THE AUCKLAND BENEVOLENT SOCIETY: AN UNSEEMLY AFFAIR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7269, 6 March 1885, Page 6

THE AUCKLAND BENEVOLENT SOCIETY: AN UNSEEMLY AFFAIR.

X? W no eeoretthat the Auokland Benevolent Society has not been doing very well of late; indeed, it can scarcely be said to have been in ft sound state of health since it* birth. But yesterday afternoon a number of discontents that hare been smouldering between the members of the executive and the Secretary (Mr. Duppny) bunt into flame. The executive took possession by force from the Secretory of the books, and demanded the key of the office. This Mr. Dnppuy clang to and kept, and so the matter stands. Mr. Dappuy states, we believe, that the executive have not been properly appointed by the general committee, and thai they have no right to take the action that they have done. The executive consists of Messrs. J. Buchanan, S. Dando, F. G. Ewington, and B. Keesing. Mr. Duppuy believes that certain of them hare taken a spite against him because he declined to make certain payments which they had ordered. He says that money has been paid without proper authority. A very bad feeling was aroused apparently between the Seoretary and the members. A meeting of the executive was held, when a resolution was passed reducing the salary of the Secretary. This by no means tended to heal the breach. Yesterday • meeting was held at the society's office, all the gentleman named above being present, Mr. Ewington in the chair. The Secretary was called upon to resign, but he refused to do so. The following resolution was then passed unanimously : —"That the Executive Committee dismiss Mr. Dappuy, and pay Mm a month's salary." Mr. Dappuy denied the right of the executive to paes such a resolution. He was then asked to give up possession of tho books and office. Hβ declined to do so, and the executive took possession of some of the books. He, however, would not jjive up the key. Wβ subjoin a letter by Mr. Duppuy giving his version of the circumstances :—

Upper Symonds-street, Marohs,lßßs. . Sir, —Seeing by your leading articles how ever ready you ar* to defend right against might, I cannot doubt that you will accord to myielf the ■hadow of yonr protecting wing. On the starting of the Auckland Benevolent Society I was ■O unfortunate a* to have been elected Secretary, at the consequential salary of £1 per week. That I worked hard to get it into order and made it flourish nteds no words of mine to explain, as it is evident from the fact that, without any request on my part, I was onanimouily Toted, in moat flattering terms, an increase of half that amount, and that moreover when the ■oci.atv's finance was but a fraction of its present mc/ntant. Whether in consequence of thii glorious ri»e I was expected to be proportionately aabmiieive I don't know, though from that date, with dreadful threat*, I was frequently warned by certain members of the executive what I might suffer if I did not do exactly what I was told. Sat im spite of those warnings I wm wicked enough to conceive that a Secretary was not altogether a dummy: that, in fact, his ma a position of trust, and should be honestly carried out, and in this spirit I foolishly, it eeernn, opposed little irregularities on the pare of certain members of the executive,—From that day "Farewell, a long farewell to all (my peace and) glory,"—l was doomed. All manner of ideas were tried to make me resign. At length a happy thought seems to have struck thi fertile brain of one of them —and to give it a respectable appearance, —it was cast ic the form of a resolution, and cleverly preambled, after the following fashion : —"That seeing the funds of the aociety are diminishing, and that the working expenses are great in proportion to relief administered "—it was felt by that member " to be a duty to the public (how thoughtfal!) to propose that the official expenses be reduced to £60 per annum," ■which ram Mr. Ewington recommended "be offered Mr. Dappuy * (myself). "He (myself) undertaking to provide suitable offices in Queenitreet," but since the proposer's heart was thoroughly benevolent (!), nine was supposed to be to too, for in addition to my present duties of attending one hoar daily (which means the whole afternoon) at the office, and the meetings of the General and Executive Committees, I was farther to attend, as a duty, the Ladies' Belief Committee (which committee I myself called into existence, and have ever since gratuitously placed my services at the disposal of the lady members), but farther, I iras evea saddled with the duty of visiting such applicants a* I might be required to so visit by the executive Chairman; and for all this, and the thousand and one duties I now perform. I was to receive the handsome remuneration of £25 per year, or say 10s per week. How benevolent some people are where they take! Bat my wife and children were, X ■opposed, thought to live on air—£6o per ynnntn, foraooth, and find a city office put of the same. Aa I said at the time, it was insultingly offered me—a farce, a perfect and grotesque farce; the real meaning, however, was to offer me what it was known I could not and would not accept, and so, to get rid of a troublesome companion. It sounded a real jest when Mr. Ewington, on my indignant refusal, dffered an apology for each refusal by saying I Was % man of " strong feeling! !" I might add that the reason why such a resolution wai carried was merely because no one attended the general meeting when it was proposed in undignified haste by my tormentors. Dr. Moore and (Qolonel Haultain truly came in late, and a few Ltdies were present, some being at the meeting for the first and no one seemed to understand the drift of the proposition, whilst it was carried too quickly to allow them tine to consider to better arm themselves agiinet myielf—a veritable Daniel in the lion's den. Another proposition was pat, and quickl/ carried because of the same want of opposition—i.e., tkat I be given till Thursday (to-day) to decide (the general meeting took place last Monday) when the so-called and self-elected executive were to appoint a successor (another farce.) To-day, ihen, this " executive," composed of Messrs. Dando, Ewington, Keesing, and Buchanan, came to the office, and sac in solemn conclave to consider Mr. E wing ton's complaint, that on the day of the general meeting I intuited him by calling the proceedings a farce, and saying they should get a pot-b&y to fill the office I held. The latter statement was a. direct untruth, although had I bee* asked I should certainly have held that a potboy would be by far too respectable and dignified . a person for the post of Secretary of the " Auckland Benevolent Society, Limited." After a ludicrous admonition administered me by these my oppressors, Mr. Dando most comically begged Mr. Ewington, who occupied the chair, to be merciful tame-namely, to allow me the high privilege of resignation, instead of being ignominionsly toned oat or expelled. A resolution was there - ■upon penned by Mr. Ewington, the superior o<! this Star Chamber "or Court of Inquisition, and I was formally demanded the key of the office, papers, books, fco., which I as formally declined, so up they all jumped, and seized whatever they could lay their hands on ; for I had taken the precaution of keeping the key in my pocket; and off they marched in single file, hurling all manner of threats and taunta at me —Mr. Ewington heading the childish procession in pompous style, with » host of books of all sorts under his arm. Thus ends the firut chapter of the history of the Auckland Benevolent Society. And I am sure after this, the Auckland public should be proud of the charity, graoe, and dignity, of the administrators of their munificence, and will, no doubt, doable their subscriptions, that these benevolent gentlemen ! may have the high satisfaction of mot* righteously disposing of the aame than the donors. In conclusion, I place my case in the hands of the subscribers and the general Auckland public, who will not, I am sure, side with Buch a gross outrage perpetrated on one, who lias over and over again been praised by one and all for my efforts to do my duty in an upright and impartial manner, and I fenl sure no one will ever accuse me of want of sympathy or endeavour; and if I have not done enough or more, it ia simply because the executive tied my hands, and much I did was at my own expense, and in spite of them. Thanking you, Sir, for the insertion of this lengthy epiatle.—l an, &c., Tom Dufpot, Secretary Auckland Benevolent Society.