BENEVOLENT SOCIETY.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 343, 30 May 1877, Page 2

BENEVOLENT SOCIETY.

A special meeting of the Committee! the North Otago Benevolent Society held last evening at the Secretary's ofli| There were present—Mr. Steward, Prcl dent (in the chair), the Rev. A. GifToti Messrs. Ronayne, Fleming, Milligaj Booth, Greenfield, Allen (Hon. Treasure! and Church (Secretary). p The Chairman said the meeting 1 been called for the purpose of receivin communication from the Govcrnincwhich was of a very satisfactory natu In order that the meeting might fully l derstand the matter, he would call uj the Secretary to read the whole of I correspondence which had taken pis upon the subject. ij The Secretary then read a lai amount of correspondence which li taken place between the Society and t General Government in reference to t handing over of the immigrant:-:' oot (,r to the Society. The first letter w:u i from the President and Secretary ci i Society, dated March 22nd, and to the Hon. D. Reid. This letter pi%i out what had already been uor., m\ i Society for the relief of disfrc;-", a asked that the land and cottages question might be withdrawn from sa and handed over to the Society or Trustt on behalf of the public for charita! purposes. In reply to this the Hon. i Reid telegraphed for information w reference to the number of members the Society, the terms of memberslii and when the Society was establish The following reply was sent : —" Nui ber of members, 105. Terms mcmbt ship, subscription of not less than LI p annum. Society established Octobt 1876. Managed by Committee annual elected by members."' The Hon. I Reid then stated his willingness to assi the Society in any reasonable proposJ and asked for explicit information to the cottages required. The Pr sident supplied the necessary inform tion, and suggested that the entire blot should be granted. The Hon. D. lte replied that the area was excessive, bi intimated that the sections had hot withdrawn from sale. lengthy letti was then sent by the Secretary of tb Society in refeymigp to the matter, an again urging upon the Government tt desirability of the cottages being hanclo over to the Society, together with th present Immigration Barracks, the write pointing out with reference to the lattei [ that similar buildings have been hamle over to other charitable bodies. On tl) 21st inst. the Under-Secretary for Crow Lands wrote, intimating that the Govcri ment was prepared to grant the applicatio with regard to the immigrants' cottagei and that the section upon which the stand would be set aside for charitabl purposes. The Chairman pointed out that tit letter last read was not in reply to tin Secretary's letter of the 21st inst., but t that of the 22nd March last, and therefor left untouched the question of the uis position of the Barracks. No doubt th representations on this head made in tli letter of the 21st May would shortly b replied to, and, he hoped, favourably. Ii the meantime the action taken by thi Government was such as must be gratify ing to t/he Committee, whose duty it woul now be to direct what further steps shouli be taken. The followimg resolutions were the! carried : Moved by Mr. Fleming and secondei by the Rev. Mr. Gift'ord —That the Sec retary be directed to reply to the letter o Mr. Giles, thanking the Government foi acceding to the request of the Society f Immigrants' cottages and sections on th< Cape, snd informing them that the SoceitJ has taken charge of the buildings, as sug' gested.

Moved by Mr. Booth, and seconded by "Mr. Greenfield—That the President and be requested to wait upon the and inform them of the nature of ;.he communication received by the Go- •- - i.ment, and arrange for the taking over oi the buildings accordingly. Moved by Mr. Booth, and seconded by Mr. Milligan—That the Visiting Committee, with Mr. Fleming, be requested to inspect the cottages, and bring up a report at next Monday's ordinary meeting, as to the condition of the buildings, the number of the tenants, and the terms of their tenancy, and to make such recommendations as they may deem desirable. Moved by Mr. Gifford, and seconded by Mr. Fleming—That the Secretary be directed to forward to the Government a return of subscriptions for the quarter ended March 31, and to apply for subsidy thereon, as also on the amount as per Return previously forwarded for the quarter ended December 31, 1876. A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the meeting.