Railway Employees' Sick Benefit Society.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5190, 22 December 1884, Page 3

Railway Employees' Sick Benefit Society.

• The annual meeting of the Christchuivh Railway Employees' Sick Benefit Society was held on Friday evening, in the Oddfellows' Hall, Montreal street couth. The President, Mr S. Keast, was in the chair. The Secretary read the report of the Committee as follows : — " We have arrived at the end of our year's labours in connection with the Society, and in reviewing the past we are thankful to be able to report that the year's business has been fairly successful, and'attended with great benefit to those who have been afflicted and those who have been bereaved of loved ones. The monthly meetings of the Committee have been well attended, and the business conducted harmoniously. We commenced the year with 175 members ; 46 new members have been admitted, 11 have retired from us, leaving our number of members at the end of the year 210. Three of our members — Messrs J. Giinblett, S. Wilson and W. Powell— have departed this life during the year. Mr S. Wilson was one of the eldest members of the Society. The balancesheet shows — cash balance from last jear, i£3 13s 6d ; receipts, members' subscriptions, £279 12s 6d ; total, .£283 Cs. Expenditure : Sick pay, .£IBB lGs 8d ; funeral donations, w618 ; books and stationery, .£l 4<s 3d ; rent of rooms, £2 5s Gd ; salaries, .£l2 19s ; dividend to a member leaving, 33 3d ; a cash balance of £59 17s 4d remaining available for dividends, being 6s 9d per full member. We have had a less number of members, 45 sick during the year, as against 54 last year, but the duration of sickness has been much longer, viz., four weeks one and a-half days per member sick, against two weeks five days last year. Proposals to amend the laws will be laid before you for your consideration. (1.) With a view to making a probationary term before a new member becomes entitled to benefit, we recommend that Clause 4of Eule X, be amended by inserting the words ' three months ' after the word ' commence '; (2.) It having been the usage for members removing from the district to cease being members at the end of the year, and with a view to alter such usage, we propose 'That it is not conflicting with the rules of the Society that any member leaving the Canterbury district, but not leaving the Government employ, may still retain his membership in the Society.' Your Committee have also had under, their consideration the question of the medical examination of new members, and would call your attention to this question as one demanding notice. In conclusion, we thank you very heartily for your courtesy, and hope the Society will have continued prosperity under the management of our successors in office." The Auditors' report and balance-sheet were read and adopted. The alteration in the law, proposed by the Committee, re three months elapsing before a new member was entitled to bene- ' fit, was not accepted by the members, and l it was decided — " That members who may leave the Canterbury district, but still re- j main in the Government employ, may retain their membership in the Society." j The following were elected to office : — ! [ President, Mr S. Eeast (re-elected) j vice- ! President, Mr W. Cumming; Secretary, j Mr J. A. Efford (re-elected) ; Treasurer, Mr J. Janson (re-elected) ; Auditors, Messrs • G. Eugg and J. Greenwood (re-elected) ; ] Provisional Auditor, Mr E. Harrington, j Committee : Fitting shop, B. Firth and ; A. Howard ; Carriage and waggon shop, j E. Stokes and W. Davis ; Tarpaulin shop, ] P. Pearson ; Goods shed, T. Stewart. Sick i Visitors: N.E., W. Shaw, W. Sloan, and T. ! Bullock j N.W., J. Burns, D. Boyd, and T. ! Brown ; S.E., T. Bullock, J. Andrews, EH Edwards, and W. Bound; 5.W... D. Ilandi- ! sides, B. Wilson, J. Nichols, and W. Hod- j dinott. ' No Committoe was elected-to represent the engine-drivers and firemen, as they had signified their intention of leaving the . Society. j Votes ot thanks to the retiring officers were responded to, after which the divi- ■ dends wore distributed. . j