AFTER THIRTY YEARS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 304, 17 September 1921, Page 12

AFTER THIRTY YEARS

COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS’ ASSOCLATION A PROGRESSIVE INSTITUTION The Wellington Commercial Travellers and 'Warehousemen's .Association held a smoke concert in the Dominion Farmers’ Institute last evening, to commemorate association day—Hie day on which the United Commercial Travellers and Warehousemen's Association was first established. Tho president, .Air. R. M. Brewer, occupied the chair, and there was a large attendance of members and visitors.

The president, in proposing the toast “Tiie Day Wo Celebrate,” said 11 the ailvauceineiii the ii.-scciation had .nude must bo very gratifying lo members. In 181)1 the assets amounted to .€65, and in 11)20 to .1.27,02'). The membership in 1891 was 75. and at. present it was 1079. They did 1 not look upon the association as a. mere club. Their idea was io go out and make, for the betterment of the, "man on the road,” and the betterment of commerce and humanity. lie instanced the great amount of work commercial travellers had done during tho war in raising money for various purposes. They , had also done a great deal for the mercantile marine. Thev had raised .€5719 17s. 3d. for the latter, and .£lOOO of that amount was being expended in New Zealand partly- in straightout grants, but mainly in providing annuities for the children of sailors who lost their lives during the war. Another fund which they must be proud of was the blind soldiers and sailors’ fund. They raised .£5512 Is. lid., and Jl5OO had been donated to St. Dunstan’s Hospital, London. Grants or loans of varying amounts had been made io 17 out of the 24 blind soldiers who had returned ?o New Zealand, leaving a balance of .£3099 3s. Gd., of which the greater part was earning interest. Mr. M. A. Carr, in responding, urged the members to take an interest in their club; also to look after their social privileges. Where no-liec.nse obtained, he paid, accommodation suffered. Air. F. IV. Manton, who also replied to the toast, said that an Australian Senator had stated that the Commercial Travellers aud MMrehousemen’s Association was a national institution, and judging by the work the New Zealand commercial travellers had done during the war, he thought tho same could be said of their association. He pointed out that the mortuary benefit fund was started with just under 2C500, and at ihe end of last year it stood at .£BOOO. The relief fund amounted to .£6OO, and the war benefit fund to over zGIOOO.

A number of other toasts were, honoured, including "Kindred Associations,” "The Man on the Road,” and “The Warehousemen.” Entertaining items were contributed by- Alessrs. G. AV. Dowling, N. E. Aitken, 11. P. Poole, L. E. Eastabrook. F. C. Connell, D. N. Isaacs, 1 and F. H. Williams.