HOROWHENUA COUNTY PATRIOTIC ASSOCIATION.

Otaki Mail, Volume XXVIII, 14 May 1920, Page 3

HOROWHENUA COUNTY PATRIOTIC ASSOCIATION.

annual meeting. The third annual meeting of the above was held at the Century Hall, Levin, ou Wednesday afternoon last, when there was a lair and representative attendance of members, Mr I’. W. Goldsmith presiding. The Chairman said Ihat though the meeting was not so large as previous ones, it was still satisfactory. The balance-sheet divulged a satisfactory state of affairs, and, though the Society was a sniull one, compared with some of the provincial organisations, it had done'useful work. Mr Goldsmith said it was rather a big undertaking to expect members of the management committee to meet monthly at Levin, seeing they had to travel groat, distances Hi runny cases, hut he read a record of , the attendances of the various members at the monthly meetings, showing that J members had shown keen interest m their work by their regular atteud- j auces. Balance-sheet. The balance-sheet was then read. j It showed the receipts lo be. CoJ leeted by the Association. IH'i hts; members*’ subscriptions. £S Ids; refunds from branches (Levin LUW lo s bd, Otaki £152 and LIS worth of war loan certilicates. Shannon £SO 2s tjd, Ihaknra y,; jim' 'fe Horn fid, IMauakau £<H C ; s, iwaikauae £2 His HI. I’a raparaumu £205 4s 'jl,l), refunds by grantees, £ll 7s;

refund;- from oilier societies, £»«; intcrest on investments, £202 12s lid; refunds on loans. flSil; trust funds held on aecouut soldiers, £533 its 9d; .balance in excess of receipts over expenditure, £2l.id -Is 2d. The payments were; Grants to soldiers, £SO2 4s ltd; loans to soldiers, £1525; investments, £J3UO; administrative expenses, £74 10s 7d. ' The assets included: P.O. Savings Bank' deposits. £1204 Is sd; war loan certificate.:, £520; war loan inscribed -dock, £1000; invested with Public Trustee, £1500; bank balance, £344 Is. After' a brief discussion, during which satisfaction was expressed with the condition «>f affairs, the balancesheet was adopted as read. Business Management. • y,[ r Goldsmith suggested that it mi"ht be advisable to appoint a subcommittee to deal With urgent matters, and that the meetings of the wholo management committee, be less frequent. as it- entailed much travelling by members. * Several members heartily concurred Tilth this suggestion, and it was ultimately ana uimously resolved, on the motion of Mr T. G. Vincent, “That m future the management uomuntlee meet once ouch three months, and that a local sub-coin mitre** of live members

be set UP to deal with matters as required.” Heartv votes of thanks were accorded the Chairman (Mr Goldsmith) and t lm secretary (Mr F. l>. Walkley) for tkoir line services during the year, alter which the meeting terminated. ‘ Ait present were regaled with afternoon lea, provided by a few Levin ladies, who were hyarliiy thanked for 'their kindness and thoughtfulness.

MANAGEMENT committee. The Mam.sen.ct- Committer of the ’Assoehitiou me* a! the Century Hall. Levin on Wednesday atlernuon. Present: Messrs C. W. Goldsmith (chairin;,,!)- c. s. Kei'ilwell, T. 0. Vincent. J\ V. Wnlklcy (secretary)..Mrs Gibson reevin'. W. Murdoch. Mrs llallnm (Shannon). J. McLenvoy (OUau), Howard Andrew. Sees (Manakuu). rr< , n k Pcnu (OtaUi). (too. Catley (to Hoto). 'ration Fraser (Waikanae). K. p. Maclean (Pnrapnraumu).

Correspondence

: A mass of correspondence was dealt with, including a great many letters from various Patriotic Associations Sh respect: to assistance to soldier, A number of small -rants, whicl. had been made bv the local committee, were approved, and other -ranis were made

by the meeting. ‘A letter was received from the Otahi Patriotic Society, enclosing balance of the funds held by the Society, whien | has now been closed down. ; Association’s Policy rc Loans. The (lbairman introduced the matter cf the Association’s policy with respect to loans to soldiers. Up to the present a sum of £I9oO had been granted to returned soldiers by way o loans, on varying terms ranging U 0 ten years. They had a sum of vested with the Public Trustee which they could not use for loans, but could be withdrawn at will tor straight out grants to soldiers. Then they had £138.1 in war : ceuritie-s. which it was not advisable to disturb. However, there v;as u bu ni of £I3OO in the P-O. Savings Bank, which was available if the Association thought fit to use for further loan?. However, he doubted if it would be wise to lock up any further • sums of money for a long period, such as the term of previous loans to soldiers. In reply to cine-tions, it was stated that thr' sum of ft 12 4- 2d had been used in soldiers-’ grant? during the past year. Further questions elicited the fact .that it had been resolved, some time jireviot siy. to set aside certain reserve for grant?, and to use not more than half the balance for loans. This meant that there was approximately £IOOO available for loans if required. It was stated that there were applications before the meeting for loans totalling £SOQ. Alt cl full discussion. Mr Put Icy proposed that £IOO be .made available for •loans (to soldiers, .no loan i« exceed £1 no. Vi rid the term <rf .-ueh loan? not ■to t :,r r d two years. Mr G. Vincent mowed as an attendr«[ . - md Mr Andrew seconded, that the t ;a of loans should cor exceed four Jar.-. “"h*Vu ldmsnt tt»* carried.

Secretary’s Honorarium

The Chairman suggested that • the

| time had arrived when they shoul [ give the secretary a more adequat I remuneration for his services. M Walkley was only receiving £1 pe week, while the office entailed a Ire mendous amount of work. He sug gested that Mr Walt ley take over (hi office of treasurer also (recently filled by Mr Pike), and (hat he be given an increased salary. Mr Kcedwell pointed out that Mi Walkley had acted as secretary for a lengthy period without. aDy remuneration whatever. Now that the various patriotic societies were closing down Mr Walkley'« work was increasing, and few had any idea of the enormous amount of work ho had to do.

Several members supported an increased honorarium, a.nd all agreed that it would bo difficult to secure a .more painstaking and efficient secre-

tary, even at a very much increase*! salary, ft was unanimously resolved that; Mr Walkley ant as treasurer and secretary in the future, and that his salary bo increased to £IOO per annum. Applications for Loans.

A number of applications were received for loans, varying in amounts from £SO lo £350. It was resolved to grout one loan for £SO, and £IOO each in all the other cases, on the terms imposed by the. Association. Management Committee,

It, was pointed out that, as most of the patriotic societies had now ceased to exist, these bodies could not appoint delegates for the management committee, and thus the committee would need to appoint members.

It was resolved that all members of the old committee be reappointed, any readjustments to be made by the committee. Sub-CoßHuittao. The following sub-committee was set up to attend to mutters requiring attention in tho interim between the quarterly meetings of tho management committee, viz.; Mrs Gibson, Messrs Catley, Vincent, Keedwell and Gardener, with the chairman and secretary ex officio members. Thanks. A most successful meeting terminated with a hearty vote of thanka to the press for the publicity given to Association matters and tho trouble taken in explaining misconceptions that had arisen with regard to tho work of the Association.