THE MOTUROA MUDDLE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 272, 22 April 1914, Page 8

THE MOTUROA MUDDLE.

• SEASIDE COMMITTEE.

HAS A SETTLING UP. The Moturoa Seaside Improvement Society, which has had a rather chequered career of some three, months' duration, hail a general settling-lip last night, which resulted in the resignation of the president (Mr. C, \V. Williams) al the request of the meeting, and the voluntary resignation of the secretary. In the course of the discission on the financial aspect of the recent regatta and other matters, the mutual recriminations were both forcible and polite.

EX IvCUTIVE M E ETIN'G

The breeze started nt a meeting of the executive committee held in the bathing sl'.ed. Mr. W. A. Coll is took the chair on behalf of the .Borough Council, and there were also present: Messrs C. W. Williams, G. Braund. J. Brough, Crozier and A. Loveridge. The position as disclosed by tho bal-

ance-sheets made up by the auditor (Mr. T. L. Buxton) showed a profit of £ls 2s 5d on the regatta, a loss of £ 1 4s 5d on ths social, and a net surplus of £4l IDs I>l. Of this cash in hand .there would be £!) 7s 7d left after payment of accounts due. This would be increased to £ls 18s 7d if outstanding nominations, acceptances and donations could be collected. The principal assets shown were: Bathing shed £ls, swing boat .18, tanks and for us, £3 5s Cd, "cash in .the hands of various secretaries" £Ol 10s 7d. The statement of receipts and expenditure showed £4!) 17s lid received at the lagatta gates, donations collected £3O Ms (id, contributing towards a total o. : £O7 12s. The largest items in an expenditure of £35 15s 5d were the cost of a bathing shed, £ls, and prize money, £8 0s 6d. The auditor, in his statement, pointed out the disadvantages of allowing tie cash to be dealt with by three persons, each keeping a separate account of it. Apparently S considerable number of persons had collected donations, 'but ho had been supplied with only a limited number of books and lists signed by donors. Though everything might be in order, this was most unsatisfactory. He had not seen Mr. Williams as to the accuracy of the sum debited to- him (12s), but Messrs Paul and Hayden had agreed to tie accuracy of tho amounts debited to them. Of £35 15s Cd paid out, only £23 15s 6d had been authorised by the committee. Generally, the accounts had hoen made up from what information he had. The reading of the balance-sheets by Mr. Collis was punctuated by lively requests for explanation by the president of sundry items of expenditure. j A LITTLE PIG. Tlie first- stumbling block was\a pig. Of two which the president purchased for a "greasy pig" competition at the regatta, he presented one, a- little one, to the Carnival Queen committee in which tlie Society was interested, and claimed that he had authority to do this. Mr. Crozier questioned this, at which Mr. Williams said that he had not charged the committee with a number of out-of-pocket expenses. If the committee wanted to make a fuss about the little pig. he would refund them the Cs Od. Mr. ' Braund said the president had taken too -much on himself. Mr. Williams complained that the whole affair had been like a captain without a crew. He had had no assistance. Mr. Braund: A very poor captain!

Various members of the committee challenged the president's statement that lie had been put in cnarge of a fruit stall on tlie day of the regatta, and that he had had no assistance from tin-ill.

Exception was taken rather vigorously to an account rendered by Mrs. 0. \V. Williams for afternoon teas and lunches for the bandsmen and committeemen on tiie day of the regatta. Mr. Williams protested against the debit to 'him in the balance-sheet, and explained it at length.

After further discussion md numerous interruptions, the .balance-sheet was accepted for presentation to the general committee, which had been waiting: outside and had showed several signs of impatience. GENERAL MEETING.

A general meeting of the Society was then held at the Breakwater flolel, where there was an attendance of about thirty members. Mr. Collis was immediately voted to the chair, in place of Mr. C. W. Williams, the president. •MORE QUESTIONS.

After Mr. Collis had explained the balance-sheets, Mr. IJraund asked why there were 110 men on the gates at the regatta.

.Mr. Williams: They all left to work on the Flora, and the a Hairs were left to volunteers. Mr. Braund went out on bis launch.

Mr. Oakcs asked for the tickets issued at the gates, in order to check them with

the statement of takings. lie moved that thej' he produced at a later date. Mr. Williams said the committee should have been pleased to get what they did. The volunteer collectors tool; £47, which, if it had been left to the committee, would not have been collected.

Air. Williams, on his own suggestion, then left tin' meeting with Mr. Crozier to got the sealed ticket boxes, which lmi! never'been opened since tl>.i regatta. Mr. Collis explained that the present position had been due to a lack of organisation and an absence of rules.'

Mr. Williams and Mr. Crozier reappeared with two biscuit tins, containing tickets, and the counting of these proceeded in a corner. RESIGNATION REQUESTED. J'retty soon, Mr. Oakes moved that the president be asked to resign- in the best interests of the committee and' the breakwater beach. The executive, he said, had no faith in the president, who bad pursued imbusiness-like methods. TJWe was no doubt that a tangle ex- "' isted. They were only just 'beginning

to count the gate tickets for the re gatta. The president should liiive resigned hefore.

Mr. Williams Raid it was the duly.of the secretary to cheek tue tirvits. lie asked Mr. Brnund to explain a letter written by him in the Press.

The chairman ruled this out of order.

Mr. Braund accused the president of putting a. "dunnny" on a subscription list.

Mr. Williams said the man'iti question had put his name down for £1 to give the list a good appearance |..- a start, hut had agreed to give >nl, .'is. The whole wrangle was over noth fig at all. Mr. Oakes pressed his nioi.iou.

Mr. Williams, in replying to questions, stated that 'he would have iv.,i ; ;noil, hut that he knew a number of tin general committee wished him not to. "These people were not all present, . he had told them there would be ih: u.-ed ior them to attend, but he could :- t them. He challenged Mrs. Oakes' riirhi !o vote, but was over-ruled. He said she had left the Society, hut. as usi'V 'he fact was not put on the minutes. i'e called the chairman's ruling one-side;!. Eventually, a ballot was ' ■ >n, and the motion asking the president to resign was carried by 13 vol"* in' 9. Mr. demanded an apology from Mr. Braund as to his letter. This was refused, and Mr. Williams was ruled out of order.

The secretary read a minut- of an executive committee meeting on February 21, leaving the purchase of a bathing shed to the chairman, this being the matter in dispute between Messrs Williams and Braund now.

Mr. Braund said there was no executive formed then.

The tickets from one box were then announced at £36 5s Bd.

Mr. Huse, one of 'the collectors, then claimed 8s paid in l>y him in ■ xcess of this amount, as shown in the balancesheet.

The secretary then resigned, and 10 O'clock striking, the closing' hour of the hotel, the meeting broke 'up breathing libel actions and other livel- incidents. Mr. Collis will lay the position before the Borough Council.