THE SAMARITAN HOME.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 13362, 2 March 1909, Page 3

THE SAMARITAN HOME.

STRAINED FINANCE

A mooting of the Trustees of the Samaritan Home was hold yesterday. At tiho hour appointed, 3 p.m., there were only three members of the j Board in attendance, viz., Messrs F. J. j Board (chairman) and B. i». ilanhire, : ami iSistcr Lilian. After waiting for some time the Chairman proceeded to make a statement, in which he was interrupted by the arrival, at 3.13 p.m., of Mrs Wilson and .Mr C. Hastings Bridge. In the course of his statement, Mr Board said thai, it appeared that there was to ho no meeting. The position of the Home was buc-li as to warrant the. closest application on thu part or the Trustees, in urder to tide the. institution over a great difficulty. He did not anticipate that for the next month there, I would be much difficulty, but after that he fancied that the home Would have some difficulty in carrying on. lie did not know whether he was justified in speaking on these matters at the present stage, but he could not help expressing groat disappointment at the attitude some of his co-trustees had taken up in neglecting to attend the meeting. He did not know what to put this apathy down to. He thought that the least the absent ones could have clone would have, been to send some let- **{" ° f .. "Pology. The treasurer (Mr Winny) had sent an apolo'<-\----owing to being detained Tiv an important «ua;ngomt.i!t. This was unfortunate oecauso tho treasurer's presence at tho meeting was absolutely necessary. At the previous ">c«in g a o.ue.stion was raised as to iHXJ in dispute between th-j Tru-te-s ami the Charitable Aid Board. Sinoo that time ho had received a letter from the secretary of the. Board stating that tho Board was disposed to comply with tho Irnstees' request for payment of an additional £100, in ord'or to amend tho original estimates of the trusts receipts for the current year Jho Board, however, regretted "that there was no higal authority for amending a requisition made in March of each year in respect of the finances for the ensuing year, commencing Ist i v Tll,>re was no provision under wheh tho Board could pay out en such an amended requisition. Continuing. Mr Board said that the £100 could be wiped off by :v larger requisition next year. He had looked into the accounts, and found that they were showing a deficiency of £300, with practically nothing to come in. He would not .say tho institution w«s bankrupt, but it looked liko it. Tho position, lu> thought, was I sufficiently serious to warrant his coTrusteea in making an effort of conic sort to be present at the meeting. Ho would be sorry to think that their nhsenco was another indication of members taking position on bodies in whoso work they hud no interest. He. did not care to.say that with any degree of po;itivenees, but it appeared to him, by their absence, that the Trustees appointed by the different organisations were lacking in the amount of interest which was really necessary for the good conduct and the working of the Home. Tho institution was doing tivo brnneln-s of work in which tilie Charitable Aid Board should romp to its rescue. The third branch, tho reception of male inmates, hnd, ho thought, landed tho Trustees in the present financial difficulty, i Mr Board was -proceeding with his statement when Mr Bridge and Mrs Wilson arrived, and 'ho recapitulated the salient facts, laying stress on tho financial aspect of affairs. Mr Bridge said that the Trustees should go into committee before. the figures were discussed , . The Chairman thought that it would be to th<» advantage of the Home if tho people- who hn<J an interest in it were mad© acquainted with tho position. In tho course of tho discussion which followed, it appeared that when tho year's requisition was fbnvn.rd'ed to tho Charitable Aid Board. the financial statement accompanying it showed, a surplus of £100. being tho amount duo from voluntary subscribers. This sum waa, however, practicolly earmerkedi, and had not been collected , from tho subscribers. As a matter of fact, it lias not yet been collected', and: tho financial year c!f»?s at. the end of this month. The. Charitable Aid Board, however, believing thot there was an actual surplus of £100, .reduced the requisition by that amount. In regard, to the voluntary subscriptions, it might be explained' that the Trusu-i s must prove to the satisfaction of tho Board when making the- requisition that tho

contributions will amount to not Ipss thoii £100 in twelve months. The amount, as before- stated, hn.« not collected for the year j\ut ck.sing. Mr Bridge ».iid that if the TiiK!f:s had h:id the £100. as origin illy :u>r>'.ie-l for. they wouli! have Kt-n' in" i v::um:.l iinanci-il position. Thov had only received C 220, or £180 short. Tin* Board .-lwuW noi liave altered the- rc<|uL>ition. 11.- doubted, however, whether tbr- Board would pay over tie money. Tiio Chairman said that if the Trustees wore entitled to the money thi-y shouU".. nnply for it again. and Mr Maniiin , .:i^n^xl. It was <lcci !vd that the chairman and Mr Brit'^ , - should wait n;\ the ohnirman of tbe Charitable Ai-. 1 . Board and dis-ciias the iinaixin! position with h i m.