KUMARA BENEVOLENT SOCIETY.

Kumara Times, Issue 1418, 19 April 1881, Page 2

KUMARA BENEVOLENT SOCIETY.

The annual meeting of this society was held last night, in the Town Hall, at 8 p.m. The Secretary read his report of the proceedings of the society for the past year, and presented the balance-sheet, which showed a credit balance of £l 4 Os 7d, the balance of assets over liabilities being about £26. The following is the Secretary's Report for the Tear ending March, 1881. On the Bth December 1879, a public meeting was held in the Town Hall for the purpose of deciding upon the steps to be taken consequent upon the collapse of the Ladies' Benevolent Society. Though thinly attended the meeting was not without result, as the present society was then and there founded, and a small committee formed. However it was not until the 10th March, 1880, that the society really began its work. On that date a meeting of the Committee was held, and a draft of Rules drawn up by the Rev. Mr Gar-

lick and the present Secretary discussed, and, after certain alterations, adopted provisionally. These rules were finally confirmed, after a few further tions, at a public meeting held on the 15th September last, when a new committee was elected, the menvbem. of, which lay down their offices to-night. During the past year the income at the Society has been £l7O 9s 9d> and the expenditure £156 9s 2d, leaving a balance of £l4 Os 7d at the credit of the Society's banking account. The outstanding liabilities of the Society may be reckoned at £5 5s at the outside, and the assets (Government subsidy) £l7 7s, which leaves a balance at the disposal of the society of £2G 2s 7d. During the year, the Society has assisted 23 persons. As, however, the majority of those assisted are heads of households, the number of persons really aided is far in excess of this number. The Committee have had Continually in their raittds the desirabilitv of doing something to put a stop to the numerous subscriptions which are so quently being raised in the district fofr disabled or other destitute persons. They have felt that these subscriptions are often raised by irresponsible and the money frequently badly spent-. They have considered that the public should have some guarantee for the proper disposing of such sums as they may contribute, and that such a guarantee may be found in the Society. They are glad to be able to point to uiortt than one case which in former days would have been met by a subscription but which they have been able to deal with satisfactorily. Nor is this all. Steps were takeu in December last to extend the operations of the Society to the Lead, and although with Compara* tively little success as yet, it is believed that little difficulty will now be formed iu bringing the scheme into operation. E. A. Scott, Hon. See* It was resolved that the report and balance-sheet be received and adopted. The following Committee for the eiv suing year was elected: Messrs R. Brown, Ci'eber, Kettles, M'Olone* Pearn, Pollock, Rudkin, Smart, R. j\ Seddon, and Tenuanfc The Rev. E. A. Scott was re-elected Honorary Secretary and Treasurer^ It was arranged that the first meeting of the Committee should be held on Monday next, at 12 noon. The meeting then adjourned.