SHIPWRECK RELIEF

Evening Star, Issue 16033, 9 February 1916, Page 2

SHIPWRECK RELIEF

ANNUAL AIEETINQ OF SOCIETY. The annual general meeting of the Ship, wreck Relief Society was held last night, Air Justice Sim presiding. Tho Chairman, in moving tho adoption of tho report .and balance-sheet, said the year had been very uneventful. The society had had to deal' with only three cases, and the total expenditure was £35 Os 9d. This war. really a, matter for congratulation, fog although the society existed for the relief of distress arising" from shipwreck, it did hot crave for shipwrecks in order to have large operations. Tho society, though carrying on operations throughout' the Dominion, was composed almost entirely of Dunedin members. That was a matter for regret. It was a society that deserved support from other prts of the Dominion. Some of the leading harbor boards, he noticed, were conspicuous by their absence in tho list of contributions. The Otago Harbor Board the Bluff Harbor Board, and the Gisborne Harbor Board had contributed liberally, but such harbor boards as Wellington, Auckland, and LytteJtcn did. not appear to have contributed a penny towards the funds of the society. He did not see ■why those boards ehonld. not follow the example set by the other beards that had contributed and that made a contribution each year. (Applause.) Air G. Fenwick seconded the motion. He was pleased to hear the president cal! attention to tho absence of any contvibution from some of the large harbor boards or the Dominion. In past years contributions had been, received from the Auck,;nctjil 6 Nmgton, an d other boards, and why they had not emit anything this rear he did not know. This was essentlal'v one of those worthy societies that harbor boards should do their best to keep alive and whose interests they should promote to the utmost of their power. The committee had always regretted that so little support had been- given to the operations ot this truly beneficent society bv people who lived in other parts of the Dominion, xhe few who did contribute might almost be counted on the lingoes of one hand. In Auckland they bad, an energetic friend m Captain Fleming, whoso efforts on behalf m the society deserved commendation at their hands. The society had now reached a very fine position, but although i G• j tho Sl,m of , £ s£oo well invested-, he did not agree with those who might say there was no need to press for continued support, because when such disasters as the Wairarnpa and the Penguin took place a considerable sum of money ■was wanted to- give the assistance it was absolutely necessary should be given to mr.nv sufferers.

Afr 0. W. Chamberlain said the Auckland and Wellington Harbor Boards, in reply to a communication requesting a continuance Of their contributions, bad replied that there was no legal authority enabling them to contribute. As all the boards were constituted under the Harbors Act, ho failed to see why Auckland and Wellington should be an exception to the other boards who bad contributed without any adverse remarks from the AuditorGeneral. The motion was carried. —The Late Sir Joshua Williams.—

Mr W. Belcher moved—“ That this meeting desire to express their great regret at the death of a former president of the eocietj and a Jife member from the. commencement, Sir Joshua Williams, and. his family in their loss. The late Sir Joshua Williams rendered good service to the society, and his cooperation was most valuable during his official connection with it.” In moving the motion, Mr Belcher said the memory of the late Judge was revered by everyone in the community, and the society had sustained a great loss by his death. The motion was carried; all present standing. —Election of Officers.— Officers were elected for the ensuing year ae follows : —Patron, His Excellency the Governor, Lord Liverpool; vice-pat-rons, Hon. W. F. Massey (Prime Minister) and Dr R. M‘Xab (Minister of Marire) ; president, Mr Justice Sim; hon. solicitor. Mr J. A. Conk; auditor, Mr C. Bussell Smith; lion, treasurer, Mr T. W, Vv hitsou. Mr T. W. Whitson moved the election of the following Executive Committee: Messrs C. W. Chamberlain, F. 0. Bridgeman, W. Belcher, Captain Beaumont. T. M. Cullen, G. Fenwick, J. A. Park, Captain Strang, G. L. Dcnnislon, Captain Coll M'Donald, and the mover. He urged that every effort should he made throughout the Dominion to increase the support given to the society. Instead of only a few members in Dunedin, there ought to he 1,000 members' in Xew Zealand 1 willing to subscribe half a guinea per annum T wards the vuy laudable objects of the eociety.—The motion was carried. —Thanks to Union Company.—

_Mr G. Fenwick moved—“ That the society thank the Union Steam Ship Company for the great interest manifested by them in the welfare of the eociety, and more especially that the society 'record their appreciation of the great efforts made by the crews of the various steamers of the Union Company regularly from month to month, resulting as those efforts do in a handsome contrirution to the revenue of the society.”

Mr J. A. Park seconded the motion. Mr Belcher expressed the opinion that tho question of providing for maritime dieasters should not devolve upon a voluntary organisation, but should be the duty of tho Government, and that a special fund should bo eet apart to assist those suffering by disasters at re a. Tho motion was carried.