BLENHEIM PTA TREASURER DEMANDS FORENSIC AUDIT AFTER $3.50 GOES WALKABOUT
The sausage sizzle float was $3.50 light. Nobody's leaving the hall until someone owns up.
A Blenheim Central school PTA meeting meant to run 40 minutes stretched past two hours on Tuesday, after treasurer Fionnuala Beckwith-Rice announced the sausage sizzle float was $3.50 short.
Mrs Beckwith-Rice took over the books in February. Other committee members describe her as "thorough, in a way." She tabled a one-page discrepancy report and asked everyone to account for their movements between the barbecue and the cashbox on Saturday morning.
"It's not about the $3.50," she told The Daily Yarn in the carpark, still holding the cashbox. "It's the principle. Let $3.50 go and next term it's seven dollars. Term after that, God knows."
Deputy chair Marcus Threlkeld, who ran the onions, said he had a receipt for the mustard and was "a bit stunned" to be asked where he was at 10.42am. "I was buttering bread. Ask anyone. Ask the bread."
One parent, who asked not to be named because her daughter's up for a speech prize, said the meeting only ended when someone found a $2 coin under the urn and a $1 coin in the tomato sauce tray. The remaining 50c is now listed in the minutes as "the outstanding matter."
Reminds me of the Rotary raffle in '74, when a meat tray went missing and Ken Whitmore didn't speak to his brother-in-law for eleven years. The PTA reconvenes Thursday.
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Reader Letters
couchgremlin
Lol, it's just $3.50.
Trev_Hornby
This is a piss-take. Imagine losing more time over $3.50 than the money itself is worth! Someone should send Mrs Beckwith-Rice a calculator instead of a cashbox.
MumOf3_Blenheim
Honestly, why didn't someone just cover the missing $3.50 with a spare coin? What's the big deal here? PTA politics are worse than parliament!
wayne1987
Mate, the $3.50 could have bought a sausage and bread for a hungry kid. Always follow the money, especially if it's for the kids.
Burger_Champion_2021
Running the onions might've been hard work, but we all know that's a hell of a cover story. $3.50 doesn't just walk off!
Garry (Halswell)
Back in my day, we didn't need audits for a couple of coins. A handshake was enough to sort things out. These PTA folks need a bit more trust in each other.
SnarkySam_Blenheim
Mate, that's what happens when there's no accountability!
prudent_Pam
Garry, there's a difference between a handshake and a proper audit. I'd rather be thorough now than deal with a bigger mess later.
Marjorie_Marlborough
No one respects the accounting process until it impacts the float. Seen it happen in our local bowls club, and it's always a bloody mess trying to rebuild trust.
tired_in_blenheim
PTA overreactions are an Olympian pastime, I swear.