PATEA DISTRICT LAND AND BUILDING SOCIETY.

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 961, 20 November 1882, Page 2

PATEA DISTRICT LAND AND BUILDING SOCIETY.

A special meeting of (lie above Society was held at Mr W. Dale’s marl on Friday evening at 7.30 p.m. The business was to elect Directors and auditors. There were presentt Messrs R. A. Adams, (Chairman) Dale, J. Gibson, T. Eyton, 11. E. Deane, Rnis, shareholders, an<J Messrs Potto, Aitchison and Small'. , The, Chairman in. opening the proceedings, said (bat. at. (he lasi; meeting two shareholders wore appointed as auditors, Alter waiting a long lime for (lie Inspector’s report, the trustees gave an order for the delivery of (ho books to the auditors. One of the gentlemen refused to audit them unless they were away from the promises' of the Society altogether. The Manager objected to give up the books, and be (the Chairman) did not: think it would bo the correct thing to allow the books to leave (lie ollice unless in an exceptional case. He thought however, that, this was an exceptional case. Ho (lieu asked (he Manager to call a meeting but ho declined to do so. He (the Chairman) then got the twelve names necessary, and sp fhe present meeting was called, Pnd their business' to-night was to elect the auditors. There seemed to have boon some quibble, and no doubt the former auditors wore not appointed .inn strictly legal,; way, bin,tiiey were hero to-night to elect other two to replace them, so (hat they could havelho Society’s affairs wound up as quickly as possible. ■ '■•Mr’•Sinai! asked if it were right that ho should sit under power of proxy.

The Chairman-replied' that there was nothing to prevent Mr Smail from acting for anyone outside th.c district in winding,up the affairs of the Society. Ho would be inclined to .take any proxy that came forward.

• Mr Dale understood (hat the Directors wished to have things done in a legal manner. Two gentlemen were appointed to audit the accounts, and no question as to.the legality of the appointment was raised until one gentleman objected to come to the office. Had tilings been done a little differently; the Society Svould have been wound-up long ago. They had been left in a very curious position owing to Che Directors.allowingmembers to clear out of (he Society, and the old question seemed to crop up whether gentlemen had a right to sit under proxy. However, he hacl.no objection to Mr Smail sitting. With regard to calling the meeting, he could not do so on bis own responsibility, but he had received a ro-, quisition from twelve members, and he simply called the meeting, allowing the responsibility to rest with them. He could not see anything about proxies, in the rules.

The Chairman : There was nothing in the rules against them. As regards the Directors allowing members to leave the Society, that was the Secretary’s fault. He induced the’Directors, to-go put. ’

Mr“T>a’e~objected. That was not the case, and there were gentlemen in the room. who knew that he., induced one gentleman to keep a few. pounds in the Society for the very purpose of keeping, a quorum.

Mr Aitchison : Is it the wish of the requisitionists to appoint a new Directory altogether, or are there still old shareholders acting as Directors ? The.. Chairman : Messrs Eyton and Deane were still acting until relieved, but their time was up. The best plan would be to elect seven new Directors.

Mr Aitchison: It would be impossible to get seven shareholders now.

The Chairman said he had a few names which he intended to propose.

Mr Aitchison said that under the circumstances he thought they might waive some of the formalities and get to business. Mr Gibson : Do all the Directors, or simply two of them, retire ? The Chairman replied that only a portion retired. Mr Gibson said that they were in office now, and they had simply to appoint some to make up a quorum.

The Chairman : Five formed a quorum, and they could supply the vacancy themselves.

Mr Aitchisdn asked if it would hot be in order to allow the Chairman to appoint other four.

The Chairman would prefer fresh elections. He did not see the difference between electing seven and four. Mr Eyton remarked that the difference would be that they would bo electing Directors in place of those already in in office.

Some; discussion took place over Mr Aitchison’s right to move a resolution.

Mr Aitchison said that as it had been ruled that he was still a Director, he would move “ That Messrs Gibson, Taplin, Rule, Conolly, and Rhodes be appointed.to complete the Directory to allow the Society to be wound up with as little delay as possible.” Ho said that it appeared to. him the only way out of the difficulty. They should waive such niceties as appeared to have boon dealt in lately, and got the Society out of its difficulties. The Inspector’s report was satisfactory, and they simply'required the audit to bo gone through, and the whole thing would bo done with.

The motion was seconded by Mr Deane and carried.

The Chairman said the next business was the appointment of auditors. It, was proposed by Mr Deane “ That Messrs Walter Smail and G. F. Sherwood be appointed auditors for the purpose of making a special and final audit of the Society’s accounts at a fee of three guineas.” Seconded by Mr Aitchison, Mr Gibson thought it would be. better to substitute another name for Mr Sber wood’s, as it was not likely that he would like this duty forced upon him. He

would move, ns mi amendment, that Mr E. C, Horner’s name bo substituted.. Mr Dale said t hat if Mr 'Sherwood were appointed he would nut allow him to act, on (he ground that ho was not a shareholder, and officers must ho shareholders. The Chairman could not understand the

Secretary saying what he should allow

They, ns Directors, were (hero to settle that.

Mr Gibson agreed with the Chairman, but thought Hint, seeing the unfriendly relations existing between Mr Dale nntl Mr Sherwood, it would' ho heller taste to withdraw the latter’s name. Mr Horner’s name was then subsiitutod for Mr Sherwood's. :

Mr Eyton remarked (hat it would be bettor to leave the question of the, fee an open one until it was seen what work was required from the auditors. If they had to go through the books of the society from the commencement, it would bo a considerable work ; hut if an audit wore only required from the dale of the last one, the foe proposed might, bo sufficient. Mr Ai'chison thought it would bo unnecessary to go through the books from the beginning. That had just been done, paid for, and adopted. It would he sufficient. to commence from the date of the Inst audit. They had had auditors’ reports, and the Directors had accepted them, and therefore they might be considered correct. The Chairman suggested that the matter of fees should he left to the Directors, and after a little further discussion, that was agreed to. The resolution as amended was then put and carried. This was all the business.