A LIVELY MEETING.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2196, 16 January 1886, Page 2

A LIVELY MEETING.

There was an exceedingly lively meeting pf the shareholders in the New Zealand Aerated Water and Cordial Company at Wellington onThursday. The Press reports that Mr T. Kennedy- Macdouald having characterised the ineeting as a small one, Mr Davis, the Secretary, said Mr Mac: donald know better,.and that it was a large meeting for the size of the company. Mr Macdonald protested against the Sec, retary insinuating that he was insincere ill his remarks. "You had a list of shareholders sent you," said the Secretary.' "I had not," replied Mr Macdonald, Then the Scoretary implied that Mr Macdonald was not adhering to facts, and that gentleman.hotly objected to his veracity, being questioned, and tho insinuation that, he was wilfully interfering with the progress of the meeting. The Chairman and tho Secretary then stroked Mr Macdonald down the right way, and there was a momentary calm. Presently Mr Edwards.felt riled that his cheque and subsequent cash offer was refused for' arrears, and Bai'd that "it was a pleasant thing to pay money"irit6 the Company, because one would get nothinp out of it." Mr Baird fired up at this delicate sarcasn), and the Chairman spoke against .'time for a quarter of an hour, defending the com-' pany from the aspersion. In the: course of this he styled Mr Edwards' remark as impertinent, and .Mr Edwards returned the compliment. The Chairman'supposed Mr Edwards had more chance of making something out/of the; company tban'he had, for instance, ;anaV then lie 'made the extraordinary .assertion«that $ ecompany didn't want trousers, bui'they might wan|! printing'eieoufcat't.Tho'n the

that Mr' Edwards had: told : , him that he hud a private interest to serve, Mr Strike managed strike" in -here with ! a 'charge, against the Secretary of not attend'-' ing to his office. The Secretary appealed to Mr Edwards, wh6 complimented-him on his assiduity, and a pro : timi. verbal reconciliation ensued, leaving;Mv,-Strike to.fight it. out for himself. ■:..; Then Mr Strike attacked the management of the, company, and said if he was at the "helm he would make it brin£ in-a. profit of £I2OO a year. It was evident the Ohaiiv man and Secretary had their doubts on this point. Then Mr Dodsoh thought his time had come, and expressed a desire to be on the directorate. . The- Chairman' doubted whether ho had shares enough, but Mr Dodson disposed of this by asserting that lots of shareholders would be only too glad to give him their shares to get rid of them. The above will give an idea of the order that prevailed, seeing that while all irrelevant talk was going on there was a distinct motion before the meeting.' A shareholder on lea yiug. remarked that after that evening he should have a doubt as to the peaceful effects on the community of an adherence Jo aerated drinks. •■'■