HALF-YEARLY MEETING OF THE WELLINGTON BENEVOLENT SOCIETY.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXII, Issue 2630, 1 February 1868, Page 5

HALF-YEARLY MEETING OF THE WELLINGTON BENEVOLENT SOCIETY.

A. halp-yeably meeting of tho members of the Benevolent Sooiety was held in the Athenaeum yesterday afternoon, J. C. Crawford, Esq., R.M., in tbe chair. In consequence, probably, of there being one or two other meetings called for tho same hour, the attendance was rather small. Among those present were his Lordship the Bishop of Wellington and his Honor Mr Justice Johnston.

The Chairman briefly explained the objects of the Society, and showed that every care had been taken in distributing the funds entrusted to it. These had been given to the sick, infirm, and widows, and to others left in want by accidental circumstances. He stated that the bulance in hand wf\s £101 17s 4d. He felt sure that the distress which had been brought before the notice of the Society had been efficiently relieved.

The Rev. P. Hay Maxwell road the report as follows : —

" The Board of Management in submitting tho first report to the subscribers of its proceedings during the six months that have elapsed since the formation of the Society, has to thank the public of Wellington for the very liberal, and in most cases, unsolicited subscriptions and donations made to the Society. "At the commencement of the pnst half year the Board of Management found itself at once in possession of funds from the proceeds (£64 4s Id) of an Amateur Concert, given with a view to the establishment of the Society ; since which period donations and annual subscriptions have been obtained to the amount of £271 6s 7d.

For these, as well as for the following sums which have been liberally paid over to the Society, the Board expresses its grateful thanks: — The Painters' Society, l 6s; Waterloo Lodge of Freemasons, £5 ss ; Pacific Lodge, £5 ss ; Committee of Caledonian Gathering, £30 lls Id. " Soon after tho commencement of the Society's operations a deputation from the Board of Management waited upon his Honor the Superintendent with reference to the Society's receiving some part of the sum allocated by the province for charitable aid. The Superintendent expressed his opinion that this fund should be handed over to the Society, and promised to consult the executive thereon.

" Of the numerous cases that have been brought before the Board during the half year ending December 31, 1867, eighty one have been found sufficiently necessitating to require relief; of these thirty three were those of families of persons resident in" Wellington, numbering together one hundred and thirty-nine souls, in various circumstances of distress , eleven of these families professed to belong to the Church of England ; thirteen to the Church of Scotland ; and eight to the Church of Roiuo.

'•Strict enquiry is made into every ease before reliof is granted, and tho Board of Management has much pleasure in recording its sense of tho valuable services rendered to the Society by several Indies, to whom tho task of inquiry has frequently been entrusted. The Board expresses its thiinks to Capt. Benson of tho P. N. Z. & A R. M. Company for the liberality with which ho acceded to its recommendation to grant reduced and often freo passages to destitute persons and families, for sending supplies of blankets, bedding, and household furniture, and for many valuable suggestions in the practical working of the Society. The Bjard also renders its thanks for the means of investigation— placed at its disposal by tho Resident Magistrate, into those attempts which are continually being made to impose upon the charitablo by fictitious tales of distress. The Resident Magistrate being the distributor of the Charitable Aid Fund of tho Provincial Government as well aB Chairman of tho Bonrd the two funds have thus bean prevented from interfering with each other, and made to work to the advantage both of the Government and of the public. On the other hand, there are many caßes of real want among those to whom it is more painful to solicit alms than to suffer privation ; several such have been brought to the notice of the Board by subscribers, mid after special and delicate inquiry, relief in accordance with the report made has been granted. " Although much of the distress existing at the present time arises from old age, infirmity, and the general depiession in trade which has limited the means of employment, the Board of Management is of opinion that some permanent Home and systematic machinery connected therewith, is necesßiiry for the relief of the distress which undoubtedly exists. The Board havo been obliged to take a small house in Murphy street, Thorndon, which hus been fined up as a Temporary House for destitute persons, und it has every reason to i be satisfied with its working ; but the establishment of v more extensive and permanent home for the ii| « I. destitute femules, and orphans, is entirely bejoud the menus of tho .Society. There are balances of sundry charitable funds, such as the Crimimn am! Tanmnki Relief Funds, which the Board hns endeavored to get; made availublo for this purpose, but tho funds subscribed for some particular purpose are generally so difficult to get diverted into

another that as yet not much progress has been made with respect to the balances in question. " The Board of Management assures the subscribers that every effort has been made to dispense tke funds committed to its care in a manner worthy of a benevolent society ; and that while vigorously setting its face against attempted imposition, it has endeavored to assist real distress in whatever form it has presrnted itself. It would obviously be impolitic to detail the variety of ways in which assistance has been granted, but the liberality of those public bodies who have contributed to the funds of the Sooiety having enabled it to do good in a much more varied manner and to a far greater extent than was at first contemplated, it is to be hoped that the Society's efforts will continue to be supported by public bodies as well as by the public generally. ".The Board of Management, in conclusion, desires to express the thanks of the Society to the Commissioners of City Works for the gratuitous use of their offices for the weekly meetings of the Board." tbeasitber's account. Account to credit in Bank, as per Bank-book £106 6 2 Less cheques ... 7 4 0 Cheques in cash-book, and not presented £99 2 2 Wellington, January 31, 1861. J. O. Crawford, Bsq, R.M., Treasurer Benevolent Society. ( Sib, — We have, as requested, audited the aci counts of the Benevolent Society, which we find correct, showing a balance to credit of the Sooiety of £101 17s 4d. In Bank £99 2 2 In hand 2 15 2 £101 17 4 We are, air, J. fl. Wallace, E. W. Mills. Mr Justice Johnston, in moving the first resolution, expressed his thanks to those who had begun and carried on the Benevolent Society. The Society filled up a pressing want, and did that which the publio in general could not do ; and did it in euch a way that those relieved were not pauperised. It was extremely difficult for private individuals to distinguish between want and roguery, but the machinery used by the Wellington Benevolent Society was in nearly every case efficient to prevent any roguery. He was glad to hear that provincial funda had been promised in aid of the funds given by private individuals. He was glad that he had been able to express his own thanks for the work which had been done so thoroughly. His Honor concluded by moving the following resolution : — " That the report and treasurer's account just read be received and printed for circulation among subscribers and the public generally." Mr Holdßworth seconded the motion, and congratulated the Society that it helped distress with any, without enquiring whether the distressed one belonged to this or that religious body. All who wanted help were helped. He hoped that the balances in hand from the Crimean fund and the funds collected by a worthy lady would be at last given to the Society. Mr Maxwell explained that the Society had no claim upon the funds mentioned, but agreed with Mr Holdsworth in his wish. The resolution was carried, lhe Bishop of Wellington, in moving that the thanks of the general meeting be given to the Chairman, and Hon. Sec, and the members of the Board of Management, for their unremitting and judicious services in the cause of the Benevolent Society, and that for the ensuing year the following gentleman be requested to act as officers of the Society : — Pbesident. . His Excellency the Governor. Vice-presidents. His Honor Mr Justice Johnston His Honor tho Superintendent His Honor the District Judge The Speaker of the Provincial Council Treasurer. Hon. J. 0. Crawford, Kesident Magistrate. Hon. SEOBKTAur. Key. P. Hay Maxwell, M.A. Eoabd op Management. Rev. J. S. Muir Rev. John Moir Rev. W. Kirk Rev. R. Ward Rev. A. Stock, B.A. Rev. P. Hay Maxwell Rev John Hall ' Rev. W. M Fell Mr John Kebbell Mr J. Woodward Mr C. P. Powles Mr John Snowies Mr Lipman Levy Mr Quin Mr D. Lewis Capt. Benson, R.N.R. Mr E. H. Tate Dr J. B. Bennett With power to add to their number, explained that in consequence of the Revs Mr Thatcher and Kirk having left the province, and two gentlemen who wore on tho old Committee not having leisure to attend to the duties, it had been found necessary to make a few alterations in the names of the proposed Committee, which, however, was substantially the same as last 'year's. He • was quite certain from his own experience that the Society was very much wanted and did the exact work that was required of it. Before its constitution, he was constantly beset by persons applying to him for assistance, many of whom, he knew, were undeserving of aid, and yet he could not spare tho time to ascertain whether such cases were cases of real distress or not. Since, however, the Society had been in existence, he had been no more troubled in this way ; and he knew that the help which the Society had afforded was of a kind calculated to enable the recipients to put themselves beyond tbe noed of such assistance. (Hear, hear.) He believed the Society had also induced people to ascertain for themselves, before recommending persons to the benevolence of tho Society, whether the distress of the applicants for relief was feigned or not. Ha would, however, venture to suggest that the public took more interest in tho Society than the small attendance at that meeting might lt*nd one to Buppose ; and ho thought it wus quite possiblt that a large public meeting might bo got together, either at next annual meeting or before at which some largo scheme of relief might be arranged, to deal with cases at present beyond the means of the Society. Mr Justice Johnston seconded the motion and reiterated his satisfaction both at the work which had been done, and the manner of its performance.

Tho Chairman said although he was quite willing to be of service by holding two offices, yet he thought that as the Society progressed, it might perhaps be found advisable to infuse new blood into the management, and he hoped that whenever this should be case, the Committee- would have no hesitation in turning him out. Mr Justice Johnston would like it to be understood whether or not- by the words "his Excellency tho Governor" it was intended that Sir Or. Grey should be President by virtue of bio office, because if euch were the case, it might perhaps bo niorfi in accordance with etiquette to ask Sir Georgo Bowen, when he conies, if he was willint; to act as President, before they elected him to that office.

The Chairman suggested that the piactie.al dif ficulty was that the President must be elected at tiie annual meeting. The Bishop of Wellington thought the best pl*n would be to elect Sir George Grey aB president, and then a deputation might wait upon Sir George Bowen, when he arrived, to ask if he would allow his name to be put on.

'Die resolution was then put and carried.

Captain Benson moved — "That the thanks of this meeting be given to the auditors — E. W. Mills ut»d J. H. Wullatee, Esquires for their services in auditing the Treasurer's accounts, and also to tho Chairman for his courtesy in taking the chair on this occasion." „

Tin- resolution was seconded by Dr Bennett and carried.

fcioine desultory conversation then ensued on the Bubject of tho balances of the various charitable iundtf which it is hoped may bo mndo avail* able lor the establishment of uu Orphanage, and the meeting broke up.