SHAREHOLDERS & N.Z.D.A.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 332, 23 November 1917, Page 3

SHAREHOLDERS & N.Z.D.A.

Reply to Mr Pacey (Published by Arrangement.) The committee appointed by the non-supplying shareholders of the N.Z DA. has forwarded the following letter to Mr H. E Pacey, in reply to his letter, as published by us on Tuesday, 13th inst. "Dear Sir, Replying to your letter of the Bth inst., receipt of which has already been acknowledged, we are somewhat surprised at your queries re early deliveries of the copies of resolutions passed at our meeting on Bth inst We had not expected that you would fail to appreciate our reason for so doing. We do not think that the method of delivery need be taken exception to. There was no mistake. On the 7th of November the following letter was sent to you :—' Dear Sir,—l purpose sending you early to-morrow afternoon, Bth inst., copies of any resolutions that may be passed at the advertised meeting to he held in Hamilton of non-supplying shareholders, and trust by so doing to enable you to have this matter considered by your directors to-morrow. -Yours faithfully, D. Simcock, secretary.' "Then we handed to our Auckland agent copies of the resolutions likely to be passed, and the next afternoon, after they were passed, gave him instructions for the delivery of same, and sent the necessary telegraphic advice to you. Re your mention of inaccuracies in the resolutions. None have yet been pointed out to us.

" You advise us that you will give soldiers ' special consideration.' Were there were no injustice, there would be little need for this. It is the ' special consideration' to certain shareholders, regardless of the rights of others, that we now contend against, and we submit that any such ' consideration' would be distasteful to soldiers. " We do not think clause 3 necessarily ' indicates that legal action has been decided upon. However, if you can only accept that interpretation, and so decline to comply with our requjest, or to negotiate with us, and if an appeal to the shareholder! is not satisfactory, then we will be under the necessity of taking such action. But we think we should first point out that our request expressed preparedness to accept something less than could be claimed, particularly the alternative in clause 3, which is a request ' that you will within three months be prepared to resume our shares at par.' Thus we are prepared in the interest of an early and amicable settlement to forego our just claim to twenty months' interest. So clause 3 far from being a challenge to yield up the ' full pound of flesh,' reveals a preparedness to make a not inconsiderable sacrifice of what we sincerely believe to be justly due. " When calmly reviewed we do not think this clause called for an answer couched in the terms of yours of the Sth inst., but trust that with this further explanation we may look forward to the possibility that your Board of Directors may yet either comply with the requests therein outlined, or, failing that, meet us with proposals likely to lead to a basis of settlement that would be satisfactory to all parties concerned.

" You say your action ' had ' the almost unanimous ' approval of suppliers ' But we contend that now, when the real significance of your action is known, there is no longer that approval. Few ' suppliers' realised that it was the design of the management of the New Zealand Dairy Association to divert the whole of the interest from thousands of pounds worth of ' dry' shares and, with the money so diverted, add to the already high payment of but-ter-fat. Nor did they realise that the section of shareholders thus wronged, was the section with the highest percentage of widows and aged. For the-e people we appeal for justice, and we trust it will be given in full measure. -Yours faithfully (for the Non Supplying Shareholders' Committee), D. Simcock, Secretary, Whatawhata.

"PS.—Our committer meets on Saturday, 24 th inst, at 11.30 am., at the Farmers' Uu ion's Rooms, Hamilton, and will be pleased if you or any ether directors can attend."

Pte Arthur Burgess, brother of Mr B. Burgess, of Papakura, is reported wounded. Patrons of the Carnival tea rooms, Pukekohe, are notified that the rooms are now open on Friday and Saturday evenings. By the death of Mrs Margrret Ann Morrow, widow of the late Mr Wm Morrow, which sad event occurred at her residence yesterday, Pukekohe loses yet another of its earliest pioneers. The deceased lady was born in County Down, Ireland, in 1837 and in company with her husband she came out to New Zealand in 1864 on the sailing ship Ganges After a short stay at Onehunga Mr and Mn Morrow made their way to Tuakau where for some little time they occupied a tent on the banks of the Waikato river near the Redoubt, the troubles with the Maoris having then just fini.shed in that district. Towards the close of 1865 they moved on to Pukekohe, and, in common with some of their fellow passengers on the Ganges, they took up a Governmont grant of 10 acres on what was then known as the Paddock Settlement- -at the foot of Pukekohe Hill—and on this holding Mrs Morrow has resided ever since. At that time Pukekohe Hill comprised a standing bush, mainly of puriri, and Mr Morrow gradually extended his property until he had purchased 50 acres of the hill land for which he paid at the rate of £2 10s per aero, current prices for the same being now in excess of £IOO per aero Mrs Morrow was predeceased by her husband live years ago. Up to a fortnig'it ago alio enjoyed the bost of health and despite her advanced ago she was most active and cheerful. She is smviv ' ed by five sons, Messrs Fie I I Flinu era), David (Matainata), Henry (Auckland,, James (Pukekohe), and John MorruW (Gordon), and two Mrs John Andrew (Waiuku) and Mrs G. Attewell (Pukekohe). The funeral to >k place this afternoon at the Pukekohe cemetery, the Rev J. P. Cowie officiating.

MERCER

THE LAUNCH FATALITY. The enquiry into the circumstances attending the death of Mr James Gardiner, the victim of the mishap to the oil launch Sylvia, was opened at Mercer last Wednesday by the District Coroner, Mr Cecil Road ley. After evidence of identification had been given by Mr J. Bates, at whose boardinghouse in Mercer the deceased had been stopping for a few days prior to his death, the imiuest was adjourned until Monday, December 3rd.