BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10622, 14 October 1896, Page 4

BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION.

An adjourned meeting of the trustees of the Benevolent luntitufcion was held yesterday afternoon, and attonded -by Messrs C. -Haynes (acting-chairman), C. Allan, W. Brown, W. Swan, H. Gourley, and W. Bridgman. The Acting-Ohaihjun said that so far as he knew no word had beon received from the commissioners with respect to'their decinion on the Charitable Aid Board's appeal from the trustees' requisition. Apart from that, however, there was the conclusion which the trustees had arrived at and forwarded to tbe Charitable Aid Board intimating that if the sum of £1655 was not in their, bands by Tuosday five of their number would tender their resignations. Tbe trustees were aware of the reply which had been received from the Charitable Aid Bosrd. The trustees had not received the money, aud the time had now expired. A suggestion had been made on the previous day of a mode of getting over the dimoulty in the way of preventing tbe continuity of the busineis ot the trustees from being stopped, aud he would recommend that that suggestion be given effect to. He thought that meeting was more for action thaa for words, and that it would be better for them to os.rry out tbeir intention—in fact, they had

no alternative but to give effect to it. Mr Beown thought tho aotiug-chairman had expressed what was in their minds—that that was a meeting uot for words but for action. Ha thought that body of trustees bad done all that lay in their power, and taken every action they could, before coming to, their final decision. Hedidnotat all regret tho letter which had been sent to the Charitable Aid Board, for he thought tbere should be no uncertain sound as to the attitude they were to take that day. He quite oonformed to the suggestion which had been made that they should not in retiring from tbe position of administrators of the board do any act that would block the continuity of tbe working of the institution He thought tbe proposition was that two of tha trustees should retire first in order to make room for three others, and th&t tbo remainder might appoint threo gentlemen from tbe Charitable Aid Board to the vacancies in order tbat the latter might come and take.their seats, invested with all the authority of trustees, and the ofcber gentlemon then left of the present trustaes might then retire if tbey so cboss. He supposed tbey all regretted tbat a deadlock should take place, but be fully believed that tbe trustees had done everything in their power, and he for one was nor. p-epared to undertake tp sweat out of tbe poor th> amouut by which the board hid reduced tutir requisition. He for one mas prepared to hand in his resignation. Mr Gouklbt was of opinion that, having sent in fcheir letter to tho board, the trusSees should resigu in a body. There could not be a deadlock, because the chairman of tbe Charitable Aid Board could call a meeting cf tbe board at once, and ib could elect fresh trustees. The Acting-Chairman : no, it cannot. The Amending Act of 1891 providt-s tbat if the whole of tbe trustees resign the Gjveroor-in-Counoil bas power to fill the vacancies. But hers all do not resign. If we all resign there aro still two trustees remaining. The Charitable Aid Board has uot power to fill vacancies, but tbe machinery which'elected the trustees would j have to be set in motion The delegates elected

six trustees, the City Council one, aud the subscribers two, aud you would have to call these bodies together to enable tbem to elect trustees to fill the vacancies. The Charitable Aid Board has no more to do with it than tbe man in tbo street has. The difficulty could have beea got over at once had the whole of the trustees resigned, but thut ia not going to take place, and tbo suggestion that two should retire is mado with the object of leaving a quorum, who could retire afterward*.' There is one vacsney already, and if two trustee* rehire—l have my resignation written out, and if I were not in the chair would hand it iv at once—then the others o*n fill up the vacancies. Mr Bkown tboujfht that was the right course. Ho did not think tbe Charitable Aid Board-or any member of it hid a right to enter tha door until tbat right was con'erred by the trustees.

Mr Swan : Have we power to elect anyone to fill the places of those who send iv their resignations?.

The Acting-Ciiaieman : Yes; if there is a quorum. Assuming' we retire, as I take it we will, the' threa we elecj can meet to-morrow, or this afternoon if they choose, to fill up the vacancies.

Mr Gourley said that he was decidedly opposed to two le-iigning and laaving three of those who signed tha letter lemaiuing members still. He thought tbe whole five who signed the letter should either resign in a body or else remain members till after the decision of the commissioners was made known. Tben they should know exactly how they were situated. i Personally he woulcl not resign unless all rei sign«d in a body, and he thought' they should j continue to carry on. He understood it would ' take some time to set the machinery ia motion \ to elect the new trustees..

Mr BnowN said'that, if they adopted the course suggested by tb* Acting-chairman they would be able to hand ovei*. the key of the door to the Charitable Aid Board.

Mr Allan remarked tbat the three who were left would have to carry on the business if tho members of the board refused to come forward.

The Acting-Chaik-kan explained that what it was intended to do was that two members shonld first retire, and thus tbree vacancies would be created (including thst caused by tha | retirement of Mr Chisholm). The threa memI bers remaining would form a quorum, aud I would receive the resiguntious. Tney would ! then appoint three to fill tha vacancies, after. which thoy vjouid resigu in turn themselves. Mr Swan thought they wera acting too hastily. It would be weil, he thought to wait ' a day or two longer to sco what the decision bf ;' tbe . commissioners was.. If the trustees resigned the work of the institution would be overthrown. They hid no guarantee that the Charitable Aid Board would take up tbe duties, so altogether be thought tbat by resigning they wonld be acting a little too'hastily.

The Acting-Chairman obssrred that unfortunately Mr Swauwas absent from the meeting when the trustees decided ou tbeir course of action. He assumed that when the members of the trust-ess attached their names to tbe document they meant what tbey said.—(Hear, hear). ' Mr Allan : We are net resipon-iible for tbe position in wbich we bave been placed at all. Mr Swan: I, think we'should wait forthe opinion of tbe commissioners. Mr Bbidomak : We waited for three or four months aad got no answer. Mr Swan observed that Mr Haynes bid informed hiiu that he was holding back accounts amounting to £512. He wantsd to know were these going to be paid. The .Actinc-Chairman said that be bad placed that .matter before the trustees and they had confirmed hij action. Mr Goueley asked what position were thus* trustees in if che gentkmeu, appointed to fill up tiie vacancies rsf used to act. The whole thing would come to a deadlock, and the whole of tbe machinery for the election of the trustees would bave ta be put in motion. The Acting - Uhaihjian said th.it if the members of the board appointed refused to act the responsibility rested ou their shoulders. They would have to appoint others. Mr GouBLSY would . not. be prepared to resign till someone was ready to take up tbe business. Mr Bkcwn observed that if they all resigned there would still be a de.idiock. AVhat tbey wanted to do was to avert a deadlock, as they would leave a quorum to fill three vacancies. Mr Allan said that judging by the discussion whioh took place at the meeting of tbe board, the members of that body were quite prepared to fill the vacancies. Mr Gourley said he h:«l thought they had the power to do the thing in five minutes, aud that tbe chairman of the board could come there after the trustees had resigned and call a meeting of the board to carry on tbe business of the institution. Mr Brown and Mr Allan.then handed in their resignations. Mr Beown said tbat be wished to express his satisfaction with the relations that had always existed amongst the trustees. Everything they bad done had been fairly unanimous. The difficulty wbich had now arisen had not risen amongst themselves, but with another body, and they were uot renpousible for it. Mr Gouklei* said they would have to distribute the charity on the following day. Mr BnowN: Where are you going to get the money ftotn ?

Mr Gouuley: I'm not frightened about finding the mouey. After the poor bave been attended fo' I am quite willing to resign. I have had 20 years' serfice ou this board, aud I am quite willing to give way. Tho Acting-Chaikman said tbafc vacancies having be»sn eieated by the renigimt.tons of Messrs Chisholm, Brown, and. Allim, be would move that Mesars J. Robin, P. Miller, and James Hazlett be appointed to fill the vacancies. Mr Biiidgman seconded the motion. The Secretary (Mr Olulee) pointed out that clause 53 of th» act required that contributors should be appointed to vacancies. Meßsrs Hazlttfc and Robin were lifo governors bufc Mr Miller was not a contributor. The Acting-Chairman said under the circumstance* be would substitute Mr David Baxter's name for tbat of Mr Miller. The motion as amended was carried unanimously. The minutes of that afternoon's meeting were confirmed and signed, after, wbich Mr Haynes handed the secretary hi* resignation as trustee and treasurer of the institution.