SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVI, Issue 14, 27 July 1888, Page 7

SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.

The annual meeting of the Dunedin branch of this Society took place on Thursday evening, the Most Rev. Dr. Moran, the R°v Father Vereker, and a number of the members of the Society and 'of the congregation generally being pieaent. The lady secretary read the following repurc and balance-sheet : — In presenting this report to the honorary members and all who are interested in the work of the above Society, the President has much pleasure in referring to the increase in the number of its members.both active and honorary. The active members have, during the year, numbered 19, and the average attendance at the weekly meetings has been 10 I regret to say that of that number one died during ths summer and that 4 others hate resigned, two having left Dunedin. ■ There are at present 261 honorary members, and it is very desirable that this number shall bo increased. That God has given His b'essing to the poor effortß made by the members in the work of the Society you will all agree, there is not a doubt, and to Him are due our most fervent thauks for the many blessings He has vouchsafed us. The principal end for which ibe Society is in existence is : Ist. Tne honour *and glory of God and tne salvation of souls, as well as the temporal interests of the Door and to become acquainted with tbe wants of the poor ; and in order to relieve th.se wants it is necessary to visit them in their houses and if the visitor goes with that kinlly feelinj; and sympathy which o'ueht to accompany her on such an errand she will very toon find out the mostpuitabie way of giving relief, and of helping to make those trials a little lighter for her poor neighbours, The visiting, therefore you will see is a very importaut part of the work to be done by the active members, and a part which may bring comfort to many a poor family DuriDg the past year moie than one thousand of such visits have been paid. The hospital is vibited regulmly twice a week, and duriae the Bummtrfimt aud flowers were taken to the poor tick people there while during ihe whole ytar newspapers and books have been distributed in the hope by such meaas to make it a little less monotonous for the patients there. It is wonderful how lar a kiud smile and a cheerful word g_ to make sick people a little happier I may here bay that the President desires to tha-ik all those kind people who have sent the Society books and papeis for disttihation • they are alwa\s a most acceptable domtion. Tue Benevolent Institution is al-o visited from time to time Dm ing the last two mouths the Society has made arrangements for two of its meraberß to go every Sunday af ternoou in order to as ist in giving instruction to the poor orphan Catholic children in the Industiial School a. Oaversham. This i o a work which is veiy importaut aud ought to be dear to the heart of every (Jhiiauan, and the Scriptures tell us that they who instruct many to jaetise shall shine as stars for all eternity. It is a work moat pleasing io Uod, highly beneficial to our neighbours, and als> to ourselves, for it will nraw down blessings ou both. There is also a class held every Sunday for the instruction of working girls who, owing to their various employments, have not so many opportunities tor instruction as ihsir more fortunate neighbours. A number attending this class have been prepared for the Sacraments. There have been 5 poor ptniteuta sent to the Good tlhepnerd nuns at Chnttchurch.aud 10 children to the St. Mary's Orphanage at Nelson, and during the year there have been 16 baptisms brougut abtut. wheie, but fox the interest taken by ihe visitois, many of these poor children might have been deprived of Baptism for a long time. There has also be«n a maniage biojght about when it was desuable that it should be, the S-ciety interesting itself in th;B sad case. The Preside t desires to couvey the th.tnks of herself and the members of the Society g^i ei<tlly to his Lordship the Bishop foi his geuerobity to the Sjde>y, ana also fur hij kind symp.itny /n its work aho, tm- thanks of the members are due to Fathers Verekur Donnelly ami Purtoa, tor their kiudnts* and gocd advice ou all occ.sioi.s when applied to, and their readiness Mwajs to co-operate in the woik of the Soviet/. We also, whiie tha^kin^ Fatner Lynch for his unitorrn kindnesd aud sympathy in many difficulties to be met with, within the course of a year in the work undertaken by tLe members, wish to express our sorrow and regret, that owing to ill health he has gone Uom amongst us. a&d alao to express the hope which we all felt that he may si.oa be restored to perlect health und stiength, and soou return to us. We also thank the three firms which have given donations oi coal,— the Biuouer Coal Company, K.iitancata Company, aud Messrs. Mauui and Watsjn. ° During tue summer a sale of work was held by which the funds of the Society were beue.fi tted to the extent of about £40, which has been a great help in providing comforts for the poor We gratefully acknowledge the parcels of left off clothing which

have been seat to us daring the year. These parcels are always most acceptable. c . w 'la some cases needlework has been given to person! desirous of helping themselVes ; therefore, it was thought wise to encourage this by gmn°r them work to do, and paying them at the ordinary price for work. The following appointments hare been mule for *he ensuing ar AT^ resi^ ent ' Mrs Fe rgas<3°n; Vice- President and Secretary, MissTobm ; Treasurer, Mrs. Haydon ; Wardrobe keepers, Mrs, Barnes and Mrs. Frazer; Buyers. Miss McKay and Mrs. Frazer ; Instructor for Industrial School, Miss Horan. with assistant. List of articles given by Society of St. Vincent de Paul during the year ending July, 1888 :— 54 dresses, new ;53 do, sacoad ; 65 chemises, new ; 19 do, second ; 69 petticoits, flannel, new ; 1 do, do, second j 10 do, coloured, new ; 24 do, do, second ; 19, shirts, new ; • 71 do, eecond ; 32 pairs b-jots, new ; 22 do, second ; 24 pairs stock, tugs, new ; 46 pairs socks, second ; 14 bjnnats and hats ; 20 jackets ; 13 pairs blankets; 55 pinafores, new ; 6 do, second ; 4 ulsters, second ; 2 shawls, do ; 10 collars, do ; 27 pairs trousers ; 26 suits of clothes, seco id ; 21 coats, do ; 10 vests, do ; 39 pairs drawers, do f I intant bag* lent ; 1 brown habit ; 11 nightgowns ; 2 jacket*, n-iw ; 61 orders for coal ; 152 for groceries, ss ; 47 -lo do, 2i 6 1 ; Ido for bag oi flour ; Ido do oatmeil ; £7 12s 6d given an I advanced by Society; Visits, 1,000; number relieved, 329. Nourishment (siren m casej of sickae.-s) -toups, jellies, wine, egg*, oysters. The active members number 19; 16 were baptised duriug the year. Instrac tion9 are given once a week to working girls. Five were sant to Mount Magdala, |and 10 to Nelson School. The Hospital is visited twice a week, the Benevolent Institution frequently, aad the Industrial School oQce a week. «,o^ c cx P Bnditu re was :— Groceries, £67 13a 64; draperiei, £18 19s 6d ; coals, £18 9a ; boots, £11 17s 10s, blankets, &7 lOi : passage money, £8 17s ; sundries, £4 12s ; board and lodging, £3 19* ; bed and bedding, £1 12 a ; burying the dead, £2 7s 6d ; cleaning room, £2 6s ; rent, £1 2s 6d ; cab-fare, 19t6d ; milk, 15s 8d ; booki, 12s 6d ; paid for needlework, 14s 7d ; telegrams, 5s 6d ; certificate, £1 2g. Moneys collected, £155 Is 6d ; expenditure, £163 14i : balance, £1 7s 6d. The Bishop said that this report needed no woxds of his to recommend it to the meeting. It spoke for itself, and an eloquent speech it waa which it contained. The statistics it contained, striking aa they were, could convey only a very inadequate idea of the amount of labour gone through by the active members, and the great and loving patience of these members to those who had never soared in such labours. There was certainly a great reward, in store for them hereafter. He hoped that the Society would continue to flourish, and that the number of active members would be greatly augmented. He availed himself of this opportunity to say that ht had endeavoured to induce the Government to give Catholics for a reformatory the same allowance they give to the industrial schools already established in order that they might be able to rear up Catholic chil iren properly as Catholics. They would not impose any additional expense on tha country, as the Catholics were prepared to provide building and the necessary staff. But the Government would not consent. He could not understand this, except by supposiug that they feared a bigoted °" tcr 7 in Otago. He believtd this was ihe rtal reason. But be thought the Government laboured under a misapprehension. His own opinion was that the public of Otago would rather rejoice in teeing neglected Catholic chiloien properly brought up and well-trained, so as to become good aud useful citizens.