COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS’ CLUB.

Otago Witness, Issue 3016, 3 January 1912, Page 12

COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS’ CLUB.

Th« 27th annual report of the officebearers of the New Zealand Commercial '.Travellers and Warehousemen’s Association says inter alia ; The association’s funds now aggregate a total of £9804 12s 7d, being an increase on the previous year’s figures of £1442 11s lid, which increase is shown in the headway made in the funds as follows: — Permanent relief fund, £l3O 12s; Association account, £935 8e lid; mortuary benefit fund. £376 11s.—Total, £1442 11s lid. In addition to writing off £lO5 7s 5d expended in maintenance and improvements, a further sum of £25 has been written off furniture account, which reduces this asset to £25. It may bo noted that the amounts written off this account since the opening of the present premises in March, 1898, total £755. The association account has been specially augmented by £784 Bs, the amount of profit resulting from the sale of the Octagon property. Without this, the amount of headway on ordinary business was 658 3s lid as against £560 5s for the previous year. This year the sum of £317 2s has been credited to the mortuary benefit fund from members’ subscriptions, and £143 4s from interest account, which brings the capital account to £3075 3s, with £248 18s to credit of dividend account to provide for claims during the ensuing year. The fund was established in October, 1902, with a capital of £SOO contributed by the association. The amount at credit of the fund is now £3828 0s lOd, which has been apportioned to the accounts of the fund in accordance with the rules governing the scheme, viz. : —Capital account, £3075 3s; dividend account, £243 18s; reserve account, £503 19s lOd; total, £3823 0s lOd. During last year two deaths occurred in the ranks of the association membership The dividends paid amounted to £B3 15s, which fell within the amount available for dividends at commencement of last year, thus permitting a transfer to dividend reserve account of £152 Is. The amount at credit of dividend account at the close of the year, £248 18s, has again enabled the committee to fix the amount of the maximum dividend for the ensuing year at £SO. The business of the club throughout the year was satisfactory. The profit on stock account was £1207 15s lid. as against £1163 7s lOd the previous year. The billiard room revenue was £4Ol ffe 6d, as against £397 9s last year. Subscriptions amounted to £202 13s, an increase on the previous year’s figures of £7 7s. The total charges against the chib account (including depreciation and interest) wore £1995 2s Id, and the total revenue £lßl4 18s sd, thus necessitating a draw on the association account for the shortage, £IBO 3s Bd. The committee again desires to place on record its entire satisfaction with the manner in which the business of the club is attended to by the manager and his assistants. The committee again calls attention to the liberal accident insurance policy, arranged with the accident branch of the New Zealand Insurance Company. Limited. For the sum of £1 Is per annum a member can secure cover as follows: £250. death by accident; £250, permanent total disablement; £125, permanent partial disablement; £3 per week for 26 weeks, illness through accident; £2 per week for 26 weeks, illness through epidemic covering typhoid, typhus, or scarlet fever, small pox. dipthcria. measles, appendicitis. Asiatic cholera, bubonic plague carbuncle’ diabetes, erysipelas, meningitis (brain fcvoi), peritonitis, pleurisy, pneumonia, tetanus. This privilege applies to association and club members. The annual conference of the United Association took place in Adelaide at Easter and was a most important and representative function. Owing to the unavoidable but regrettable absence of the president (Mr A. H. Bridger) the secretary (Mr James Brown) was the only representative from this association. The United Association’s position in New Zealand was discussed at considerable length, and a resolution was carried as follows; “That this association will ho pleased to embrace a federation with the Northern Association, provided it simultaneously affiliates with the United Association. otherwise this association remain as at present.” The Northern Associations, however, declined to entertain anything more than a reciprocal understanding. While it was deeply regretted that the situation in New Zealand was not n.ore satisfactory, the delegates to the conference unanimously decided that the present relationship with the association would remain undisturbed, which means that this association shall continue to bo the sole accredited representative of the United Association of Australasia in the Dominion. In the meantime the New Zealand Associations are working at a disadvantage. With two united bodies existing side by side in New Zealancj there must bo a continual clashing of interests. After

enumerating the recreations of tho year, tho committee reported the sale of the Octagon property at the satisfactory price of £3500. It will be remembered that at a special general meeting held some time ago the members sanctioned _ a lease of this property on terms which included a conditio;i that the association should erect a theatre on tho site. Owing to a hitch in the arrangements the project fell through, and in consequence of the difficulties which were found to beset all efforts to make the asset revenue producing, the committee decided to sell. Tho property cost originally £2600. Recognising that the Association must, not be without a site suitable for the erection of a club at some future date, it has purchased a freehold i-aore section in Upper Dowling street for £2375. The financial members’ roll at November 30, 1911, stood at: —Association 302; club, 101