TRAVELLERS MEET

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2669, 15 January 1916, Page 7

TRAVELLERS MEET

TWENTY-FIFTH ANNUAL REPORT A SATISFACTORY POSITION The twenty-fifth anmlal general meeting of the Wellington Commercial Travellers' and Warehousemen's Association was held in the club rooms of the association last night. The president, Mr. George Pirie, presided over a good attendance of members. ■ The annual report dealt with the year's operations, the finances showing a net gain for the Jear of £314 4s. Bd., against £287 2s. lOd. for the previous year. _ The actual result Of the year's work is a loss of £4 15s. 4d. The president, in moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, referred to the excellent record which stood to the credit of the association in the matter of patriotic effort-. In looking over the report they would observe'that tho patriotic fluids had benefited by an amount which would otherwise have represented a profit on the year's working of the association, and he presumed that in the circumstances no objection would bo raised to the course which had been taken, timing tho year, he regretted to say, they had lost some members by death, including their first life governor, Mr. John Duthie. He congratulated the association upou tho fact that the relief fund remained precisely where it stood last year. There bad been no demand made upon it. The association membership during 1915 was 356, as coilip&red with 352 in the preceding year, a gain of four. The club members in 1915 numbered 113, as against 117 in 1914, a loss of four. The country club members in 1915 were 39, as compared with 41.- The members who had enlisted and were in camp or at the front were 30 in number, tho association having contributed 22 and the club 8. It was a matter for congratulation that out of their comparatively small membership they had been able to contribute no fewer than thirty of their number to the fighting forces of the country. (Applause.)

Mr. J. W. Body seconded tho motion. _ Mr. O. W. Tanner (the representative of the club members on the House Committee) congratulated the association on the favourable character of their balance-sheet, and the splendid offorts they had made during t-lio year. Mr. F.- W. Man ton said that not only had the younger members of the association enlisted as set out in tho report, but tho older members who were married had urgad their sous to join the colours, and they were therefore deserving of the hearty thanks not only of the association, but of New Zealand. The report, it would he seen, recorded the death of their esteemed first life governor, Mr. John ■ Duthie, who had been an oxample to every business man in the community. Ifc had been decided to hold a patriotic carnival in Wellington, and tho club had made a special iovy of £1, because th<3j. wanted all the assistance they could possibly get. Members to tho number of 193 had responded. The motion was then carried. The following office-bearers were elected:—President, Mr. W. J. Bridson; vicc-prosidents, Messrs. F. : W. Manton ana E. A. Phelps; committee (to act with those already'; holding office), Messrs. M. A. Carr, A. C. Croll, T. E. James, E. Kain, and P. J. Kinniburgh (travellers), and Messrs. M, J. Bird, T. Inglis, S. Jacobs, W. F. Larkin, and C. Rushbrook (warehousemen) ; treasurer, Mr. F. M. Rush; trustees, Messrs. C. A. Briggs, W. Clayton,; W. B. Lees, and G. Pirie; secretary, Mr.. A. J. Carlton; auditor, Mr. C. B. Robertson. A vote of thanks Was awarded to the retiring president. A number of p.mendments were made to the rules of the association. These ; related mainly to the positions of officebearers and to entrance and subscription fees. CLUB BUSINESS.

Subsequently a meeting of the Wellingtoii Commercial Travellers and Warehousemen's Club Company, Ltd., was held, Mr. W. J. iiridson, the chairman of directors, presiding. The 21st annual report, which was adopted, stated: "Since the last annual report was presented, it will be noticed that the mortgage has been reduced by £1500, and now stands at £70U0. Against this, "however, the rate of interest has increased one per cent., which mealis that the interest charged is now slightly in osceps of last year. Your direotors have on deposit the following amounts Post Office Savings Bank, £331 IBs. 3d.; Equitable Building Society, £615 13s. Bd. The; newly-elected mombers of the committee of the association were appointed to act as directors of tho company.

The matter of conscription has been receiving the attention of the trade unions in Gisborne (says tho "Poverty Bay Herald"), and recently a' conference was held, at which it is understood every union in Gisborne except one was fully represented. A resolution was passed favouring some form of compulsory military service for the duration of the_ war, to long as the scheme is not detrimental to the best interests of trade unionism. A further resolution was passed, urging the Government to take steps to commandeer profits accruing from the war. It was decided that the local unions' should bo represented at the Labour Congress \to be held at Wellington on the 25th instant by two delegates to support tho principles sot out in the above resolutions. Letters from members of the Oamaru I'iro Brigade now on activo service were read at tho monthly meeting of the brigade the other evening. Private P. Ilealy, in describing the voyage of the Seventh Reinforcements, says: "We touched at ltyemantle and went for a two-hours' march through tho town. The pooplo were somewhat against allowing us to land owing to tho behaviour of some Australian troops who had painted the . town red a week previously. Just to _ tell you what they did .... they raided butchers' shops and paraded tho' streets with strings of sausages round their :iccks. They conimandcered go-carts, and had races with them, and, mind you, thoro were babies in tile go-earts! Wo had a death on board tho other day—Private Gordon Jefferis, of Otekaike —and it has cast a gloom over tho whole ship. Tho dead soldier was accorded the most impressive funeral."

Instances of the severity of the drought como to luuul daily, states.the "Oamaru Mail." A resident of Kokoamo of 30 years' standing is taking steps to remove his stock to Southland. This is the first instance of the kind in the district ho can recollect. Inquiries for feed in the Omarnma district have been received from other North Otago farmers. A dairy farmer ivitli 14 cows lias been obliged to soil ten. Four he has retained for his family needs. This means that lie is living on what surplus last year, also a dry though not a drought year, yielded him.