Benevolent Institution.

Otago Witness, Issue 1584, 1 April 1882, Page 22

Benevolent Institution.

eure|;Will be' satisfactory to all here— at least I hope so. We made no inquiry into these charges. ¥c thought it better that the law should step in and investigate them. The charges did not influence the Committee in the slightest way, and the work of dealing with the money 30 liberally subscribed by the supporters of the Institution has gone on in the usual way. The Rev. Dr Stuart : I listen with very great' pleasure. Personally, I have been acquaintedi with, the working of the Institution since its commencement, and I have never had occasion to notice anything wrong in the management ; but certainly the' charges circulated against the secretary are so very grave that I tKink'the Committee should insistupon a criminal prosecution,. for the vindication of the < character, of their servant and the salvation'of the. Institution. lam very pleased to hear'th'at the secretary has taken action. I believe' that nobody is persuaded that the letters are other .than, libellous. As lam very jealous of the good name of the Institution,- 1 am very oleased to hear that steps have' been taken' in 1 this matter. Mr E. E. C. Quick said that he had received, a letter of a very abusive nature, and it plainly showed that the writer ought to be put under, restraint, either as a lunatic or criminal. The charges' contained in it were such as no sane' man would have dared to make, and some of them 1 had been previously investigated. Me had'mbved that the Committee should not take any, action, it being at that time a moribund one, which would not be justified in plunging into law expenses/ Mr Quin had therefore been left to act in the matter himself.. _ The Rev. Dr Stuabt : I am quite satisfied. Mr A. Ren'nie said he had also received considerable amount of correspondence of a nature"- most absurd and ridiculous in the extreme. He therefore did not take the slightest notice of the communications. It was very questionable, he thought, whether the writer was responsible for his actions. Mr H. .J. Walter pointed out that while every member of the Committee could laugh at the statements contained in the letters sent to them, the secretary was placed in an unfortunate position through having to go to law, and he .suggested jjhat in the event of his winning/the,,9ase^his .'expenses should be defrayed. ■ '<•• •> • .'' The Chairman explained that the Committee had minuted a suggestion to their successors to that effect.— (Hear.) Mr A. H. Ross : I may hist say that I have also been the recipient of a very great number of letters from this Mr Hitchcock, and that the gravest charge made in them has been inquired into by a gentleman wholly unconnected with jfcnis~C6Tftmittee, who "declares that there is notla word of truth in it. The feeling of the Committee .w.asithat a prosecution should^ be entered into, but 'the Committee did riofthink it would be right to spend money in the prose- ; cutiori of a man not responsible for his actions. The seciglfeary has(taken action, and I have no doubtfthat-rf he succeeds in. .vindicating' his, character, which I have no doubt he will do,; subscriptions ''will be forthcoming to v pay the> expensesjncurred. ■ . ThT &>v. Dr Stuart: I rise, sir, to move, that Mr R. B. Martin be appointed president for the present, yearf-Messrs Rennie and, iFultofr.vice-presidents,'and Mr James Brown; treasurer^ . " \ ' r zs The motion was earned., ■*-* £.„ The, -Rev." Archdeacon EnwAtos ,:r.<l have ; great] pleasure in proppsinflfvMessra. ; Quick, j Rossj Carroll, Gourlay, and- Captain Thonvi son forWctiori'to'th'e CohTmitte'e'of ManageCommittee, and although as a rule I am in favour of the importation of new blood into committees, I do not think it.wouldbeadvisable'in.the present instance.; * I twould like to see '< these gentlemen, who have borne the burden' and heat of the day, and passed, through' troublesome times, re-elected. It ■would show to the public that we have perfect confidence in them. Mr J. L. Gillies seconded. > Mr S. James moved that the three additional members be Messrs T. S. Graham, G: Blyth, and'T. 1 W. Hungerford. Mr W. G. Geddes seconded. „ Mr> H. S. Fish, M.H.R., remarked the absence of the three gentlemen last proposed, and' thought if they really meant to take an interest in affairs they should have been present at the meeting. It was explained that their absence was unavoidable, and the motions were put and carried. ' ' •" ,' "' .1 j ■ Some discussion took place as to the desirability of organising a ladies' visiting committee, and as such a step would involve an alteration of the rules of the Institution, it was resolved— "'That the Committee be empowered to form a ladies' visiting committee if deemed expedient." , ' ' The Yen. Archdeacon Edwards asked if anything had been done with the donation of £300 which was 'given towards the' institution of an orphanage. The Chairman said that two or' three calls had ' 'been 'made oh it, and the Committee would be 'prepared to meet deserving cases' where children were left without parents in future; 1 ■ " ' Mr 'Fish and others -thought the money Bhould 'have been put ' to a separate account,' and should have been devoted to no other purpose than establishing an orphanage. It was resolved— " That in the opinion of this meeting it is desirable that the Committee should place the £300 to a separate account, to be appropriated for the purpose indicated by the donor." A vote of thanks was accorded to the anonymous donor of the sum, and a hope expressed that others would follow his example. Votes of thanks were also accorded to the Chairman and to the management of the past year, and the meeting dispersed.