NORTH OTAGO BENEVOLENT SOCIETY.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 822, 30 November 1878, Page 2

NORTH OTAGO BENEVOLENT SOCIETY.

ANNUAL GENERAL MKKIING.

The annual general meeting of the N. 0. B. Society was held last night at the Mechanics' Institute. The attendance of subscribers was large, and more than ordinary interest was evinced in the proceedings. Mr. Hassell was voted to the chair, A note from Mr. Neil Fleming was read, in which he apologised for his absence from the meeting, which was caused through ill-health, paid a compliment to the Committee, with which lie said it was a pleasure to work in consequence of their unanimity, and requested that he should not be placed on the Committee for the ensuing year, as business engagements would interfere with his properly attending to tile duties of such a position. The minutes of the last annual general meeting and those of a special meeting of subscribers were read and confirmed. Considerable discussion ensued on the motion that the annual report, which has already been published, and copies of which were placed in the hands of subscribers at the meeting, should be adopted. Mr. Falconer objected to paragraphs which referred to the amount of aid that had been rendered to certain needy persons in the community. He thought that it was not fair to place the names of these unfort.vuate people before the public in surfi a manner, and he therefore mo;tii that such information should in future be excised from the Society's published reports. Mr. Steward said that, as one of the members of the Committee that drew up the report, he might explain that the Committee had merely followed precedent in inserting the /sth paragraph containing the matter objected to. Reference to the report would show that such a course was usually followed. "Why was not objection raised to it before? If particulars were omitted, subscribers would be treated to a statement of the expenditure in a lump sum, which could scarcely be considered satisfactory.

Mr. Kerr entirely disagreed with those gentlemen that favored the publication of particulars of tho charity bestowed by the Society. In jjrivate life.j .' •'-v+'ught that we should not let our v?' ' J V.?".a know what our left hand doeth. Such a course would not be following out this injunction. Mr. Jones pointed out that Mr. Kerr's argument would not hold water. In one instance, a man would be dealing with his own money, and in the other with that of the subscribers. Mr. Mirams thought that it was necessary to xmblish the amounts disbursed as charitable aid for the satisfaction of subscribers. H e had suggested that assistance should be given to certain individuals, and he observed from the report that it had been done. Had it not been for the report, he would have had to have recourse to the Society's books, which was not always convenient. He explained that although the report might be adopted, it need not be printed in its present form. Mr. Hislop said that he would like to know whether that which was being objected to was being done in Dunedin. He thought that it was not such an important matter that it should be done, and that if omitted, the Ooverement would not refuse to give the usual assistance to the Society. I'coplc did not like to be pitied, and pity was engendered in the minds of those who perused the list of those who had been the recipients of charity. If necessary to publish the names and amounts received in the case of the Benevolent Society, why not do it in the case of the Hospital ? The system was not adopted by that institution, yet nobody complained. If people who had subscribed really wished to know what had become of their money, other facilities were at their disposal for ascertaining. The Chairman suggested that a compromise might be eU'eeted by giving initials only. Mr. Steward explained that he meant that to excise the portion referred to from the report would render it of very little use to the nj.ct'f'/iig. If a motion had been brought forward to the effect that the matter objected to should not be published, he might have been prepared to support it. Mr. Ronayne thought that if the paragraph referred to had been omitted from the report, only a portion of a report would have been submitted to the meeting. Subscribers could now decide whether it should be published or not. Mr. Falconer said that Mr. Steward referred to last year's report, and assorted that he was at the meeting when the report was adopted. That was true, but it was never understood that the matter should be published in the public 2>ress. He had no objection to the names of the recipients of the charity of the Society and the amounts being placed in the hands of subscribers.

Mr. Greenfield was surprised that such a matter had cropped up at that time, hut the Committee was capable of judging. If the Coimnitee had made a mistake, it was not too late to make the necessary alteration. A full report should be placed before the general meeting, but he objected to it being presented to the public. Mr. Falconer's motion was put and lost, and the report and balance-sheet, on the motion of Mr. Mirams, were adopted. Mr. Greenfield then -moved, and Mr. Steward seconded, " That it be a recommendation to the incoming Committee, that in future in printing the annual report in the newspapers, the names of the recipients of relief should not be published."

Mr. Allan said that he was the main cause of the report being published in the form in which it was placed before the meeting, and lie thought that he had acted rightly. It was nr> ; the report should be published "sc,.'.'''.flays previous to the annual general mee"cii%, in-order that the subscribers might be afforded an opportunity of studying it, and making suggestions. With regard to publishing the names of recipients a great deal might be said on both sides. He thought that it would perhaps be better to give only initials in the newspaper report, and publish the names in full in the pamphlet which was circulated only amongst subscribers. Mr. Steward remarked that last, year, when editor of the North Otago Times, he had omitted the full names of recipients from the report published in that paper, and he believed that the Mail did the same. He approved of the princijile. The motion was carried.

It was moved by Mr. Steward, seconded by the ReV. Mr. Todd, and carried, "That the report (with the exception of paragraph 5) and the balance-sheet be printed in pamphlet form, together with the list of subscriptions for the year 1877-78, the words ' here follows a list of the|eases relieved ' to be printed in brackets, in italics, in place of paragraph 5, excised." Mr. Steward, in compliance with notice of motion, moved—■" That the number of town members of Committee be increased from six to twelve ; and that the Committee have power to fill up 'any vacancy occurring in that body during the year." He explained that he moved this resolution because he found that the present number was inadequate to deal with the business of the Society.

On the motion of the Rev. Mr. Tpdd, seconded by Mr. Church, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the retiring committee for their services during the year. The following office-bearers were then elected : President, Mr. John Falconer ; Vice-Presi-dent, Mr. Milligan ; Hon. Treasurer, Mr. C. S. Allen (re-elected). Committee of Management : Town members—Messrs. W. J. Steward, Gibbs, Ronayno, Mollison, Greenfield, M'Farlane, Collis, Otterson, Paterson, Hassell, Fleming, and Ken-. Country members—Messrs. IX Sutherland (Upper Waitaki), T. Y. Duncan (Lower Waitaki), M. Morton (Kakanui), T. Henderson (Otepopo), W. Murcott (Hampden), C. Todd (Waiareka). Auditors, Messrs. Connell and Montagu. _!**- On the motion of Mr. Hislop, it resolved—That in accordance with the provisions of the Act, all the other offices of the society be filled up by election. The honorary life governors, medical officers, and ex officio members of committee, were re-elected. Mr. Hassell here vacated the chair, and it was occupied by Mr. Falconer. On the motion of Mr. Connell, the byelaw referring to the publication of subscriptions received, was altered as follows : '' That all new subscriptions be acknowledged monthly in the local papers on the first Saturday in every month.''' On the motion of Mr. Steward, it was resolved—That the rules as amended be the rules of the society under the Act, and that together with the report and balance-sheet they be published in pamphlet form. The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks to the chair.