YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 423, 20 March 1880, Page 20

YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION.

The second annual meeting of this Association was held on March 11 at the Athenaeum. There was a very good attendance of members, and the chair was occupied by the President, Mr. J. G. Holds worth. The secretary read the annual report, which showed that during the year the number of members had increased, the number on the roll being now 149, and 12 associates. Ihe following members had accepted seats on the Board -.—Messrs. C. W. Smith, B. Zen, W. W. Knowles, G. Tiller, and J. C. Webb. The Board had to thank the hon. secretary and the assistant secretary, for the valuable services which they had rendered during the year. As soon as the present depression had passed it was intended to seriously consider what arrangements could be made to secure a permanentand more suitable home The report went on to detail the work of the past year, and stated that the sum of £44 10s 6d., received from the Board of Education, had been expended in the purchase of_books ; Considering th 3 commercial depression which had prevailed during the year the financial position of the association was a most encouraging and satisfactory one. In conclusion the Board

urged members to increased zeal and renewed consecration of heart, so that while they were endeavoring to extend the privileges of the association and make known to others the blessings of the Gospel they may themselves be abundantly blessed. The balance sheet from the Ist of March, 1379 to the 29th February, 1880, showed that the total receipts had been £4ll 9s. 10d., and that there was a balance in the bank of £6 3s. 2d., while the deficit was £l2 Hs. 7d. The President moved the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, and in doing so congratulated the association upon its present satisfactory condition. The motion was seconded by Mr. W. A. KENNER.

In answer to a question, it was stated that the assets would be realised within a pound or two.

It was suggested by one of the members that the deficit of £l2 lis. 7d. should be wiped off that evening. Several members offered to give a pound each towards that object. The Secretary said he should be sorry to see the association out of debt altogether. Another member reminded the meeting that liord Macaulay had judged of a nation's prosperity by the amount of its debt. The President said they were not all of Lord Macaulay's opinion. As a proof that that great historian was not always correct they had only to look at the condition of their own colony at the present time. A number of other members here subscribed sufficient to wipe off the whole of the deficit. The report and balanoe-sheet were then adopted.

The meeting then proceeded to the election of a Board of Management for the ensuing year, with the following result : —J. G. Holdsworth, John Knowles, Joseph Kitchen, Luther Halliwell, O. M. Boss, George Tiller, J. C. Webb, Emil Zen, W. H. Renner, and W. S. Short.