"LYTTELTON TIMES" SICK FUND SOCIETY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17077, 28 January 1916, Page 10

"LYTTELTON TIMES" SICK FUND SOCIETY.

A YEAR'S WORK. The "Lyttelton Times" Sick Fund Society has been in existence for thirtyseven years. It was established in 1879, with ninety-four members, and now it has 140 members. Jn its first year it paid £4O 10s in sick allowance: last year it paid £IB.B ius. This if, not tho largest annual payment for sickness, but it is nearly £SO moro than was paid last year, and is considered abnormally high. Tho committee, in the report it will present at the annual meeting of members tomorrow evening, comments on this, and states that during the year 'sick pay was claimed by no fewer than forty-one members, representing about 30 per cent of the membership. The report also .states that six members of the society, Messrs K. llobbins, F. Dawn, C. Tidy. W. J. Wikon, J. Fox and A. E. Ames, volunteered for tho front. It was reported that Mr Robbins, who took part in one of the early aetTons at Gallipoli, was missing, and afterwards news was received that he was killed. Mr Dawn, who served]

for many weeks on Gallitioli. was afterwards invalided to England, and has contributed interesting articles to the " Lyttoltori Times." Mr Fox is at the front. Mr Tidy went on the Hospital Ship Maheno, and roturned on her recent trip to the Dominion ; and Messrs Wilson and Ames are at present in Trentliam undergoing training. " The action of these members in volunteering to serve their country in this, greatest of all wars, merits the heartiest congratulations of all our members," the report: adds. The committee is still considering a superannuation scheme for the benefit of members of the "Lyttelton Times" staffs, and negotiations have been entered into with a representative of the Government National Provident Fund. The report records the death during the year of one member, Mr F. Smith, and the wives of two members! Mr A. Sugdeu and Mr J. Wheatloy. ~S\v Sugden, who was one of the pioneers of the society, resigned at the end'of the year on account of leaving the "Lyttelton Times" Company. The committee could not allow him to depart without showiiv .some appreciation of his work on behalf of the society, and a letter was sent to him setting forth the committee's feelings towards him.