THE FRIENDLY SOCIETIES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1188, 25 July 1911, Page 3

THE FRIENDLY SOCIETIES.

DISPENSARY BOARD'S ANNUAL REPORT. The board's report of the Wellington United Friendly Societies' Dispensary for the year ended June HO slates that the membership at tho present time is 4915, as against 12BS at. the end of Inst year, so that there has been an increase of 655. All the existing societies have now joined the dispensary' scheme, including the re-cently-formed Tramways and Electric Lighting Friendly Society. The number of prescriptions dispensed to members was ■11,811. an average of S.ij'J per member. The cash sales amounted to £1382 55., an increase of .£77 13s. Id. on last year. The profit and loss statement shows that the gross profit for the year was ,£153 ss. Bd., and deducting £32 lis. (id. for depreciation in shop fittings and shop furnishings, this left a net profit of £120 lis. 2d. The board recommends that a further sum of £45 16s. bo divided amongst the shaveholders as a dividend at the rate of 6 per cent., leaving .£59 12s. Bd. to be carried forward, it was decided that tho levy for tho current year be the same as last.

As the dispensary was opened on January 1, 1901, the board has now completed the first ten and a half years of its business, and during that period has received from -cash, sales £9361, and from lovies £9855. For the same period some of the expenditure has been, as follows:—Lighting, £207; rent, £1718; wages, £4781; insurance, ,£127; purchase of poods, .610,505; dividends on capital, £100. That the present financial position is sound, continues the report, may be judged from the fact that amongst the assets there is practically ,£1282 in cash. There is, therefore, ample to pay outstanding liabilities and repay I lis lodges the capital they have invested. The present manager, Air. Burrows, has been en the staff since the opening of tho shop. "To him, to past and present members of the board," continues the report, "also to the lodges who have supported us, and especially to (hose persons who have helped to swell our cash sales our success is due. The work of our staff has become very heavy, but they have kept pace well with it." The recent death of the chairman of the board, Bio. J. T. Webber, "a real and active member of tho board," is noticed with regret.

. At tho annual meeting, at which the ilbovo was adopted, Mr. A. Perrin was appointed to succeed Mr. J. T. Webber as chairman of the board.