VETERINARY CLUB.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4693, 2 May 1924, Page 4

VETERINARY CLUB.

ANNUAL MEETING. A SUCCESSFUL YEAH. The annual general meeting of the K.-rmers’ Veterinary Club was held at Ngatca on Wednesday, Mr C. 11. Waite presiding over an attendance or about twenty members. REPORT AND BALANCE-SHEET. The president reported that the balance-sheet showed a sound position. A great number of new members iiad been admitted during the year, out a great many had also resigned However, these were from the outer districts, so the club had benefited by receiving their resignations as the surgeon could give better service to the majority. A number of new members had been obtained from and around Turua, bringing the total to about 90. The club was financially Sound, and it should be carried on. No complaints had been received in writing, though there had been several trivial ones attended to. The balance-sheet showed receipts totalling £643 l sd, inefdding £458 13s 6d for members’ fees and £lB4 Os 4d for medicines. The expenditure was : Salaries, £4lO 10s ; drugs, £99 4s 6d; miscellaneous, £67 18s Ml The statement of assets and liabilities showed-the assets to be £277 2s Bd, made up as follows: Cash £43 10s 4d, drugs £25, outstanding ,sub-sc’-’ptions . £l4o' . 10s, outstanding charges for medicine £65 15s, and miscellaneous £3 6s Bd. The liabilities were: Salaries due and sundry creditors £64 5s lid, which left a balance of assets over liabilities of £212 16s 9d. The balance-sheet was adopted. Mr A. J. Andrews congratulated the club on a very satisfactorj r year. SURGEON'S REPORT. The veterinary surgeon, Mr J. Costello, in-his annual report mentioned that he had made approximately 559 visits during the year. He was pleased to report that conditions generally were much better than during the previous yeqj. Tuberculosis was on the decline, and in his opinion could, with stirct supervision, a good water supply, and better drainage, be brought down to a minimum. H: enumerated the cases that Lad received his attention during the year, an l stated that he had not had a recurrence of meningitis. The report was received. A vote of thanks to Mr 11. Hare io: tiie use of his car was carried JV acclamation. Membership fee. Ur Schultz moved i “That where a member owns two or more separate farms he shall be liable for a membership fee on account J bf each.” Mr-Waite seconded pro forma. Mr Andrews thought .the motion wv too drastic,-and not in the. best interests of the club. From what he could learn it /would . not ■ pay to enforce the rule., ~ Mr D. Waite was of the opinion that a settler should pay on the basis of the number of stock owned. Mr J. Darlington favoured a sliding scale, according to the size or number of farms. After a lengthy discussion Mr Davidson moved as an amendment: “That a man with more than one farm oe charged a guinea for each farm more that one.” Mr Dudding seconded. Mr E. W. Martin moved as a further amendment: “That where a man owns two adjoining farms he pay one fee. but if five or more miles separate his farms he pay separate fees for each farm.” Mr Donaghy seconded. The amendments and motion were put to the meeting in turn and were defeated. Mr A. R. Vowlcs advocated recas:ing the basis of charges with a view to making it more equitable and to provide more revenue for the club to supply the surgeon with a motor-car. Mr C. H. Waite suggested that a charge should be made according to the services rendered. ■ Mr "Andrews opposed, contending that it was necessary to know beforehand what the year’s income would be because the surgeon’s salary had tn be paid. If the present system of paying was scrapped and the year was one during which there were few cases of sickness in stock there might not he sufficient revenue for the club to pay its way. The chairman said that the matter required a notice of motimj before it could be discussed, unless members were unanimous. A show of hands proved tliiat members were not unanimous. so the matter was dropped.

CAR FOR VETERINARIAN. Mr Darlington suggested that a thorough canvass of the settlers in the closely settled portion of the district should be made so as.-to obtain sufficient members to justify paying a sufficient salary to the surgeon to enable him to provide himself with a car. Members stressed the point that a car for the surgeon was needed. The chairman pointed out that the surgeon would’ obtain a car when there were 120 members. Mr Andrews said that if members paid their subscriptions promptly the club would be in a better financial position, and would probably be ablJ to purchase a car the surgeon. The president thought that some better method of collecting money should be devised. The secretary had worked strenuously, and had done all that was possible, but at times it was very difficult to obtain sufficient cash to pay accounts and salaries monthly. Mr Andrews suggested offering a commission to a man to collect the accounts. There was no doubt tint the majority of farmers were very neglectful. ELECTION OF OFFICERS: Officers w§re elected as follows: President, Mr C. H. Waite ; vice-presi-dents. Messrs G. T. Davidson and J. Darlington ; committee. Messrs ®. W Martin, A- J- Andrews, C. W. Schultz, R. Burke, and J. Whitmore.