COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3803, 1 February 1927, Page 61

COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS.

FORTY-SECOND ANNUAL MEETING. The forty-second annual meeting of the Commercial Travellers and Warehousemen’s Association of Otago was held on Friday in the social hall of the Dowling street' club buildings. Mr James Brown presided over a large attendance. The Chairman read cable messages and telegrams conveying congratulations and good wishes from the executive of -the United Commercial Travellers’ Association of Australasia, and the United Association of New Zealand, and also from the presidents of affiliated associations. CHAIRMAN’S ADDRESS. The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the annual report and balance sheet, said that the accumulated funds of the association amounted to £18,827, an increase on the previous year’s aggregate of £947. This amount included the highly appreciated gift of £750 by one of their esteemed members, without which the year’s headway would have been £197. They must not shirk the fact that the financial headway had been very small for a good many years past. In November, 1916, the funds stood at £15,674, now they stood at £18,827, the advance made during the 10 years being £3153, or an average gain of £315 per annum, which compared very unfavourably with pre-war experience. There were reasons for this. As a result of the Great War, most business concerns had felt the effects of their trade even up to the present day. The Commercial Travellers’ -Association was °J le them. Many of the commodities they dealt in as a club had advanced 1(X) per cent, to 200 per cent, while the selling price had advanced only 50 per-cent. They could, therefore, readily appreciate the fact that it was quite impossible, no matter if the turnover did continue fairly satisfactorily, to make the same headway as they did in pre-war years. As long as the conditions he had mentioned lasted it would be impossible to obtain the old time profits.

This would not matter so much to them as an assciatoion, but for the effect it had upon the benefit funds. The Mortuary Fund had proved the mainstay of the association. He could not go back to the time when the fund was established, and as a result of that establishment the association had steadily progressed ever since. Had the association been in a position to continue the payment of interest into the fund, the dividends which they had been able to declare in the last few years would have been at least doubled. The fund was formed in 1902, with a capital of £5OO. given by the association. The contribution of £1 Is per annum from each member amounted to £8844. The interest which they had been able to credit on the capital as long as it had been liquid was £3245. Then there was an amount of £1350, which.had been handed over by the association from its profits, and donations by members of £786. All this meant that in the 24 years tho fund had been in existence there had been collected on its behalf £15,225. Since the fund, had been in operation they had paid out in dividend_s to dependents of deceased members £4435, leaving a balance at credit of £10,790. It would, therefore, be easily realised what the position would have been to-day had interest been earned on the fund’s capital. Mr Brown went on to say that they would find .on looking over the balance sheets of kindred associations, particularly in Australia, that there they were able to make regular accretions to the Mortuary Fund, and also that the dividend payable on behalf of deceased members had increased year by year. It was regrettable that their association was not in the same

position, but he felt that the day was not very far distant when they would be in the position to increase the dividends, but until trading conditions improved that day was still in the future. The association, however, had another side. It was not purely a commercial concern where success or failure was entirely measured by financial results. Its usefulness, and the accomplishment of its aims

were points which must ever be kept in view. This side of the association found expression in the ordinary work of the committee in attention to matters affecting commercial travellers on the road, and in the pursuance of their calling. Judging by the standard of usefulness, ho would say without hesitation that last year had been most successful. The committee had been unremitting in its attention to the affairs of the asociation, and members could not have been better served. In addition to the. ordinary work, a good deal of outside activity had taken place, such work, for instance, as Big Day. It was impossible to exaggerate in praising the way in which that effort had been carried out. It had been a triumph from beginning to end, and it had resulted in the sum of £llO9 being raised. Of this 60 per cent, had been handed to the Salvation Army, 20 per cent, to the Commercial Travellers’ Blind Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Fund, and 20 per cent, to the Citizens’ Relief Committee. All the money raised had therefore, been disbursed for the benefit of the community at large. The speaker went on to pay a tribute to that, useful body, the C.T. and W.A. Entertainers, which was such a valuable adjunct to the association. Not only did it help at every association function, but. as everyone knew, it did good work all round Dunedin and suburbs. A great deal of the good name that attached, to the O.T. organisation had been gained for them by the humanitarian services of the entertainers. Mr Brown said he wished to. add that the man who joined the association merely for what he expected to get out of it was no good to them; he would prove a disappointment both to himself and to the association. The high-water mark in the affairs of the association may not have been reached, but the present position gave great encouragement to every seasoned worker, and provided a good, stepping-off mark for the enthusiastic beginner. Mr F. W. Mitchell seconded the motion for the adoption of the report. All that was wanted, he said, to push the association on was a little more interest by members. During his travels throughout New Zealand he found there was a denression, and there appeared to be a general slump. Ho appealed to members to patronise‘the club and to maintain their splendid The asociation was doing

good in the community, and the organisation was too good to receive a serious setback. It was to be hoped that the funds would be increased to such a degree that thy association would be placed on the same footing as it had in pre-war time. The motion was carried after several questions had been asked and answered. Following out the usual custom of the association, Mu Gillan, the newly-elected president, was presented with the association’s badge by the retiring president. Mr Gillan had been elected to a position, he said, that had been filled since the foundation of the association by many/’ able and prominent men. In investing Mr Gillan with the badge, Mr Brown referred to the unstinted support he had given to the association for many years. Mr Gillan, in returning thanks, said he realised that he had been set a very high standard in the way of carrying the duties of such an important office. He hoped to have the full support of the members, as previous presidents had. and if the enthusiasm desired was forthcoming, then there was no reason why the association should not still prove a valuable asset to the city.

OFFICE-BEARERS. The following office-bearers were elected for the ensuing year:—President, Mr J. T. Gillan: vice-presidents—Messrs VV. Thomson, D. V. Gain, A. Smellie; committee —Messrs J. D. Cameron, A. W. Clapp, Alex. Cook, E. Chetwin, C. W. L. King, F. Peake, B. M. Rodger. H. H. Osborne, D. Y. M. Miller. J. Lindsay Miller; treasurer. Mr A. H. Crawley; auditor, Mr J. W. Smeaton.