COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS' ASSOCIATION.

Evening Star, Issue 7401, 22 December 1887, Page 2

COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS' ASSOCIATION.

The annual meeting of the New Zealand Commercial Travellers and Warehousemen's Association was held last night at the Grand Hotel. Mr R. Wilson (president) occupied the chair, and there was a good attendance. ANNUAL REPORT. The annual report, as already published, and the balance-sheet were taken as read. The President, in proposing the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, said he had very great pleasure iu stating that the Society had been a great success during last year. They had now seventy-six members, and the numbers were increasing every day ; so that tho Society bid fair to be a very great success. There was no other class of men in the country who required to associate with each other more than commercial travellers, and there was a very great deal of good to be done by such a Society. If any member became ill he got assistance from the relief fund, and if a member died the Society looked after his children. A scholarship was also given by the Society, and there were many other ways in which it would do good. Commercial travellers went all through the country, and in some places the accommodation at hotels was not so good as it might be, but they had only to send in a complaint to the Sooiety and it would at once be attended to by their giving the hotelkeeper notice that if he did not alter the accommodation travellers would not stop with him. Other good things might be done for commercial travellers when they are travelling. Sometimes travellers tried to take advantage of each other; if some travellers could not do business with a customer they would try to injure another traveller. That was a mean thing, and tho Sooiety should try and put a stop to it. He was pleased to be president, and as long as he was president he would do his best to further the interests of the Society. Mr H, S. Jones soconded the motion, saying they had got over the initial stage of their life. For the first year or two they met with considerable opposition. Friends outside of Dunedin thought they would make it a local institution, and formed a kindred association on their own account, but the result was that the Association did not last more than twelve months. It was due to them to express their thanks to their friends in the North, who had since recognised that if they were to be a power in the land it must be by unity. If they went on as they were doing, before this time next year they would have a handsome balance in their favor. The motion was put and carried mm, con. election of officers. On the motion of Mr J. M. Jones, seconded by Mr D. M'lntosh, Mr Robert Wilson was unanimously re-elected president. The following were elected vicepresidents :—Messrs John Ross, J. M. Jones, W. Davies, R. Sutherland, and R. Skeoch. A committee was appointed as follows: Messrs C. Fancourt, A. J. Chamberlain, W. Taylor, D. M'lntosh, J. Callender, M. D. Wreathall, and R. R. Taylor. The resignation of Mr Callender as secretary was received with expressions of regret. Mr Hume, who was pressed to take the position, and was commended for the way he had discharged the duties, declined to accept the office on the ground that his business would not allow him to take it. It was resolved to advertise for a secretary. Mr Harty was appointed honorary treasurer. affiliation. The New South Wales Travellers' Association wrote suggesting the adoption of a by-law providing that a commercial traveller belonging to a colonial association might be transferred from one colonial society to another on oertain conditions. The seoretary was instructed to answer this, - and thank the Association. Mr Harty moved a vote of thanks to their working chairman, who had taken great interest in the Sooiety. If the prosperity that had occurred in the hat term followed the seoond, they would be in a very strong position. The motion was passed by acclamation,