; tools, &c, £l7 7s 3d. Liabilities£l22l. Balance, £29617s 3d,

The Chairman in moving the adoption of the report said it was a matter of congratulation that they had come out so well, considering the bad weather they had experienced, and the balance-sheet showed better than had been anticipated both by himself and the other members of, the Committee. It was apparent to all they did not receive that Bupporfc which should be accorded an institution of this kind, and the reason was not far to find. It was the heavy debt which hung like a mill stone round the neck of the Society that frightened people from joining, and they ought to get rid of it. They would never take the position they ought until they did do so.' He would at present confine himself to simply moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet _ Mr W. Bpoth in seconding the adoption, said he was glad to find the position not so bad as was expected. The debt should bo rempyed as speedily as ppssible, he knew jt was 'tins earnest desire of the precept that it sJioujij he,' ana; jt wap only his ill-health prevented him from canvassing the district. There had been promises mad.e fp r the extinguishing the debt to the extent of 1385," ofm'djtiflnal upon the whole of the £6OO debentures being paid off, and before the debentures matured in July ho would like to be in a position to tell the president that this had been done. He had much pleasure in seconding tha adoption of the report. The motion was put and carried. The election of officers was then proceeded with, The following being unanimously re-elected:—M_r W. O. prejujenf; Mr H. fy Bun'py, dent ; Jfr W. Bpptli, |reasirrer. ' The nieetinf'thenproeM'to. ballot out five members of Committee, and elect live others in their Steal}, the rejsvjlt being: out, Messrs F. H, Wood, P, f, Tailored, D, Donald, D, McDongall, and J, Stuckey ; oleoted, Messrs D, MoDougall, J. Stuckey, J, Donald, J, P. Russell, and E. W.Dorset,

Mr F, W. Soed was re-elected auditor

Mr Booth moved that this mooting appoint the President and, Treasurer to canvas the district for subscriptions to pay pJF jdio debt of .the Society, and this meeting pledges itself tp g(ye {;hem ejery Bupport, :" .":. • . ■

Mr Matthews seconded the proposal, which was carried. .

The Secretary stated that in consequence of statements that appeared in tljo pss, re the quality of the gold medals supplied by the Society, Mf'SP Bcetham and Buchanan had had one of them tested, and it'proved, to lie'fifteen carat gold.) and a certificate that suoh was the case would be supplied. ' ,; — -'"

In answer to a member the Secretary said that did not apply to last year only, but to all medals.

The Chairman said ho trusted the press would make this statement public; as the test was tho result of. the press drawing attentidn to the ; 'quality of fhe'fflejalii, ' W fey fflflfef) ind W Bflys &gonded; that; tjje (Jqmmit'tee be asked to arrange fqra side fqe the Exhibition of Flqwers, Pigs, Dogs, #p,-Qarried, ' Ifr Brajthwaite moved that the Committee be asked to set aside an extra day for the show and sale of ewes at the Ram and Ewe Fair, also to arrange for a Horse and Cattle Fair on a separate day. —Carried.

A vote of thanks to the Secretary, which was duly acknowledge by Mr W. Wolters, closed the meeting.

Balance in Bank N.Z. , £35 5 0 Members Subscriptions 11915. 0 Rents and {ees ' , . 10 15 0 Sale of Privileges ... ' .., . 289 3 0 Ram Fair Fees ,, 1948 0 BalanceDr. . 814 6 £483 10 6 Disbursements— Interest .£107 5 4 Salaries and Commissions .. . 53 0 6 Printing and Advertising , t , 5? 3 6 tabor on Grounds ... . 26 1 9 Fees, Insurances, Taxes .. . 27 0 0 Judges, and Stewards, Ex _ penses . 8211 8 Prizes paid at Show, cash .. . 14119 0 Medals ■, , 33 8 9 Ploughing Match, 1883 .. . 5 0 0 £48310 6