NORTH OTAGO BENEVOLENT SOCIETY.

Oamaru Mail, Volume III, Issue 715, 2 July 1878, Page 2

NORTH OTAGO BENEVOLENT SOCIETY.

The monthly meeting of the Committee of this institution was held last evening. There were present :—Mr. N. Fleming, President (in the chair), the Revs. A. B. Todd and Gifford, and Messrs. Milligan Jtonayne, Steward, Kerr, Greenfield, Hassell, Allen, and Hardy. Secretary. The minutes of the pr< vious meeting were read and confirmed, and the outward correspondence was read and approved. The question of Mr. M'Leod's passage home having again been brought forward, it was decided after som'e discussion, to endeavor to secure him a passage, if possible, via the Red Sea instead of round Cape Horn, and that the President should write to the Government on the subject, the reply thereto to be referred to the Visiting Committee, with power to act. The Secretary was instructed to write to the Hospital Committee, pointing out that Jane Every, being a sufferer from a disease, is properly a Hospital patient, and that consequently that institution has no claim upon the Society in respect to her. A letter was read from the Immigration Department, notifying the passing for payment of the account for rations for immigrants, but returning the doctor's certificate for medical attendance, on the ground that the patients treated should have been sent to the Hospital.

It was resolved that the doctor be informed of the terms of the reply. The Secretary was directed to again write to Mr. David Hunter Mervyu, with deference to the payment by him of the expenses incurred by the Society at his request for forwarding his sister to Teviot.

Mr. Morton, a country member of the Committee, wrote, bringing under the notice of the Committee a case of distress at Kakanui, and recommending a vote by the Committee of L 5 in aid thereof. It was ordered, " That the Secretary write intimating that, in accordance with Rule 17, it is the practice of this 00.i.:>'ittoe to give relief by orders for n e- ■-• ■ies instead of cash, but forwarding > ■'■«.'■ •>i asked, and expressing the wish of the J..mmittee that Mr. Morton would be .1 enough to see to its being properly expended. A letter was read from the Clerk of the Borough Council of Palmcrston, asking whether the institution would receive inmates from that town, and on what terms they would be received. It was \;'Solved, "That the Society docs not kot> its way to agree to the pro- , •••sal, but would suggest to the citizens of iineistou the advs .biiity of estanlisaj, an organisation of the r o.vn for :.. volent purposes." • ■ fallowing report from the Vs-dting ■:.< L ee was ;e-:J and a .opsml : Your Committee have the h'mor to report that during iJie month two new cases have been brought uiioir their notice. In the iii'ht, that or Mr. ad Mrs. Mealey, residing in Tyue. street, it was represented that the pa: ties were ag p d, infirm, and poor, and orders for two bags coal, and for beef for beef tea wore /riven ; but it being subsequently ascertained that the Healeys ha.'' some LISO to their credit in the Bank, further relief was stopped, and the order fo. coal countermanded.

It has lieeu suggested to your Committee, iii the second case, that of the widow and family of the late John Baird, who met hip death by a receut accident on the Waiareka line, that, pending the remit of efforts which are now being made to establish tho widow in a small inis of business, she and her childreu (4) might be temporarily re oeived into the Society's Home. i'mu Committee recommend the proposal to the favorable consideration of the Society. Your Committee have visited the several eases on the Society's books, and recommend that the same rate of relief be continued to the following, viz., O'Leary, M'Leod, Mrs Melton, Mrs. Moody. As regards Mrs White, who appears to have had a very hard struggle, and whose case appears to be a most deserving one, your Committee, unsolicited, recommend the increase of the allowance during the winter from 10s. to 15s. per week. Your Committee have given Mrs. Williams an order for fuel to the value of 12s. 6(1. Mrs. Donaldson has chanred her residence, and your Committee, not being abU l to trace out her present whereabouts, are unable to make any reoomm'mdat ; on. Your Committee driw attention to the necessity for keeping . he vacant ground and nyht-of-way near tins barrack* clear oi ilnbri/t. and suggest that a quantity of old clothing, &c, now lying thereon, be de htroyed. They further recommend that tha south fence be shifted back to the street line, and that arrangements be made for ploughing up, fencing in, and putting in order the ground belonging to and adjoining the Society's Home, Your Committee report that several of the tanks at the cottages on the hill are either without taps or have apparently no keys to the in. As these tanks have more than once been put in order, your Committee think that some person should be made responsible for their being so ke.pt. They further report that the dividing fences of the plots at rear of the cottage e being pulled to. pieces, apparently for u ■■ , fuel ; and as it seems impossible to find or. •vho are the persons who thus destroy t-.-■ So-iety's property, and as there doe no: otipear to be any necessity for the dividing •'••'k:':s, they suggest the expediency of removing the material, and stacking in the yard at the Home, f->r line in the fence recommended to be there erected. They further have to report that they find on "enquiry that the roofs of some of the cottages leaked badly during the recentheavy rains, and recommend that they be made weather-tight. They have to report that the buildings of the Home are in f.iiv • rde - ', and that its mi dition, in point of cleanliness and tidiness, is all l;hat could he de irfd. Your Con'iitte- have • xaupned the accounts, and C' m a'cd ttiim with the vv.iohers, and recommend the same for payment, as per ~ehedu! • h>ie\vith. Wm. J. TEWARD, James Hasskli.. July 1, 1878. The Barrack Master's report as follows was read and received : Oamaru, June 30, 1878. The Committee N. 0. Benevolent Sooiety. Gentlemen, —I have the honor to forward the following report of the N.O. Benevolent Institution far the month of June. There is one child remaining in the Institution, and situations have been obtained for the two Government immigrants who were under the Society's charge. j Seventeen domestic servants have been I admitted into the Servants' Home, all of

whom have obtained good situations, wi 1 the exception of one, who is still remaiuin,., \ I have visited the Society's Cottages, ind would respectfully draw your attentioi. to the destruction of the fence* and closots, which appear to be destroyed for the use of firing. l'uring the late rains much water has found its way through the roofs of the cottages, and some necessary rouairs are required in fastening the iron, and making the roofs watertight. Herewith 1 forward abstract ration return for the month of June.—l am, &c, Alfred Hkskbtu. It was resolved that the Society should, as last year, pay half of the Collector's guarantee premium. The accounts as certified by the Visiting Committe were passed for payment. It was decided to hold a special mooting on Monday evening next, at 7 o'clock, for the purpose of considering the draft Bill to incorporate the Society proposed to be introduced next session. The customary compliment having been passed to the Chairman, the meeting terminated.