AUCKLAND LADIES' BENEVOLENT SOCIETY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 103, 12 March 1864, Page 4

AUCKLAND LADIES' BENEVOLENT SOCIETY.

Tim seventh annual meeting of this Society was held Inst evening in the Odd Fellows' Hall. The Tonic Sol-fa musical choir, under the management of Mr. French, kindly lent their valuable aid on the occasion. The chair was occupied, by Dr. Bennett, who having addressed the meeting called upon the Hon. Thos. Russell, who then read the following report together with the financial statement for the past year : — " KEFOIIT Ol> TJIK AUCKLAND LADIES* HEXJiVOtEXT .SOCIETY, POK THE YEAR KXDI.NCi MAIICII, ISG4. "To the kind and steady supporters of 'The Auckland Ladies' Benevolent Society' during the previous years of its existence, it is not necessary that the committee should introduce this, their seventh, annual report, by any explanation of the objects, tlio principles, the organization, or the general -working of the institution. As, however, every year brings large additions to the population, which, as they, on the one hand, may increase the numbers of claimants on the funds, so "they, on the other, may bo expected to furnish new friends and contributors, it appears advisable,— even at the risk of a monotonous repetition of statements which. Lave already been repeatedly made, —to devote a few renlences to such an exhibition of tho loading characteristics of tho association as may, it i 3 hoped, satisfy those -who have not yet become acquainted with its aims and operations, that this society is fairly entitled to a share of their patronage and charitable support.

" The object for which the .society was established (in March, 1857) was,—as defined in tho original rules,—to relieve tho wants of tho poor, particularly of females and destitute children, by supplying them with clothes, food, and other necessaries, —it being provided that primary attention should bo paid to the sick, to eases of extreme penury, and to poor women in their confinement.' In affording such

assistance, a fundamental principle, which has always been faithfully acted upon, has been that no distinction of country, or of religious profession, should bo permitted to operate so as to produce either prejudice or partiality in the mode of dealing with applications for relief, but that the claim of distress should of itself be suflicient to secure consideration, and an amount of practical help, restricted by no other condition or limitation than the necessities of the case, and the means at the disposal of the society.

" The carrying out of this object has been entrusted from year to year to the committee, of sixteen ladies, appointed at the annual general meeting of the subscribers. The city, -with its immediate neighbourhood, has been divided into eight districts, to each of which the labours of two of these ladies have been assigned;—it being their duty to visit the applicants for relief (including both now cases and those already receiving aid) at their own places of abode. This systematic visitation is a feature in the working of the society which has, perhaps more than any other, contributed to its usefulness. Amongst the benefits resulting from it, the following are equally important and obvious :— " (1.) It materially assists the committee in their constant endeavour to discriminate between deserving and undeserving objects, by affording means of testing the truth of the applicants in their statements of distress, and thus guarding, as far as practicable, against imposition, and the mis-appropriation of the society's' bounty to the cases of unworthy persons ; '

" (2.) It enables the visitors to judge, from personal observation and enquiry, not only ns to the necessities of each case generally, but also as to the form in which relief may be most advantageously administered. The assistance, accordingly, is granted sometimes by donations of money, sometimes by the payment of rent, sometimes by grants- of fuel, or food, or clothing, sometimes by provision of attendance or requisite sustenance in confinement or sickness, as tlio exigencies of particular cases—seen by the visiting ladies for themselves—mav suggest as most .suitable and benclicial; and,

" (•').) It widens and deepens the salutnry operation of tho society, by bringing the recipients and ■the distributors of the society's bounty into immediate contact and communication under circumstances which enable the visitors to manifest a sympathy in the distress of the poor and pJllicted which, it need scarcely bo said, is frequently more soothing and cheering than tho mere donation of pecuniary assistance, however urgently that may be needed. Moreover, it gives the visitors the "opportunity of imparting advice, caution, or (when occasion arises) admonition or reproof, which,—coming as it does from persons who, while they offer it, are affording substantial evidence of their desire practically to do good to those to whom it is addressed—is calculated to render tho moral influence of tho society ofleetive, • by tho Divino blessing, in promoting the highest objects of true benevolence, even though many days may sometimes elapse before tho bread thus wist upon the waters by its visitors may be found. " The view which, has now been presented of ilie mode in which the proceedings of the society w:o conducted, will be understood as strictly applicable to its management and operations during the yeai: just - ended. Little more will therefore be called for, beyond a summary statement of thn numbers of cruses relieved within tho year, arranged, as on former occasions, according to the classes in which tho objects of relief are generally comprehended. " The total number of eases relieved since March, 18G3, was 90, being an increase of 2G as compared with tho previous year. " In tliis total were included 29 destituto widows, who were suffering the privations of penury in addition to the pangs of tho most afllictive form of domestic bereavement; 13 women left in poverty, and in a distress which may bo deemed oven more crushing than the bereavement of widowhood, being deserted by their husbands ; C children, deserted, or otherwise left destituto; and 11 women, supplied iii ■Sheir confinement wi*li at least a. measure of the tare and comfort so specially needed then, 'but which thoy could not have procured without tho help of the society. Amongst the- .recipients of aid -were the ;wive3 and families of two men who are lunatics, under treatment in tho Asylum. • " Tbo necessities of soldiers' wives and children evidently assumed a magnitude (from the great numbers: requiring relief) which would rendu? the whole income of tho Society utterly insufficient to afford onvi'iing eve';-- approaching to tbe adequate relief of thfs ela«a pf eluinw on public :ympathy and uid. In

tieoof the committee, tho help that was immediately needed was gladly granted. But a special and energetic effort was clearly required to meet this important and special exigency ; and it is matter of much rejoicing to the Committee that what it was out of their power to do, has been undertaken and curried out with tho zeal and liberality with which the community of Auckland have ever shown themselves reudy to respond to the call of charity mid benevolence.

" The fnct seem.* worthy of record in the simple annals of the SocietyV humble, history, thut during the last year, fifteen of those who had been objects of its bounty have died. The supporters of the. Society Tiiav perliaps. without any impropriety, l>o congratulated on the reflection that, through their kindness, these persons were ministered to in various ways until they passed from poverty mid pain to the land where mortal necessities and siillcrings arc no longer experienced —where the weary are at last, at refit. " It is the pleasing duty of tho Committee once more to acknowledge the support which has been cordially and liberally extended to the Society by its fricnd3'and contributors. Besides tho aid—essential of course, to the continued existence of the. Society— afforded by the subscriptions and donations of its supporters', they would gratefully record their sense of the kindness with which the medical gentlemen of Auckland have always freely rendered their professional assistance in furtherance of the Society's objects. The Odd 'Fellows have added to their previous kindness by not only granting the use of their Hall for the public meeting under an arrangement which practically gives it free of charge, but also by iiflbrdiug gratuitous accommodation for the ordinary meetings of the Committee since the destruction by fire of the rooms of the ' Young Men's Christian Association ' deprived tho Committee of the convenient mid comfortable accommodation for this purpose which had previously been regularly and generously grunted to them in those rooms. " Before closing their references to the help with which the Society lias been favoured during the yens - , the Committee desire to mention Hint several donations have been received from Volunteers and Militiamen, who appropriated to this charitable object a portion of the pay to which they were entitled in those rapacities, (and which, owing to tho favourable circumstances hi which their providential lot had otherwise been cast, was not required for their nctual maintenance). The names of the donors in these instances were not furnished, but the amount will, of course, appear in the printed list of contributions. "The coming year will, doubtless, bring its claims upon the eiforts of (he Society ; but tho Committed entertain no fear of nny failure of the supplies by which those cll'orl.'i live to be sustained. Thankful for the past, and hopeful that by the blessing of Almighty God and the continued or augmented liberality of the humane and charitable, this Society will slill bo permitted to be an instrument, of alleviating distress, of helping to provide for the- poor and needy, ami of visiting the fatherless and widows in (heir afllietion. The Committee commend the cause of the Society to that Blessing without which nothing is wise or Mrong or truly prosperous, nnd to the cure and co-operation of those who esteem it not a mere duty but an exalted privilege to be imitators of ' Him who went about doing good.' " Abstract op Tmeasukkh's Accocst, ISGI. ISECEHTd : ■& s. (1. Balance in hand la=t year . . . 14 ] 8 9 Collected nt Public Meeting, March 10th, 18G3, including a donation of £20 from a friend 210 0 Interest on money in Bank . . . , 016 0 Received in subscriptions mid donntious from March, ISG3, till March. 186-1. ....... ISO IS 0 Ooniitkm from Militia Officer . . 10 0 0 Donation from Hymonds-strcet Mutual Impiovement Society . . . .4 19 1

i23G 0 10 }:xri:KDrrui!K: .c b. a. Kxpenses. at Public Heel ing . . 2 l'i i> Printing Reports and Advertisements . 111 0 Expnuded in Relief of Poor in the several districts, from March, 18G3, till March, 1864. ' . 215 19 0 Balance hi hand 12 18 10 £230 0 10 A. Sinclair, Treasurer. The iirsfc resolution was proposed by the Rev. P. Mason, and seconded by W. Gisborne, Esq., viz.:— That the Report as now read bo adopted, and printed under the direction of tlio committee. This having been carried unnnimoii.sly, the second resolution Mas proposed by the Rev. P. H. Corulbrd, seconded by T. Mac'farlane, Esq., and agreed to. That the mectinp; records its conviction of the usefulness of the Auckland Ln dies' Benevolent Society us an instrumentality well fitted by its principles and modes of operation to confer benefit on the poor and Buffering, and to carry out in the most advantageous manner the intentions of the charitable unci humane. The meeting would therefore pledge, itself to the continued support of the Society, and would recommend its interests to the sympathy and liberality of the community at large. The third resolution,, proposed by the Rev. T. Buddie, seconded by thu Hew A. Macdonald, was carried as follows :

That the following Indies Ijc the committee and office-bearers for the ensuing vein-:—Patron —His Excellency the Governor, K.C.]!. President—Mrs. Bennett; Vice-president—lira. Liiccy. Treasurer Miss Sinclair. Secretary—Mrs. Philson. Committee—Mrs. Bennett, Mrs. lleveridge, Mrs. Buddie, Mrs. Gorric, Mrs. Heron, 31r.4. Macfiirtane, Mm. Lacey, Mrs. Lawric, Mrs. Law, lira. Mason, Mrs. Philson, Mrs. Sinclair, Sirs. Kyle, Mrs. Smith, Miss Sinclair, Mrs. Cornford.

Votes of thanks wore then Hevprally passed to the Chairman, the ladies for their past efforts, and the musicians for the valuable aid gratuitously afforded by them. Letters were read from the Hon. Win. Fox and thei Rev. David Bruce, apologising for their unavoidable absence from the meeting.

The meeting was not very numerously attended, but was a great improVemenfc on that of the past years ; while the auiouut of funds realized also surpassed that of previous meetings —£25 was given as donations ; £13 lCis. 10d. was taken at the door, making a total of £38 lfjs. 10d.