The Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1876.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 118, 6 September 1876, Page 2

The Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1876.

Toe meeting held ou Monday evening to take steps for forming a Benevolent Sedety in this town was perhaps one of the moat successful that has been called for some time in Oamarn. Those persons who attended it evidently meant business, and before the discussion was half over, it was (finite apparent that the movement initiated by the Mayor would be a success. There was an amount of carn»Krfncs3 about the whole proceedings which one could not help admiring, and the clear manner in whtch the resolutions were spoken to by the movers, convinced us that the subject at isstle would receive a very careful consideration at the hands of those present. The last two or three meetings which have been held in Oamarn have Keen characterised by a kind of onestdednea*, which is to be deprecated. By this we mean that the resolutions have been generally moved by one person, then placed in the hands of a gentleman to move, and carried without any comment. The chief effect of this lias been that no discission was provoked, and the meet, ings* have blindly voted for the resolutions without discussing them. Last Monday's gathering, however, W33 a pleasing exception to the rule, and free argument was the order of the day, or, more consistent ly apeaking, the night. One has not to look far to account for this. It was the amendments which caused the subject of the propositions to be well ventilated. While we are not of those who believe in factions opposition, we do believe in amendments occasionally, if only to teat the feeling of a meeting. On Monday evening there were plenty of amendments moved, and, as a consequence, the subject at issue was very carefully gone into. The first resolution moved by the Rev. A. B. Todd met with a little opposition, but this merely on the point of what name the Society should I be known by. The resolution proposed i thai the Oaniaru Benevolent Society

should be the name of the new institution, while those who supported the amendment considered that "North Otago" would be more suitable. "We are inclined to agree with those who preferred the latter name, because, as the Rev. Mr. Gifford pointed out, the operations of the Society would not be confined to Oamaru alone, neither would be the subscriptions, hence the desirability of naming the Society after the district in which its operations would be carried on. There can be but one opinion as to the necessity for some organised system of lending assistance in cases of distress, and also the | establishment of a Society the members of ! which will be able to report instances J where relief is required. As things are at i present, there are numbers of urgent cases I which cannot well be dragged before the public, but which are quite as nmch deserving of our sj-mpatliy and support as many that have been subscribed \ for. We don't mean io say for a i moment that the Society should go huntinjj tip cases, but when any come under its notice it will be able to do good by stealth, without a parade of long subscription lists and amateur entertainments. The promoter of 3lontlay's meeting must have been highly gratified at the residt of his efforts, for the attendance was excellent, and composed of the right class. Now that the movement has been so successfully initialed, il is sincerely to be hoped thai it will be pushed on to completion, and the establishment of a North Otago Benevolent Society can be considered as tut foil accompli.