VETERINARY CLUB.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4564, 16 May 1923, Page 1

VETERINARY CLUB.

ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the Farmers’ Veterinary Club was held at Ngatea on Monday last. Mr C. W. Parfitt, the president, occupied the chair, and there were present over 30 members. ANNUAL REPORT. The following annual i eport was read :— ~ Your Executive Committee have pleasure in placing before you the first annua] report and.balance-sheet. Most of you will remember the initial of the club. Mr W. kinnimont canvassed the district last June with sufficient success tx> warrant the formation of a club, almost every farmer in the area recognising the . necessity of having a qualified veterinarian established amongst us. Consequently a club was formed, and Mr Costello was appointed veterinary surgeon to. the club, and, although his work has been somewhat handicapped by lack of telephone communication, and in some cases bad roads, which made it strenuous work forj him last spring to attend all the calls a s readily as he would have liked to, under the conditions existing your executive committee feel that he gave the very best attention t,o his duties, and we think general satisfaction to the members of your Club. And we have pleasure in stating that Mr Costello’s services are still at your disposal. Your Club started t,he year with about, 90 members and finished with 108. having gained 18 members during the year. We feel that you will require to increase your membership | to enable you to carry on satisfactory i ily and give your veterinary surgeon the salary the position warrants. With ! that end in view an invitation was extended to the Turua Club after having disposed of their veterinarian to meet:, us in conference, with a view to amalgamating the two clubs, but up to the present there has been no response. However, we feel that if the members we have pay their; calls promptly and with a steady increase of members you should have no difficulty in carrying on. There ai'e several notices of motion to be considered at your annual meeting, being brought forward with a view to making the service tp eacn member as equitable as possible. The most unsatisfactory feature of the year’s operations, and which gave your executive committee the most concern, is the number of members who have not paid their subscriptions. It made it very difficult for us to meet our liabilities ; in fact, at. one time we were over two months behind with salaries. We trust that the same condition will not take place | next year. <»

You will notice by the balancesheet that, the income, including members’ fees and drugs sold, is £406 13s, and' expenditure a similar amount, the income being about £l5O less than it should have, been had all members paid promptly. The annual report and balancesheet were adopted. During the discussion on the balance-sheet it, was pointed out that about one quarter of the members had not yet paid their subscriptions. All of these men had had professional advice and medicine.

The veterinary surgeon, Mr J. Costello, reported that up till March 31 he had made approximately 873 visits in the district cbmpr|isihg Ngatea,

Pipiroa, Waitakaruru, Mar.amaru, Kaihere, Torehape, Turua, Kerepeehi, and Nethertpn. Since becoming acquainted with the country he had been able to improve conditions egnerally. During the year cases of the following had come under his notice .' i Calving, milk fever, sepsis, Garget, j irrigation (600 cows) colts, tonsilitis, I fescue poisoning, colic, ophthalmia, phrenitis, laminitis, black leg, foot rot eczema,, debility, dysentery, paralysis, neuritis, red water, rheumatism, pleurisy, pneumonia, mammitis, nephritis, meningitis, besides operations, accidents, dentistry, post-mortems, and numerous minor cases. He also treated about 20 cases on the premises. He had not had a recurrence of the more serious cases. In discussing the veterinary surgeon’s report Mr A. J. Andrews said that the Club should be very satisfied with the services received. Thougn the area was very large, he had done his best. Several, members voiced complaints against the services received, but the opinion was expressed that, owing to the. size of the area and the number of calls on Mr Costello’s services members had been well treated. It was pointed out that if a member had a complaint it was his duty to report it at once to the executive, so that it could be investigated, It was unfair to save complaints up until the annual meeting and make them appear as a vote of no confidence in the executive. Mr Harris moved that it be recorded in the minutes t,he satisfaction of members in the services of the surgeon. Messrs. A. J. : Andrews, G. T. Davidson, and J. Porter, spoke Tn favour of the motion, and it was carried unanimously. MEMBERSHIP. Mr C. H. Waite mpfed that the Club shall consist of hot more than 150 members. Speaking to the. motion, he said that the membership should be restricted, as unless this was done it would grow so large as to necessitate the appointment of an assistant. It would not be fair, to the original members to receive the services of a cadet, only. Mr Andrews raised the question of' men with two farms, but the chairmah: pointed out that the matter was discussed at a previous meeting, and could, not be discussed at the present meeting without notice of motion.. Mr A. R. Vowles, in speaking to the motion, said that the boundaries should be restricted. Considerable discussion arose on the question of the number of members and the boundary. Finally Mr A. J. Andrews seconded, and the motion was carried unanimously. The second notice of motion was by Mr Waite, who moved that a new rule (25a) be added, to read : “Every member shall have the right to the attention of the veterinary surgeon twice in one financial year to his farm or place, of business without payment beyond his usual subscription, but shall, after two attendances Of the surgeon, pay to the Club the sum of 7s 6d for each additional attendance.”

Mr W. G. Hayward seconded. He said that the . majority of cases to which the veterinarian was called were trivial, and should have been attended to by the farmers themselves. The veterinarian should not ba called to such cases, and the fact of a charge being made for each visit would restrict them so that the veterinarian would have time for other more important cases.

Several members spoke against the motion, as it, would defeat the object of the Club, for if'a man had a beast of little value it would be cheaper to destroy the beast than call in the veterinarian.

After much discussion *Mr C. W. Parfitt moved that the charge be reduced to 2s 6d for. each visit t,o any one animal, any subsequent visit to the same animal for the same "complaint to be free. Seconded by Mr Martin.

Mr Harris brought up the point r.f the man with a small herd. The annual subscription of £5, together with the charge for each .visit, would be very hard on him compared with the case of a mail with a large herd. He suggested a charge per cow. Members were against this,, and contended that, the man receiving the services should pay. Supporters to the motion contended that the funds accumulating from the 7s 6d per visit would be sufficient, to enable the annual subscription to be reduced.

Mr P. Henry asked the mover of the amendment to alter his motion to read that the veterinarian attend free four times in one financial year, and each subsequent case be charged,ssThis would be fairer to all, as the small man would probably not have more than four cases during the year. Mr Parfitt agree to alter his motion to permit four free visits and 3s od for each subsequent case.

On the amendment being put to the meeting' it was defeated by 14 to 9. Mr P. Henry then moved as another amendment, that each member shall have the right to four free visits, but shall pay 5s for each subsequent case.

Mr C. H. Waite seconded, and on being put it was carried by 17 to 6. Mr E. C. Marshall then moved that the sum of 5s be increased to 7s 66 for each case. Mr Waite seconded, and on being put was defeated by 27 to 3. Mr P. Henry’s amendment became the motion, and on being put was carried by 29 to 1. SERVICE TO GOVERNMENT. The next question to be decided concerned professional services to Government, departments and county councils. . £*

Mr C. H. Waite moved that the Lands Drainage Department or any

other Government department or the County Council shall not become members of the Club, but the veterinary surgeon shall render professional services pi ; ovided such services are required within the Club’s, area, and shall notify the secretary pf the Cluo as soon as possible after having-ren-dered service arid at the same time advise the ordinary professional fee for such service. The fee so advised to be the amount charged. Mr E. C. Marshall seconded, and the motion was carried unanimously. BOUNDARIES. The fourth motion asked that boundaries be defined. Mr C. H. Waite suggested that this matter be left to the executive to decide. The members beyond the area decided on would not be affected,' but no new members beyond the boundaries fixed would -be enrolled. It was decided that boundaries should be fixed, and the matter was left in the hands of the executive. SERVICES TO HOUSEHOLDERS. Mr C. H. Waite moved : “That, any person who is not a supplier to a dairy factory and who from the smallness of his holding could not reasonably be expected tp become a member of the Club, may have the services of the surgeon. The fee to be fixed by the president after consultation with the surgeon.” He explained that this was aimed to include owners -of a hoise or, a house cow. The motion was seconded by Mr Harris and carried unanimously. IRRIGATION OF COWS. Mr Harris moved, and Mr A. J. Andrews seconded, that this shall not be deemed part of the veterinary surgeons’ duties. It was pointed out that materials and advice could be obtained from the veterinarian. —Carried.

COLTS. Mr Waite moved that during the

months of August, September, and October the castration of colts shall not. be deemed part of the surgeon's duties unless, disengaged. Seconded by Mr J. Donaghy and carried unanimously. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. Messrs G. T. Davidson, C. W. Parfitt, and C. H. Waite were nominated for the position of president for the ensuing year, but Mr Davidson and Mr Parfitt, declined, and Mr C. H. Waite was appointed.' Messrs A. Cleaver and G. T. Davidson were elected vice-presidents, and Messrs R. BiU'ke, H. Berney, P. Henry, J. Donaghy, and A. J. Andrews were appointed the executive committee. Mr E- Waltoji was appointed auditor at a remuneration of £2 2s pen annum. OUTSTANDING SUBSCRIPTIONSMr Waite moved that it be a recoihmendation to the incoming committee that action be taken tp collect all outstanding subscriptions. Seconded by Mi Z. Smith and carried. RULES. Mr E. C. Marshall brought up the question of a copy of the rules for each member, but it was agreed that the Club would not be compensated for the money spent on printing, as members would not purchase copies. It was pointed - out that could see a copy by applying tp the secretary. AGREEMENT WITH SURGEON. It was decided that in future the surgeon should be paid all the subscriptions and up tq 80 per cent, of the fees received, provided the maximum of £BOO is not exceeded. NOTICE OF MOTION. Mr W. McDuff gave notice of motion that the subscription to the Club be £5 per farm.

The emeting closed with a vote of thanks to the retiring executive.