MEDICAL SOCIETY

Grey River Argus, 23 August 1934, Page 3

MEDICAL SOCIETY

A Balance Sheet Question MEETING AT RUNANGA. A special meeting of the Point I lizabeih Medical Society was held last evening in the Miners’ Hall, having been called by requisition of twenty members, they questioning the balance sheet as presented at the last general meeting. .Mr A. Wearn with the President of the Society and others, quoted figures in order to prove a discrepancy had occurred, and that the fees collected from workmen employed, in co-ope.'sit ive mines did not tally with the number employed. The bone of contention was that the co-op employees were behind with their payments. Mr V. Armstrong said that if the balance sheet were not perfectly correct. he would like t*o know if the figures on the balance sheet were correct. Mr J. Jshefwood (Auditor) said liio balance sheet as presented was correct. Mr T. Williams considered that the co-operative miners should pay nf’iittiiy. Mr J. Masters’ said that .the Com mittee were equally responsible for the delay in the payments of con t ributions. The Chairman (Mr J. Devine) thought that all members were paying monthly. Mr McDonald asked if wages men paid contributions when they were off work indefinitely. Mr Wearn quoted the Mines Act., with reference to all employed in the district mines making payments of contributions to the Society. Mr J. Duggan rose to a. point of order, stating that the Mines Act was beside the question. The (.'hairman ordered the speaker io leave the hall. Mi- Armstrong said it would be news to him if their party had not paid regularly each month. Mr 11. Duggan (Secretary)’ sail that his party did not pay regularly. Mr Barnes c.msidered that the meeting had done a lot of good, Mr 'English asked what was owing by the co-operative part ies. The Secrotary said it was approximately £l<>. Owing to the fluctuation in the numbers of members employed in the parties, it was hard to know exactly -what was owing to the fund.-. The Secretary also stated that if members were off sick or injured, no fee was collected. Mr Warwick said he had been off sick and his dues had been collected. Mr Duggan replied that Mr Warnick was in a different position to the ordinary members, as his salary went on whether he 'was working or not. Mr Pattinson asked if Mr Wearn. as the mover in the special meeting, was satisfied with the explanation of

the auditor and Secretary. Mr Devine staled that he conferred with Mr Wearn in arranging the molding, in order to (dear the air. Mr Munson said that Mr Wearn had interviewed him and stated there was a deficiency of £240 in the Association’s funds, and that he was led astray. Mr Wearn said he was satisfied the explanation was satisfactory. Mr Rafferty said he considered that Mr Wearn should have conferred with the Secretary when the matter could have been satisfactorily explained. Mn Warwick said that he wished to bring up a matter of drug pax - tnenfs, and considered that no doubt a. satisfactory explanation could be given by the Secretary. He quoted payments made to various druggists which did not balance 'with the amounts paid out by the Secretary. The ’Sec-netary explained that the druggists had only quoted the amount of drugs supplied during the hall year, and not the amount of cash Mr Rafferty said that, to overcome the difficulty in future. a Government auditor should be emp’oyed Io audit the books. Now that the air had been cleared, he moved a vote i of confidence in the Secret ary. This was seconded by Mr J. MasMr Armstrong >said that they had confidence in the Secretary, and a motion of confidence -was not iiecessai‘y. To clear himself the Secretary would welcome an audit by an incoll nta nt. Mr English s aid the integrity of the Secretary had not been questioned. Mr Devine said he was one wh > signed the requisition for the sole purpose of clearing the air, and to show that he had confidence in the Secretary. The motion was then put to tin l meeting, to the effect that the meeting was satisfied with the explanation, and c.ari’ied. the Secretary being exonerated. It was decided that in future, under Rule Three, the sum ns set down a’--contribution be paid fortnightly. Mr Duggan stated that in future Tie would insist on payments of dues being made regularly. The meeting then terminated.