ONEHUNGA BENEVOLENT SOCIETY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume IV, Issue 990, 16 January 1867, Page 4

ONEHUNGA BENEVOLENT SOCIETY.

Tta fourth annual meeting of the Onehunga BeneTolent Society was held in tlie Institute on ; Monday evening; The iter. A. G. Pubchas in the chair. The Chairman, in opening the proceedings, said that it gave him the greatest satisfaction to preside at the present meeting. The good that Bad been done by the Society during the past year had been very large, and the ladies of the committee had exerted themselves in a manner beyond all praise to relieve the wants of the sick and destitute. He rejoiced to find the Society in such a_ sound state, and trusted that during the ensuing year they would receive that amount of support which would enable the committee to extend the range of their charity. He would not detain the meeting by making any further remarks.

llr. Taylob then read the

1 _ BEPOItT, The committee of the Onehunga Benevolent Society has much pleasure in submiiting for the information of the subscribers and friends of the institutution this, its fourth annual report. The general principles embodied in tf-e rules of the j Society have been steadily adhered to. No member of committee, even in cases of emergency, has given relief in excess of one pound sterling until tho cass has been examined into by the committee in fud meeting. All applicants for relief have been visitei at their houses by one or more members of the oom« mittee, Thus every precaution h is been adopted by •iA.vtmittAa f/-> ■ _ • •*» annliflAtion nf *>•» . . w)aiu.. v — oecure a prop u . lands placed at its disposal. The committee considers it<elf in dutv bound to record it 9 gratitude to the frionds of the Society for their liberal support, and increased subacripti'inn. The fact that the subscriptions for -the psst year —u year of unprecedented hardship and distress— more than doubled the subscriptions of 1835, goes far to prove that great eelf denial must have beenprao-

tised by tho contributors, and also that the collectors have diligently exerted themsolves in disehargtho duty which the Society had imposod upon them- To the contributors and collectors the committee acknowledge its deep obligation. It had been uttorly impossible for the committee to have dealt with or relieved the many cases of destitution, which have been brought under its notice during the pa.-t. year, had it not been that tho God of all goodness hid put into the hearts of many to give even of their penury. The cases aided during the year number forty-one, tein" fourteen more than in the previous year. The claims of tho widow and o phan have recoivod chief caro and attention at tho hands of the com nittee. <?eren women in their confinement have received the £are specially needed at that season, and have been furnished by* the committee with requisites and comforts, which otherwise thev had no mean 3 of procuring- Two women and children deserted by their husbands, with partial maintenance. Your committee, through its Treasurer reports thst fl sum of £90 3s. lid. has been collected during the rear, and a sum of i'B6 Is sd. disbursed, Jeavinir a balance at the close of the financial ye.rof £i Is Bid, which, added to the unoxp >nded balance of 1863," namely, £2 3s. 3d. leave-) an unappropriated balance of £G ss. lid to tho credit of the Society. The committee begs to assure tho community of Onehunga that much and deep distress still prevails, and that want and its usuil attendant misery hold away in many houses where heretofore plenty and gladness abounded. This altered state of tifl'airs is not to be ascribed to indiscretion or extravagance, but rather to the great depression, both in the labour and produce market: l , which has prevailed throughout", this province. Under this assurance the committ'-e leave the case of the poor and destitute of Onehunga to the charity and sympathy of the benevolent. The committee has to hind its thanks to Prs. Purchas and Nicholson for their gratuitous attendance to such cases of sickness as the committee commended to their notice, and invito the friends of the association to join in a thankful recognition of their services. In conclusion, the committee confidently commits the interests of the association to the care of Almighty God, and to the con inued libeiaiity and co-operation of the kind and charitable. Mr. Fibth said he had much pleasure in hearing such a report. Ihe ladies of Onehuhga deserved the very best thanks of the community ;for their exertions, and he hoped that they would gain that support which the charitable endeavours to relieve distress merited. He moved that the report be adopted. The motion was carried unanimously. A vote of thanks was passed to the ladies of the association, and also to Mr. Purchas for kindly giving the use of the room. This concluded the business, and the meeting separated.