ASSOCIATION FOR THE PRESERVATION OF RURAL SCOTLAND (A.P.R.S.)
OFFICE-BEARERS
Honorary President . . SIR JOHN STIRLING MAXWELL, Bt., K.T.
President . . THE RIGHT HON. THE EARL OF HADDINGTON, M.C. SIR IAIN COLQUHOUN, Bt., K.T., D.S.O.
Vice-President . . THE RIGHT HON. THE EARL OF GALLOWAY.
Chairman of Council Vice-Chairman of Council COLONEL SIR J. D. RAMSAY, Bt., of Bamff, M.V.O., F.S.I.
Joint Honorary Secretaries . . SIR F. C. MEARS, P.R.S.A., F.R.I.B.A. , LESLIE GRAHAME-THOMSON, R.S.A., F.R.I.B.A.
Honorary Treasurer Organising Secretary . . H. A. RENDEL GOVAN, A.R.I.B.A., M.T.P.I. J. T. MIDDLETON, W.S.
Office: 15 RUTLAND SQUARE, EDINBURGH, I
Telephone: 20396
ANNUAL REPORT, 1946
THE Council has pleasure in submitting the Annual Report to the Association, together with the Statement of Finances for the year ending 31st December 1945.
Cordial thanks are again due to the Office-bearers of the Association for their personal services during the course of the year.
Owing to the continuing restrictions on the use of paper, the Report this year is again very brief.
OBITUARY.-The Council regrets to record the severe loss sustained by the death during the year of Sir D. Y. Cameron, R.A., R.S.A., LL.D., who was a Founder Member of the Association and had been a member of Council since the Association was formed.
HYDRO-ELECTRIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE HIGHLANDS
Tummel-Garry Scheme
As mentioned in the last Report, the Association had objected to this project but the objections were not sustained in the Report of the Commissioners. A prayer for annulment against the confirming Order for this scheme was tabled in Parliament, and the Association wrote all members of the House of Commons and many members of the House of Lords inviting support for the prayer. The Association were particularly indebted to the President and to Members of the House of Commons who supported their views, but little satisfaction was obtained from the Government.
Fannich
The Council addressed a letter to the Secretary of State for Scotland, making certain proposals with regard to the practice of diverting water from one major watershed to another, to the desirability of the Board publishing its full proposals with regard to all developments of one scheme at the same time, and with regard to the siting of the Power Station at Grudie Bridge. It was decided not to press for an Inquiry into this scheme. Copies of this letter were sent to the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board. In reply the Board made a few concessions.
Future Programme
A Meeting was held with the National Trust and the Board, at which there was a free interchange of views regarding the Board’s future policy, and it is hoped and believed that their proposals with regard to Glen Affric, when published, will be suitably modified.
NATIONAL PARKS
The Scottish Council for National Parks, which was formed on the initiative of the Council of the A.P.R.S., completed its fourth year of activities in April 1946. The Secretary of State has appointed a Scottish National Parks Committee to consider and report upon the administrative, financial and other measures necessary for the provision on the lines recommended in the Report of the Scottish National Parks Survey Committee of National Parks in Scotland, and to consider and make recommendations on such other matters relating to National Parks and on the conservation of wildlife as may be referred to the Committee by the Secretary of State for Scotland. The Association will cooperate closely with the Scottish Council for National Parks in affording as much information as possible to this Committee when opportunity arises.
GENERAL
The activities of the Association have continued. Wherever possible action has been taken in a number of cases concerning the preservation and improvement of amenities. Amongst such matters is the question of Out-door Advertising, and it is hoped that this matter will be discussed very fully between the Association of County Councils and the Ministers of the Crown, between whom a meeting is shortly to take place.
Now that hostilities are ceased the Council has under consideration the taking of steps necessary to increase the membership of the Association, and the Council is of opinion that formation of branches of the Association should be encouraged and invites the assistance of members towards that end.
There will be submitted at the Annual General Meeting the proposals to amend the Constitution, in order to provide the very necessary increase in income to permit of the continuation of the Association’s work.
FINANCE
There is attached hereto an Abstract of the Accounts for the year to 31st December 1945.
The year’s working shows a deficit of £79, 19s. 5d., but it may be mentioned that during the year no grant was received from the Carnegie United Kingdom Trust. It was gratifying to know that during the year there was received, in response to the Appeal for the Hydro-Electric Fund, a sum of £1085, 15s. 9d. The Council hopes that with the assistance of members, it will be possible to increase the income of the Association, so that in future years there will be no deficit.
The Council record their appreciation of the legacy of 100 bequeathed to the Association by the late Mr. William Binks of Harrow, a member who had always taken very great interest in the Association’s work.
ORGANISING SECRETARY
The Council regret to record the great loss sustained through the death at the end of the year of Mr. Edward McGegan, who had been Organising Secretary since February 1936, and whose wide general experience and energy had been so valuable to the Association over a great many years.
Mr. J. T. Middleton, W.S., has been appointed his successor and the Association Offices have, on his appointment, been changed to 15 Rutland Square.
BUSINESS
1. Minute of Annual General Meeting held on 11th July 1945.
2. Annual Report and Accounts.
3. Election of Office-bearers.
4. Election of Members of Council.
5. To consider and dispose of the following Resolutions:-
(1) That Clause 3 be amended in the following respects:-
(a) By deleting the word “three,” occurring in the first line, and substituting
therefor the word “two.”
(b) By deleting the words “representatives of,” occurring in the first line of Sub-
clause (1).
(c) By deleting Sub-clause (2), and
(d) By renumbering the existing Sub-clause (3) as Sub-clause (2).
*(2) That Clause 7 be amended, as follows:-
(a) By deleting the figures “£5, 5s.” occurring in Sub-clause (1), and substituting
therefor the figures “£10, 10 s.”
(b) That Sub-clause (2) be amended by deleting the figures “£2, 2s.” and substituting after the word “of” the words “between £1, I1. and £5, 5s. according to the number of members.”
(c) By deleting Sub-clause (3).
(d) By renumbering Sub-clause (4) as Sub-clause (3), and deleting the figures “10 S.”
therein and substituting therefor the figure “£1,” and
(e) By renumbering Sub-clause (5) as Sub-clause (4) and deleting the figure” 5s.”
and substituting therefor the figures “2s. 6d.”
(3) That Clause 9 be amended as follows:-
(a) By inserting after the word “Council” occurring in line 4, the words “Vice-Chairman of Council,” and
(b) By deleting in Sub-clause (2) the words ” representatives of Affiliated Societies
and.”
(4) By adding a new Clause in the following terms:-
17. The funds of the Association shall be invested in such manner as the Council shall decide and in the names of the President, Chairman and Vice-Chairman for the time being, as Trustees for the Association.
6. Any other competent business.
* NOTE.-The proposed amendments to this Clause relate mainly to increasing
subscriptions.
ASSOCIATION FOR THE PRESERVATION OF RURAL SCOTLAND
BALANCE SHEET as at 31st December 1945
STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS for the Year to 31st December 1945
[see pdf file]
REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION FOR THE PRESERVATION OF RURAL SCOTLAND
We have examined the above Balance Sheet with the Books and Accounts of the Association for the Preservation of Rural Scotland, and have obtained all the information and explanations we have required. We have not examined the Membership Roll Books of the Association. Subject to the foregoing note we report that in our opinion such Balance Sheet is properly drawn up so as to exhibit a true and correct view of the state of the Association’s affairs according to the best of our information and the explanations given to us and as shown by the Books of the Association.
21 RUTLAND STREET, EDINBURGH,
20th April 1946.
WHITSON & METHUEN,
Honorary Auditors.
ANNUAL MEETING, 1946
THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of the
Association will be held in the ROYAL ARCH
HALLS, 75 QUEEN STREET, EDINBURGH, on Wednesday, 5th June, at 2.30 p.m., when it is hoped that you will be able to be present.
The Right Honourable The Earl of Haddington, M.C., will preside, and the adoption of the Annual Report will be moved by the Right Honourable John I. Falconer, Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh.
A note of the business to be transacted is on page 2.
Yours faithfully,
F. C. MEARS,
L. GRAHAME-THOMSON,
Hon. Secretaries.
Edinburgh: Printed by T. and A. CONSTABLE LTD.
If undelivered return to
The Association for the Preservation of Rural Scotland, 15 Rutland Square, Edinburgh