The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1865-04-25 00:00:00

DORSET COUNTY FRIENDLY SOCIETY.

The 18th anniversary of this excellent association
was held at Wareham on Thursday, and although
the attendance of members was not so numerous as
could have been wished, still the meeting must be
considered as being a successful one. That im-
portant feature on all occasions, the weather, was all
that could be possibly desired. Throughout the day
the line bells of St. Mary's Church rang out merry
peals in honour of the society's visit to the town, and
here and there a flag was gaily floating in the breeze.
Shortly before 11 o'clock the members of the society,
about SO in number, met near the Townball, and
preceded by the Church Knowle band, accompanied
by several of the officials of the club, attended
Divine service at St. Mary's Church, where a very
appropriate discourse was preached by the respected
rector, the Rev. R. S. Capel, who selected as his
text, "And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where
shall the ungodly and sinner appear r I Peter,
iv. 18. At the conclusion of the service, a pro.
cession was formed, and the members of the society
perambulated the principal streets of the town.
At two o'clock the meeting for the transaction of
business was held at the Townhall, under the
presidency of J. H. Calcraft, Esq., the chairman of
the day • the president of the society, Sir E. B.
Baker, Ban., being at Naples.
The CHAIRMAN, in opening the proceedings, said
be was informed that this was a meeting for going
into business matters, and therefore he could not do
better than by requesting their kind and respected
hon. secretary to make his statement on the subject
The Rev. C. W. Bingham then read the following
report for the year ending December 31st, 1864 :

_ The number of members on the books at the close of
the year was,—Males, 2,231; females, 173; total, 2,404,
being an increase of 116 during the year.
Members enrolled, 264; withdrawn, 82; expelled, 1;
died, 14; £2B was paid oneight deaths; and £lO4 6s. 9d.
on nine endowments. _

£ L d.
The Contributions of Members in 1864 - 2,538 3 2}
ditto, ditto, 1863 - 2,391 5 10i

Increase in 1864 •

- £14617 4

Honorary Subscriptions in 1863 -
ditto, 1864 - •

• 2202 1 0
• 198 10

Decrease in 1864 • • - £3 10 6

Sick pay was allowed to 699 males for 3,927 weeks,
amounting to £1,439 12s. 744. ; and to 47 females for
560 weeks, amounting to £123 13s. 64d., making a total
of £1,563 6a. 2rl, being £206 13s. 81d. more than in
1863.

--iii-e capital in hand was £7,853 4s. Rd. invested as
follows:

£ &d.
- 1,600 0 0,

In India Honda

With Commisaioners of National Debt A). .602 8 6 .
2 per sent. per diem • - -
at 2i ditto - - - - 886 17 4
In 3 per oent. Consols - - - - 1,682 15 0
In 3 per cent Reduced - - - - 2,649 0 0
In Dorchester Sayings' Bank • - • 2 11 8
Balance due from Branches -----9 9f
. . ..

Ditto in treasurer's hands

156 1 11

Capital in 1864 -
Capital in 1863 -

- 7,853 4 5.1
- 7,227 11 101

Increase in 1864 - - - £625 12 7i
The results me these, 116 more members:
2 s. d.
- 206 13 8i
14 0 0
5 13 3

Increase of Sick Pay •
„ of Death Pay -
Decrease on Endowments

, on Honorary Subscriptions - 3 iO
Tiers is however, an increase of members' contribu-
tions of £146 17a 74d.; and an increase of capital of
£625 12a. 714. .
On the whole its condition, as that of a society now
advancing in years, cannot be deemed unsatisfactory,
though we fain would see • greater increase of members,
and also the welcome addition of new branohes.
It is impossible too strongly to feel the importance of
obtaining a constant accession of properly-qualified
young members, and thue to enlarge the area over
which the insurance is thrown. The eucoess of all
calculations of chances is, of course, greatly promoted
by their application to a larger number of persons.
The Society haa again to deplore the loss during the
past Tear of one of its best and oldest friends. The
alarming illness of our late estimable and beloved
president, Henry Ker Seymer, Esq , ?LP., which was
adverted to in our last report, terminated fatally soon
after its presentation. He bad occupied the post from the
foundation of the Society, and had not only rendered
most valuable services by his genial and kindly pre-
sidency on public occasions, but by the characteristic
good-cones of his private counsels, which were always
moat willingly Recorded to us.
The trustees have been so fortunate as to persuade his
intimate friend and neighbour, and one who ever shared
his interest in the institution, Sir Edward B. Baker,
Bart., to accept the vacant office, though his absence
on the Continent prevents him from taking the chair to-
day.
"The Friendly Society Union," mentioned also in the
last report, has been now fully established in London,
under the auspices of the Right Hon. D. Sotheron
Estcourt, and much important advantage may be ex-
pected from its labours.
The next annual meeting will be held at • place to be
appointed by the trustees, and announced as early as
possible.

C. W. BINGHAM, Secretary.
DAVIS, Assistant-Secretary.
After having done so be said such was the report, signed
by myself and assistant-secretary, but perhaps it would
be better to make a few remarks upon it before be
moved He adoption. He agreed that this meeting was
not a place for making long speeches, but for the
dispatch of business. If long speeches were to be made
perhaps after dinner would be the beat time for making
them; certainly, he did not intend to make a long
speech. First of all he must say that he had received
from several kind friends letters and other intimations
in which they regretted their inability to be present
that day. Their geed friend, Mr. Floyer, expressed
himself as being very sorry, owing to certain circum-
stances, at not being present. He stated that he had
come to the sessions from London at great inconvenience
to himself, and hoped the meeting would excuse his
non-attendance. He (Mr. Bingham) had also a letter
from Mr. Freeland Pithier, in which he expressed the
same interest in the society's welfare as he had always
felt, and regretted that absence in London prevented
him from being present. He had also received another
letter from Mr. Ferrer, in which he honestly regretted
his inability to be present. He (Mr. Bingham) was
sorry that another gentleman, who was well known in
the neighbourhood, and whose presence would have
been most acceptable, had been prevented from attend-
ing owing to serious illness, he alluded to Mr. John
Hansel. He was sure that in that gentleman's warm
love and support for,everything which was good, they
would have had him amongst them, had be not been
prevented by the sad elate of his health. Sir E. B. Baker
' begged to express to the society hia great sorrow at not
being able to be at two places at once, being at Naplesat the time of writing this letter, and therefore it was
Impossible for him to attend this meeting. Before he
(Mr. Bingham) made any further remarks upon the
report, he was sure they would feel with him that they
ought to record, at the commencement of the meeting,/
their gratitude to Mr. Caloraft for haying so kindly§
and at so much personal inconvenience, consented tis
take the chair on this occasion. (Applause.) It wad
great disappointment to the club that the meeting held
at Corte Castle, last year, was such a mangled one
but he was sure Mr. Calmat would have been glad hiel
have takerdthe chair, had it not been for those %tutor*.
nate circumstances which prevented their having a•
satisfactory meeting. It was true he took the chair,
but he only had half work, but they now gave him an
opportunity for doing the whole of it. (Hear, hear.)
Alluding to the operations of the /society, Mr. Bingham
remarked that the annals of the club had not been full
of incident. He thought the duties of the secredary and
the trustees had been more of sinecures that yeas- than
in any previous onednring the formation of the society.
The fact was, that, generally speaking, the club seemed
to be working gradually and quietly on, and though it
was not making such rapid advances as could be wished,
still it was holding its owe, and making such advance&
as were not altogether unsatisfactory. (Applause.)
The one subject which seemed to weigh mostly upon
their minds was that they did not have so many nen
branches as they ought. The only newbranch of which
there had been any idea of connecting with them hall
been that of Storminster Marshall. That was an ot
club, and they desired to know, in the course of 1
what would be the amount of contributions which the
would be required to advent* provided the Dorse
Friendly Society took the whole club in bodily. Th,
matter was referred to their actuary; but, at the saw
time, he (Mr. Bingham) wrote to Mr. Parke, who took
deep interest in the society, stating that he thought
would be found that the calculations of the old
would be utterly unable to furnish such a lase-
would be required; and beard -
about the matter, he -
The addition of mar"
year, not quite so
many as the dab
There was one other
reference to, and that
seriptiona Their In
.fallee off to a small ;
pee them fall off at a
itl.kisaediety warn that
Ted by honorary
. upon stewards
subscriptions should be
report mention was ram a very
stance, and one which he was sure every

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