BENEVOLENT SOCIETY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22087, 17 April 1935, Page 4

BENEVOLENT SOCIETY

ONEHUNGA ACTIVITIES ANNUAL MEETING HELD Tho ill-matched combination of a restricted income, due to the statutory reduction of interest on its investments, and the prevalence of economic depression resulted in a curtailment of the activities of the Onelninga Ladies' Benevolent Society last year, as disclosed by the report presented to members at the seventy-second annual meeting, held in the Presbyterian Hall last evening. The Mayor of Oneliunga, Mr. E. Morton, presided over a good attendance and congratulated the committee on the results of the year's work.

The general policy of the committee, stated the report, had been to assist only those to whom other sources of relief were not available, but exceptions had been made in extreme cases of hardship. Tho outlook for the ensuing year was regarded as more hopeful, but fear was expressed that it would to a certain extent, still be threatened by poverty. Feeling reference was made to the loss by death of Miss M. Bobb, for many years treasurer of the society, and to Mr. John Bowe, formerly a member of the Auckland Hospital and Charitable Aid Board.

During the year 64 families, representing 214 adults and children, had been supplied with 1248 gallons of milk and 145 bags of fuel, in addition to blankets, clothing, bread, groceries, meat and medicine, at a total cost of £lB4 16s sd. This had been done at the trifling cost of 25s for working expenses. Supplementary to the above distributions, special Christmas cheer had been provided for 40 families from a specially contributed fund, while another similar fund had been applied to the alleviation of distress in cases requiring urgent attention. Mention was made of a bequest of £'so by the late Mr. Thomas Mcßeynolds. The principal item of revenue was the interest from the Canadine bequest amounting to £136 18s lOd, leaving a credit balance of £B6 to be carried forward. The assets of the society were £2OO in excess of the liabilities, being slightly less than those of the previous j-ear

The election of officers resulted: — President, Mrs. A. G. Houldsworth; vice-presidents, Mesdames E. S. Harkness and W. .T. Jordan; lion, investigator, Mrs. T. J.'G. Neill: secretary, Miss J. Bower; treasurer, Miss Eva Bower; committee. Mesdames T. H. C. Partridge, L. McMaster. Robert Buchanan, .T. E. Cowell, .T. H. Wathew. G. A. Black, M. A. Straw, G. H. Bray, A. Beere, J. Crawford. A. R. Gapland, Frank Livingstone, Misn Morton: hon. members. Mesdames J. Rowe, H. J. T)a;ies, J. E. Green. D. D. Scott, and the Rev. L. McMaster.