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The Eleventh AnnualGeneral Meeting
...was held at 3.pm on Saturday the 27 March, 1915 at the Secretary's
Office, 16 Friar Street, Reading.
Present:- Mr.E.R.Portal in the Chair.
Capt.W. Waring
Rev. J.D. Ouvry
Mr. C.J. Haviland
Mr. C. Vallange
Mr. E. Garche
Mr. S.S.
Garche
Mr. E.S. Shrapnell-Smith Mr. C.H.
Dodd
Mr. S. à Court, Hon.Secretary
1. The Minutes of the last General Meeting were read confirmed and
signed.
2. The Annual Report of the Committee and the audited statement of
accounts for 1914, already circulated to all Members, were submitted
for approvala by the Chairman, seconded by Capt. Waring and adopted.
3. To fill the vacancy on the committee due to the retirement of Dr.N.
Joy, Mr R.HC. Harrison's nomination had been received. Mr. Dodd
proposed and Mr. Vallange seconded Mr. Harrision appointed, which was
carried unanimously.
4. The Hon.Treasurer, Mr. E.S. Shrapnell-Smith submitted his Budget for
1915 showing an estimated surplus of £15, adding that in
consequence of the War he anticipated a certain number of resignations
from Membership. The income was estimated at £126, and the
expenditure at £111. The budget was seconded by Mr. C.H.Dodd and
carried.
5. The Chairman reviewed the work of the Club during the past year and
siad he felt sure they would all join with him in expressing sympathy at
the death of their valued & esteemed President, F.M. Earl Roberts.
He was a man whom the Country trusted and appreciated, and if only his
warnings had been listened to they would have been better prepared for
War. He was most kind & courteous when he entertained the Club at
his home at Ascot, and they greatly deplored his loss.
The only member of the Club who was able to go to the front was Major.
C.S. Harrision, who was killed at Neuve Chapelle, and he asked the Club
to join with him in proposing that their condolences and sympathy be
conveyed to Mr.R.H.C.Harrison, and that a letter to that effect be
forwarded.
Last year had been an eventful one. It begain as usual and they had
tried to a little more for the benefit of Members both at Henley
Regatta where the arrangements had been much appreciated, as well as at
Ascot races, at which however not many cars had made use of their
private Garage.
The War gave the Club an opportunity of justifying its existence, and
the work of supplying cars for the Police, the War Office and the
hospitals had severely taxed the engergies of the Committee.
Turning to other matters on the Agenda, the Chairman said they had to
consider whether the Club should remain Associated with the Royal
Automobile Club. They were paying a fixed fee of 7/6 for no more
benefits than were given under the first agreement for 5/-, and most of
the the extra 2/6 came out of the Club funds and went to support the
service of Road Guides of which many Members could not see the benefit.
The Meeting agreed to leave the question of affiliation to the
Committee for further consideration, and empowered them to act as they
thought fit in the matter.
6. Mr C.J.Haviland said that the Red Cross Society, Berkshire Branch,
came under a deep debt of gratitude to the Berkshire A.C. in arranging
for conveyance of wounded, often at short notice. Without this
voluntary assitance he did not know what the authorities would have
done.
The Chairman informed the Meeting that the Club had just been asked and
had undertaken to organise and carry out all transport of wounded for
the Reading War Hospitals and auxiliary hospitals in the County of
Berkshire. The Committee had gone very carefully into the matter and
were of the opinion that at least 12 ambulances were required to deal
with the number of beds that were being arrranged for. A sufficient
number of volunteer drivers had already been secured, but the expenses
of such a service wer quite beyond the resources of the Club. As the
War Office had not offered any assistance, and fund of at least
£2000 was required to provide for capital expenditure and a years
working. He was glad to be able to say that the Lord Lieutenant of
Berkshire and the Mayor of Reading had already formed a representative
Committee, which included Members of the Club Committee and had issued
an appeal for funds, to which many promises of support had already been
received. The Committee had therefore agreed to undertake the work, and
some six ambulances were already available and in a Garage which had
been lent to the Committee in Reading, besides which the necessary
mechanics had been engaged, an office arranged for and in fact the
service was already in working order.
7. The Chairman and Officers of the Club having been re-elected, a
hearty vote of thanks to the Chairman brought the Meeting to a
close.
[E.R.Portal, Chairman]
[May 6, 1916]
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