BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION TRUSTEES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2399, 22 February 1900, Page 17

BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION TRUSTEES.

The weekly meeting of the Benevolent Institution Tiustees, held on the lith, was attended by Messrs Haynes (m the chair), Wilson, Swan, Treseder, Green, and Gotuley.

It was reported that Henry Butler, aged SI, had died during the past week. Accounts amounting to j£l32 15s 6d were passed for payment.

Mr Swan referred to the case of Mrs Cree, whose husband was drowned in Wellington Harbour. The Union Steam Ship Company and the seamen had been very good in supplying the widow with what was neccswuy. The Rev. iVlr M'lntyre, of the North Bunedin Presbyterian Chu.xli, Mr Fenwick, and Mr Belcher, of the Seamen s Union, had waited upon the speaker while he was mayor, and they had formed themselves into a committee, and had become trustees of a fund raised in aid of Mrs Crce. Through the efforts of a number of collectors belonging to Mr M'lntyre' s church, the Daily Times, and Mr Belcher, they had got togethei £300. The tr.ustees had thought of buying Mrs Cree a house with the money, but had decided nothing definitely. A deputation was present to wait upon the trustees, to see if they (the trustees) would grant Mrs Cree a weekly allowance. — -Mr M'lntyre, who formed the deputation, laid the facts of the case before the trustees, and pointed out that the money collected was meant to supplement any aid that might be granted by the trustees. People were being appealed to very freely for help just now for another cause — very justly appealed to - — otherwise the rev. gentleman believed they could have raised £500. He thought a little weekly allowance might be made by the tius~tees in the meantime, imtil Mrs Cree was relieved of the burden of the five children, all of

whom were young. As piopeity was high just nov,', he thought the money collected would be better put out at interest. — The tiuslees agreed to allow 5s a week for three months, MiGreen strongly objecting, principally on the ground that in other cases where there was property it had been made over to the tiustees. He considered it a monstiotis proposition. Thirty-four relief cases were dealt with.