NEW ERA STARTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 207, 2 September 1938, Page 3

NEW ERA STARTS.

"SOLID BUSINESS." ESTATE AGENTS' AFFAIRS. FORECAST BY PRESIDENT. "T am of the opinion that we are entering on an era of good, sound, solid business, and it rests with us to see that it is solid business, and not a boom," declared the newly-elected president, Mr. C. R. Blackett, at the 20tli annual dinner of the Auckland branch of the. Xew Zealand Real Estate Institute, held at the Royal Hotel last night. The Minister of Internal Affairs, the Ron. AV. E. Parry was the guest of honour. Mr. Blackett. who ws«s replying to a toast offered to liiru bv the retiring president, Mr. H. C. Ernest, said the institute was conceived not only for the protection of the land agent and the raising of his status, but also for the protection of the public, and every niem-

ber was doing his best to carry on his business in accordance with the ethics laid down by the institute.

It was the members' duty to protect the public against fraud, misrepresentation and any unethical practice, Mr. Blackett continued. They must operate solely on the merits of the propertv they were handling; there must be no exaggeration and no misleading. More and more every day the public were consulting the real estate practitioner and seeking practical advice, and that confidence was worthy of being still further built up.

Replying to the toast of "The Visitors." proposed by Mr. H. B. Harper, Mr. Parry complimented the president on the fine message he had given. He said the institute was a typical example of the benefits to be gained by the banding together of a group of men engaged in similar enterprise for the collective security of the particular class of business. "Ihe old saying, "Unity means strength,' has a very real and significant meaning under modern conditions." the Minister added. "It is recognised the world over that a properly organised group of persons is in a much better position to bargain for rights and privileges than if those persons attempted to jrain their ends by individual representation.

"Quite apart from tills aspect, how[ever, a properly constituted body such as your institute is able to regulate the domestic problems arising out of the activities of its members, and to standardise those matters common to all its members," he said. Commending the work of the institute in its efforts to maintain a high standard of service, Mr. Parry declared that he regarded it as the legitimate channel of communication between the Government and the large body of land agents in this country.

.Mr. TI. M. Rogerson, president of the Auckland Law Society, also replied to this toast. Other toasts were: "The Heal Estate Institute of New Zealand'' (proposed by Mr. P. Balgarnie and replied to Air. (!. B. Osmond and Mr. G. S. Boves). and "Retiring Officers" (proposed by Mr. R. S. Neweomb and replied to by Mr. H. C. Ernest). Musical interludes were given bv the Lyric Quartette.

At the annual meeting before the dinner, officers were elected as follows: —President. Mr. (i. R. Blackett; vicepresident, Messrs. P. Balgarnie and H. B. Harper; committee. Messrs. K. H. Barfoot, .T, D. Campbell. H. C. Ernest, F. .A. Jarrett. J. U. Keddlc. I. Mclndoe! J. T. P. Mitchell. R. S. Neweomb. G. B. Osmond, F. Wade and R. L. Griffiths.