PUTARURU R.S.A.

Putaruru Press, Volume XXI, Issue 1232, 29 May 1947, Page 4

PUTARURU R.S.A.

ANNUAL MEETING There was a very large attendance of members at the annual meeting of the Putaruru District Returned Services’ Association, held last week. Mr. P. D. Morrison presided, and w.as assisted by the secretary, Mr. V. L. Drummond. Extraordinary Meeting Prior to the holding of the annual meeting an extraordinary meeting was held to consider a resolution mooting amendments to a number of the rules of the association. These included the raising of the annual subscription from 10s to £l, and the altering of the election c-f officers procedure to provide that only one-third of the committee retires each year, instead of the whole committee, as has been the case in the past, retiring members to be eligible fer re-election. In the discussion that , took place, the president explained t-hat the additional finance was required to enable the branch to send food parcels to Britain each month. Mr. C. T-h-om-pson drew members’ attention to income and expenditure account, which showed an income for the year of £233 6s 3d. He pointed out that of this amount £95 18s 3d had been derived from public functions, donations, etc. The excess of income over expenditure for the year was £32 1-Qs. So that without the donations, etc., the working account would- have shown a loss. Mr. Morris-on pointed out that the 10s subscription was spent as follows: Is 9d to Wellington, 2-s 6d for the Review, 3s 6d towards secretary’s salary, 3s towards stationery, etc. That was already minus- 9d. On top of that were the Wellington and Waikato conferences expenses, which worked out about Is 6d per member, and 120 parcels to Britain per year, at about 9s per man. All these expenses totalled £1 Is 3d, so that the £1 subscription was already accounted for.

The matter was discussed a little further, there being no real opposition to the increase. As one member said: “If the parcels are to be sent from RjS.A., then they must be paid for (by R.S.A.', and not from money received from pulblic functions, etc. If they were purchased and sent with" such money, then the parcels would have to be seht from the Putaruru people and not from the Putaruru R.S.A.” This- view was generally supported, and when put to the meeting the resolution approving the amendments, including those mentioned above, was carried unanimously. Annual Meeting The annual meeting was then held and the president’s report and the balance-sheet were read. Annual Report The fourteenth annual report of the association read as follows: Financial: The income and expenditure account covering general funds of the branch show a nominal surplus for the year of £32 10s. The subscription increase to 10s has l been largely absorbed. Capitation fee to headquarters accounts for Is 9d, and 2s 6d in the past year has paid members’ subscriptions to the Review, leaving only 5s 3d for local purposes. It will be seen that without donations and Anzae Day service collections the working account would have shown a loss. -The -executive had undertaken to forward meantime 10 food parcels per month to needy ex-servicemen in Britain, and the cost of these will require to be met by the branch.

Benevolent and Trust Funds: There had been little call on these funds during the year. The usual expenditure on purchase of poppies, wreaths and donations for hospital comforts for servicemen had been made from poppy funds, but a record amount of £lO5 6s lid for 194-6 poppy sales was added to the poppy account during the year, and this stood now with a credit balance of £314 15s 4d. Services’ Memorial Club Rooms 1 During the year receipts towards the club rooms from donations, rents and interest and from the R.S.A. ball- totalled £l9B 8s lOd. The purchase of an additional section with house thereon was completed during the year—the total outlay for the site for club rooms being now £648 15s 9d. A small amount of rent is received from the house on the property, and during the coming veer this should cover annual outgoings of rates, insurance and repairs. The club room fund account, including the sections and house, stands at £3178 17s 3d. Membership: It had been ho-ped to reach a financial membership of 300 this year, and this could have been |

done if every member’s subscription had been received. As it was, the £otal at March 31 was a record of 279, including 191 who served in World War 11.

Concluding, the president thanked his fellow members on. the executive for their active interest in the affairs of the branch, and for the ready way in which they had assisted him during the year. He also extended thankg to all members of the public who have assisted the branch during the year in donations, help towards the peppy day appeal ’ and in other directions. There was very little discussion on the annual -balance-sheet, and the report was formally adopted. Election of Officers Under the new procedure whereby one-third of the committee only retired, five officers only were elected. Two vacancies had occurred through Messrs. *G. Griffin and A. Barr having left the district, and a third vacancy resulted in Mr. K. Benge’s resignation being received. Thus only two retiring officers had to be determined. A ballot was held and resulted in the retirement of Messrs J. R. O. Lochh-cad and R. Pratt.

An election for the five new officers was then held and resulted:— Tokoroa representative, Mr. R. Pratt; Lichfield, Mr. L. S. Addemtrooke; Arapuni, Messrs. Puch and Domett; Putaruru, Mr. J. R. O. iLochhead. The president and vice-presidents, under the amended rules, are elected at the first meeting of the committee. * •Mr. W. Somerville was elected auditor. It was decided that the auditor be granted an honorarium of £2 2s per year, and a cheque for this amount is also to be forwarded to Mr. D. C. ’Freeman, who had held this position in an honorary capacity in the past, in appreciation of that service. A letter of thanks is also to be forwarded to him. Letters of appreciation for the work performed by them while members of the executive and of the branch are aiso to be sent to Messrs Griffin and Barr. Memorial Cluh The president reported that nothing as yet could foe done about the club, particularly while the housing position remained as it is at the moment. The money raised had been invested in the post office and national savings and wag earning interest. R.S.A. Ball It was decided that an R.S.A. ball be held- again this year, but that the supper be bought.