Secretary's Report

Submitted by tr[rs. J. E. Fraser at the Annual Conaention of the California Rctoil Lumbermen's A sso ciation

A year has passed since we assembled in a State-wide Couvention, and I submit, with pleasure, my report of the past year's work. -

In a brief way I will tell you about the major activities of the Association for the past year, and the meetings held during the year.

On January l5th, the- Directors of the Northern District, -Local LumbCr Club Secretaries. Cement Committee of this AsSociation, and the Cement Commiitee of the Building tr'Iaterial Dealers of Northern California, and forty-two Northern Lumber dealers met in a meeting at the Athens Club, Oakland. President Hallingby was also present at this meeting. The principal subject of discussion was Ethiial Retations. Merchandising of Roofing was discussed and a Roofing Committee for the Northern District was appointed.

On January 22nd there was a general meeting of Southern Lumber Dealeis, at the Elks Club, preceded by a meeting of the Directors and Cement Committees. There were also present at this meeting a number of Northern Directors and lumber dealers. This was one of the most interesting and instructive meetings held during the year, bringing out the need for better co-operation among the retail lumber industry. There were five local lumber club Secretaries present at this meeting.

In April we held a Dir€ctors Meeting at Stockton, which- was -attended by the Directors of the Association and a number of lurnber dealers. -At this meeting Mr. W. H. Graham, an official of a Building & Loan Association in Oakland, outlined a Clearing House Trust Fund method of handling accounts which was very instructive alrd in which a number of loialities in Catifornia are deeply interested, and are working to adopt this plan.

In June, the Southerri District held a mid-summer picnic at Ganesha ?ark, Pomona, under the supervision of Charles Curran, and about 300 attended and all reported a splendid time.

In February your Secretary and the Legislative Committee of the Association held a joint meeting with the Legislative Committee of the Building Material Dealers Credit Association of Los Angeles, goihg over all legislative bills pending in the legislature, and wor\ed out a legislative program that embraced over thirty bills affecting the building industry, During March and April several trips were made to Sacramento.rin connection with the legislative work.I am happy to report that we were successful in our legislative work; that all bills affecting tpe building industry were amended to meet our approval, or were f,ableil in ciimmittee.

In June your Secretary attended thi Conference of Secretaries of State-Lumber Associations affiliated with the National Retail Lumber Dealers Association, in Detroit. There were 12 states represented, and the services rendered by the various associations were discussed, Taking into consideration the age of this Association as compared with the Associations in the East, which have been established some of them as long as 35 years, this Association is rendering a splendid service to its members; in fact, is now rendering ls much service as some of the older associations. En route to the Conference I visited the headquarters of the Rocky Mountain State Lumber Association at Denver, the Michigan Lumber Dealers Association, and the National Retail Lumber Dealers Association at Chicago. The arrangements of the various State associations with their insurance affiliations was thoroughly discussed at the conference, and looked into by your secretary. After my return I went into the question of an insurance affiliation for our Association, and at the Board of Directors meeting at Santa Barbara on August 6th, an Insurance Affiliation was formed with the Northwestern Mutual Fire Association, which w-ill inable us to have a fieldman to form a closer contact with our members, and for any service that can be rendered to the members and to the local clubs. Mr. Paul Overend, whom many of you have met as he has been calling on the members and some of the non-members since September lst, 1927, was appointed as said fieldman. I have always felt that we needdd a fieldman for the association, one who could call on you at regular periods, and could keep closely in touch with conditions in the various districts, and let the association headquarters know of the various ways in which we could be of service, for strange though it is, the members do not seem to ask the State Association to render them the services they need, often going elsewhere when the State Association could so nruch better serve their needs so I am hoping that you will all grow to know Mr. Overend very well, and will have confidence in him and will talk over with him the various ways in which the A-ssociation can be of seivice to you. He will be glad to co-operate in every wiy and bring your needs to the attention of the head office and the Directors. Mr. Overend will probably do intensive work in the northern part of the state for the next year, and Mr. Guy L. Dartnell will be the fieldman in Southern California to perform the same services for the members of the Association, for this is such a large state it is almost humanly impossible for one man to cover it properly and to the best interests of all members, so when Mr. Dartnell calls on you, I hope you will alt give him consideration'

' In August I attended the Annual Convention of the National Retail Lumber Dealers Association at Tacoma, as a delegate from this Association, attending all business sessions. I learnecl at this con-