TARANAKI LAND AGENTS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 22 October 1924, Page 2

TARANAKI LAND AGENTS.

ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the .Taranaki Land Agents ’ Association was held in Stratford on Monrlav’ (reports the Post), Mr A. Grant presiding over an attendance of ten. Tn the annual report presented hv the president, it was regretted that the membership was still decreasing. At the end of the year there had been nineteen financial and twelve unfinancial members. Some of the latter, however, had since paid. As the association .had achieved its object of stabilising the rates of commission, and had in oilier ways been of great assistance to members generally, the fact that £3l 10s was shown in the balance sheet outstanding subscriptions did not show a very satisfactory position. During the year Messrs Lanrenson and Tunes, of Ha worn, and Mr L. Kirkby, of Inglewood, had made application for membership. With a few minor exceptions, every land agent in Taranaki was now a. member of the association. It was regretted that several members had given up business and left the district. The loss of Mr Large’s services as an official, of the association was particularly regretted. The balance-sheet showed that the assets of the association were £73 3s 7d, made up as follows: By deposit, New Plymouth Savings Bank£32 7s 6d, outstanding subscriptions £3l 10s: bank balance £9 6s Id. In proposing the. adoption of the report and balance-sheet, the president said he could not congratulate members on the financial position of the association. There was the amount of £3l 10s for outstanding subscriptions, and if it should happen that that amount could not be collected the surplus would be considerably decreased. The financial position for'the coming year did not appear to be as promising as could be desired. There was the question of salary of the secretary, ■who, however, had suggested that the matter could be left in abeyance until the end of the year. The president thanked the secretary for the manner in which he had met the association. Perhaps it might be necessary, to increase the annual subscription fee: He personally would not object to that, for the association was Moing good work, and must be kept going at all costs. Mr E. Jackson seconded the adoption, and referred to the outstanding subscriptions. He thought the outstanding subscriptions should be paid. If the association was worth joining it was worth while making financial. There was an inclination for members to drift from the association and deal with people outside the association. There were many in New Plymouth who were doiug business without being licensed. Mr M. McDonald (Stratford) said that the arrears outstanding were probably due to neglect. He thought the majority of subscriptions would be paid. Several other speakers were of opinion that in the majority of cases the failure to pay was due to carelessness, and not to-any desire to avoid payment. The report and balance-sheet were then adopted. , The election of officers resulted as follows: President, Mr Campbell Jackson; vice-president: Messrs E. Jackson, M. MeGarry, A. Grant; executive, Messrs M. McDonald, J. G. Nichol, 11. Whit-combe,. Innes, A. B. Gibson; auditor, Mr J. M. S. S. Medley; secretary and treasurer, Mr E. L. Humphries. Mr E. Jackson was appointed to fill the vacancy on the judicial committee. The resignation of Mr R. A. Large was accepted with regret. The New Zealand Beal Estate Institute wrote with regard to the action of certain registrars of the Supreme Court in allowing commission on sales made by the order of the Court on the equity of redemption, and not on the total purchase money. Several copies of letters dealing with the matter were enclosed. The chairman said that the matter did not affect land agents in their ordinary course of business, but was more a question for auctioneers.—lt was decided to leave the matter in the hands of the Institute. A sub-committee consisting of Messrs Nolan, Jackson and Morgan was appointed to revise the schedule of charges, and submit the same to a special general meeting to be called for the purpose.