ROSLYN DORCAS SOCIETY.

Evening Star, Issue 7286, 10 August 1887, Page 3

ROSLYN DORCAS SOCIETY.

The first annual public meeting of the above Society was held in the Roslyn Council Hall on Tuesday evening; Mr A. C. Begg in the chair. The several ministers connected with the district had been invited to attend. At the request of the secretary the Rev. R. R. M. Sutherland read the Committee’s report for the year. After some remarks on the report, indicating his satisfaction with the success that had attended the operations of the Society, and the encouragement which that success gave to the further prosecution of the work it had undertaken, he moved the adoption of the report, and proposed a vote of thanks to the office-bearers and members of the Committee. Both proposals were agreed to, A statement was read by the retiring president, in the course of which attention was called to the fact that help was raised only after inquiry in every ease by one or more members of the Committee. That this was necessary to secure a proper distribution of the Society’s funds it was unnecessary to say. The visits paid by the members of Committee had Been not only visits of inquiry, but in many cases visits of sympathy, and as such had brought to not a few a help and a comfort not less acceptable and beneficial than were afforded by the gifts bestowed from the Society’s funds. By these gifts (never of money, but of materials for food or clothing as the case might require) much real distress had been relieved, many poor families had been assisted, help had been given where help was greatly needed, whereby a greater and probably continued distress had been averted.

The following office-bearers lor the ensuing year were elected :—Mrs Bannerman, president ; Mrs M'Goun, vice-president; Mrs H, Livingston, treasurer; Miss Laing, secretary ; and Mesdames, Bayne, Curie, Heaney, and Bremner, visiting members of Committee.

A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the Mayor. It may be added that theie were upwards of forty members of the Society present at the meeting. The report stated that the Society was purely unsectarian, and had a staff of fourteen collectors; but there are still two districts not fully collected. In presenting the first annual report the Committee felt deeply grateful for all the help received. More distress was found existing in the borough than was anticipated. In every case brought under the Committee’s notice, such help as was considered necessary, after due inquiry, has been given. The subscriptions and donations in money have amounted to L7I 2s, the expenditure to L 59 13s, leaving a balance of Lll 9s in the bank, and some materials in the Society's boxes. It was gratifying to have so large a balance, but it will be fully required before the winter months are over. Help had been given to 29 families, representing 128 persons. The Committee had given away 269 yards of materials to be made up into garments, also 101 articles of made-up clothing, 13 blankets and quilts, 1 bed and mattress, 5 pairs boots, 18 pairs stockings, 61b yarn, 9 parcels second-hand clothing, 11£ tons of coal, 2 bags of kindling wood, and quite a number of sundries; L 6 10s 5d has been paid for groceries and butcher meat. Between three families L 7 were spent on medical attendance, nurse, and funeral expenses. The Committee earnestly asked for the same or an increased measure of encouragement and assistance during the next year in carrying on the Society’s truly Christian work, which is a'so a work of great necessity.