1921 Annual Report - the RNA

Exhibits warrants an even greater outlay. We sincerely hopethat the assistance which your Association rendered to thedemonstration of dehydration of fruit will in the near futureprove of value to our orchardists.No Association or Society of a similar nature to our ownin the Commonwealth stands to-day in a more enviable financialposition. Our Bank credit amounts to £405/13/3, andthere is owing to .us £674 represented principallyby membership subscriptions, space rents, ground rents, etc.We own freehold property, which including improvements, isvalued at nearly £20,000. The Show Grounds, which we holdunder Perpetual Lease, contain improvements which have costyour Association over £75,000. Furniture and plant in handcould not be purchased to-day for £1,500. We owe theGovernment £5,000, a loan which matures in 1923, but ouractual total debt is less than £4,500. Regarding this GovernmentLoan, we would explain that it was advanced to tide usover the year 1919 when, owing to our Grounds and Buildingsbeing used by the Government as an Influenza Epidemic1Hospital, we were unable to hold our Show, and in consequencelost the whole year's revenue, together with the year's maintenancecost, cost of printing Schedules and other matterwhich had been issued before we were definitely advised thatno Show could be held. This £5,000 Loan granted to us underthe circumstances mentioned was honestly due as compensation,and we have reason to believe that but for the financial stresswith which our Government is faced, a proportion of this loanwould have been granted to us. The Government of NewSouth Wales, under exactly similar circumstances, paid £19,000to the Royal Agricultural Society of N.S.W., as compensati nfor the loss of their Show.IMPROVEMENTS.NEW EXHIBITION HALL. Early in the year, aY.M.C.A. hut, measuring 164 feet long by 34j feet wide, withwalls 9ft. high was purchased. The original proposal was toerect this building in the Live Stock Reserve for such purposesas might be considered necessary, but it was subsequentlydecided to make the structure an annexe to the John ReidIndustrial Hall, increase the width of the floor by 12 feet(making it 45 feet wide), raise the walls from 9 feet to 15 feet,with an up-to-date system of ventilation and lighting. Thesealterations made the building much more suitable for generalshow purposes, and made it also a much better revenue pro-Samr than would have been the case if the old measurements