BENEVOLENT SOCIETY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5246, 16 January 1878, Page 3

BENEVOLENT SOCIETY.

The annual general meeting of the Benevolent Society was held yesterday afternoon in the Provincial Buildings. Mr. J. C. Crawford, president of the society, occupied the chair, and read the report and balance-sheet for the past year, which were adopted. The following is the report;— “ The committee of the Benevolent Society have to report that during the ten months months ending, on the 31st December last it has had a larger number of cases to relieve than in former yea-s, and that the funds placed in its hands, notwithstanding some very liberal contributions, have been so limited in amount that it has often had to give assistance to a much smaller extent than many cases have deserved, and than would have been given had there been more money available. The committee has been obliged in » few instances to assist the families of persons who have been temporarily committed to gaol or to the Lunatic Asylum. The support of such families should not, the committee thinks, devolve upon it, but upon the Government, and it has addressed the Colonial Secretary upon the matter. “ The money invested for William Paul has been paid over to him. Mrs, Turner and her family are receiving aid out of the moneys collected, as will be seen by the statement of account. “ The orphanage fund has been augmented bv a sum of £l2 05..8d., the balance remaining iii the hands of the Featherston Memorial Committee ; and a grant of land made by the late Superintendent, Sir William Fitzherbert, to the institution, for the purposes of an orphanage, has been confirmed by an Act of the General Assembly. “ There appears a balance to the credit of the general fund of £lB 12s. lid.; but against this there were, on the 31st December lust, moneys- due for relief given in various oases amounting to a considerably larger sum. “The committee, therefore, in conclusion, would urge upon the people of Wellington the duty of giving liberally to the funds of the institution, so that the deserving poor (for the committee carefully inquires into every application for relief) may be assisted by it. “ 0. P. Powles, Hon. Sec.” The balance-sheet showed that the subscriptions and donations for the year amounted to £361 18s. 4d, ; the Government grant, £137 10s.; balance from previous year, £9l 11s. ; petty cash refunded, £1 ss. 9d. ; making a total of £595 6s, Id. The disbursements were as follow :—General relief, £571 25.; printing, &0., £5 10s., leaving a balance in hand of £lB la's. lid. In the orphanage fund account there was a credit balance of £1220 19s. 10d., £IOOO of which had been advanced on mortgage, and £126 deposited with the Trust Loan and Investment Company. The expenditure on this account only amounted to £9 ss. The sum of £ls 10s. has been paid to Mrs, Turner out of the funds raised on her behalf, and there is now a balance left of £92 2s. 3d. In the Paul, Reidal, and Toung fund £sl 13s. Id. has been paid to Paul, and a balance of £IOO is deposited with the Wellington Trust Loan and Investment Company for the benefit of Reidal. Mr. Hoidsworth proposed,—That Mr. J. C. Crawford be re-elected president of the society and Mr, C. P. Powles secretary and treasurer for the ensuing year. —Carried unanimously. The'following were elected a committee for the ensuing year ;—The clergy of Wellington, the Mayor, the Hon. Mr. Pharazyn, the Hon. Mr. Waterhouse, Mr. E, Pearce, Mr. L, Levy, Mr. J. G. Hoidsworth, Mr. D. Lewis, Mr. J. Woodward, Mr. W. Bishop, Mr. J. E, Smith, and Mr. J. Burne, There being no other business before the meeting, the proceedings terminated by a vote of thanks to the chairman.