The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1865-01-31 00:00:00

"r‘,l

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE
BLANDFORD WORKING-MAN'S CLUB.

The tenth annual meeting of this excellentasociety
was held on Friday evening last at the Club-house,
and was fully attended. Mr. T. M. Park, with his
visual kindness, disposed of the papers, periodie,als,
dtc., the biddings for which were brisk. xboit
gentleman's serviees having been acknowledgidlax 0
cordial vote of thanks, Mr. T. Broacombe, mimed ,
master of the Milton Abbas Grammar School, Was
unanimously voted to the chair.
The Cttantrass said that though it was not his in. ,
tention to anlicipato the report which the secretary
was about to read, he could only remark that, so
far as be knew, he bad every reason to congratulate
the members of the club with the success which had
been granted to it during the past year. He trusted
that as they had a good club to support, and a good
cause to assist, each and all would do his utmost on
its behalf. He also hoped that the discussions which
might follow on reading the report would conduce to
the welfare of the club. (Cheers.) He would now
call upon the secretary to read the report.
The following report was then read by the
secretary, Mr. Furmage, to whose praise-worthy
exertions much of the success which the club has
enjoyed is to be attributed :
Mr. CHAIRMAN and FRLLOW MEMBRllB,—Although
the past year's history of the club has been unmarked,
by any striking event, yet I feel it an extreme plemuni
to deliver to you, this, the tenth annual report. The
institution has been quietly working its way, and the
summary shows the results to be highly satienctory.
In point of members we have not lost, but have steadily
kept the numbers whioh I announced at our lass meet-
ing. As regards finances there bas been an increase,
the balance now reaching £2B 2s. Ild, as against I
£l7 17s, last year. With the public, I believe, we have I
• still firmer footing, for wherever I go I always bear I
the club spoken well of, and if good wishes were done-
Cons we should in a short time have a tolerable good
capital. Your institution then' though young, is a
flourishing plant, ant I trust it is bearing fruit in the
good worle which it is calculated to fulfil. I have
classified the members at the request of several, and
• the following is the result :—Honorary 27; retired 2;
tradesmenand assistants ho.. 60 : operatives and
tanourert 17 ; TOIHRS 15 ; lsete's 4. Your committee
would feel far more gratified with this table, if the ,
working men figured in such force as the tradesmen, &c. I
Still their sentiments are far from blamatory to the
working men for their apparent apathy, feeling rightly
that something more than a mere reading room is re-
quired to awaken such an interest in them as to Cause
them to cluster around our standard. It must be re•
membered that working men generally area class w ho ha ve
had little or no chance of education, and it is, threfore,
folly to suppose that they can take such an interest in,
and enjoy the benefits of, an institution like this, as the
classes above them. Again, there are our enemies —the
public houses and beer-shops—the temptations offered
by them completely lure away the working men from
that which would really benefit them; and until we
can give them, es I have said before, something more
than papers, we may hope in vain for the luring to rest
with us. There is also a great want of a room for
(emotes. The idea of such a. thing has been scoffed at
lam aware, but why, I cannot conceive. In my humble'
opinion such institutions ought to be provided for the
opposite sex, and I btliete much good would result
therefrom. Wheat on thin subject it will be well to
oneetion that your committee, in pursuance of the
resolution passed at the last annual meeting relative to
procuring new premises, did, during the past year, Wks
some steps teamed' that object. A committee wax
formed, and some matters were fixed on at several
meetings, and things began to assume an important
impose, when suddenly it fell through, but not in conse-
quence of any want of energy on the part of your men-
mittee, but of others who were thought to be working
with wt. We must not, however, let such reverses
throw us into despair. The prospect of anew and fit
building may be vague at present, but if we keep to-
gether, and individually work and strive for the welfare
of the club, our prospects year by year may become
more clearly defined.
Your committee, watchful over the interests of the
society, have made an alteration in the supply of paper',
but BO as not to interfere with the proper supply of
news and the opiniona of politicians. Three papers—
the Scaiderry Journal, the Telegram, and Biandlercl
expect/swore considered by them to be adequate to the
saapply of local news, and the Dorset County Chroniole
was in consequence removed as an unnecessary expense.
he Daily News has also been replaced by the Standard.
•The necessity of this must be seen when you hear that
without interfering with the good supply of news, •
'awls/ of £4 15s. 4d. per year will be effected. Another
mum of increased revenue to the club (although small)
is that received from the Building Operatives' Society
which have granted a room for all our meetings
instead of, as was previously the cue, only the quarterly
sleeting'.
The en tertainenents gi wen in connection with the society
this arson have been six in number, one a lecture, and
the resnaisder penny readings. I abstained from provid.
loottmea feeling certain from the experience of last
year, *a* we should be no gainers, and also for the
reason that our esteemed rector had announced a series
'of fortnightly lectures for the benefit of some excellent
ebject. The lecture by Dr. Hodgson we. the first of
the 'pesos, and was opened under the presidency of
Lord Portman. The attendance was good, and a most.
Instructive and interesting lecture was given in a style
which fully showed the gentleman a sound master of his
subject,—" Physiology.' The readings have been kept
lip with much spirit, and have been numerously at-
leaded • but the moose must, in a large degree, he
attribuied to the introduction of music. The committee
have to record their thanks to those gentlemen who
have presided and given their services as readers at
them entertainments; and also in particular to Mrs
Alward., who very generously proffered her valuable
aid, and which has been continued with untiring "ea;
and also to her little band who wahrted.
The diet:vision alms opened the season briskly with
!WOO (OM discussions, but from some cause there ham
leen lately a cessation. It is hoped that the members
forming the same will not allow it to die out, but will
devote themselves to renewed exertions, bearing in
mind (as • stimulant) their past doings, and especially
so the celebration of the Shaksperian Tercentenary. ,
The library has been well used, 1,200 volumes having
been leaned to the members during the past year. II
few volumes of bound periodicals have also been added
to the library. It may be here noticed that the com-
mittee have resolved to have the Illustrated London
Nam, Paned, and Casselr s Family Paper in future
bound, instead of selling them annually, as has pre-
viously been the case.
The society bas been associated with the Southern
-Clonnties Adult Association, end it is hoped that 'ere
long an association with the Society of Arts, and
• Wetting Men's Club and Institute Union will take
r. place.
• The list of honorary members has undergone a charge
• which tho lapse of a year is likely to create. The names
-of Sir Was. smyth Marriott, H. iEer Berner, Req., and
o.M.r. T. Wellington have been removed; but those of
- Mitchell Henry, Esq., the Rev. J. R Quirk, W. G.
. acoi, Esq., and Mr. J. 8. Hailes have been added;
, also the favour of &donation from W. P. Okeden, Req.
The conduct of the juniors daring the past year has,
saa happy to say, much improved, not one complaint
having been made to the committee.
I cannot but again add my testimony to the excellent I
• way in which the rooms ate kept. I comment especially I
en this, as it is clear that such is only the result of
constant attention which the manager and his wife
pay tons.
la conclusion, I must beg to call your attention to
that matter whieh is always of the greatest importance
to you at these meetings.-the election of a new com-
mittee. With that body rests, of course, the prosperity
of the institution, sad it will be to your advantage to
4eloose men who have the welfare of the club at heart.
There has been a great Laxity amongst some of the
members of the retiring committee, and which fault I
hope will be rectified in the sew, by three only who
really feel an interest in the dab ace-pting office.
I will not detain you longer, but only add my pleasure
If my conduct has been such as to give you satisfaction
so as to merit your approbation and esteem.
Several parts of the report called forth mute Or
approval, particularly the reference to the MONss of
tee readier, Mrs. Edwards'a services, and the care
and attention of the manager.
The CHAIRMAN said before any motion wee
made as to the passing of the report, it would,
he thought, be as well to discuss the variose
points in it, and having this in view he bad
noted them down. The first in order was as to
the number of member.; but, as that continued
much the same, he would proceed to the second,
namely, the provision for working men beyond that
which the club afforded. This he considered a very
Important point for them to consider. It appeared
by the statement drawn out by the Secretary that
there were only 17 working men as against 60 trades-
men and their assistants, members of the club. It
therefore became a very important question how
e mid their interests be secured, and perhaps co
batter opportunity could offer itself than the pressall
for a discwhion on that matter.
Mr. LANcs said it appeared to him that very litthi
amid be done without larger premises. They could
hardly expect that working men, who had many of
them been only favoured with the mere outlines of
an education, would attend their reading room, the
only source of amusement provided for them. He
should be pleased, if there was sufficient accom-
modation, to have rooms for games, and a piece of
ground for gymnasium.
The CRAlRitate said that they were getting to the
time of year when they would be looking forward to
out-door sports rather than to the pleasures con-
nected with in-door amusements, and as they found
that a considerable number of their members left
during the summer months, it might be desirable to
siggeat to the committee about to be appointed the
desirability of having a piece of ground for cricket
and quoit playing, and such games. (Hear, hear.)
By this means they would be able to secure the
membership for the whole year of those who had
hitherto left them during tbe summer.
Mr. &OAR said be fully concurred in the remarks
made by the chairman, and he thought if application
was made to some of those who had land in the
vicinity of the town. that tor such an object they
would be disposed to place a field at the disposal of
the committee.
Mr. BARTLETr also °occurred in this, and ex-
pissed his opinion that very many young working-
men wonld join the club if such advantages were
offered.

_
Mr. &GAR said that it had been remarked that
this wax not, in point of fact ,a working-man's club,and
that several gentlemen who had come into the read-
ing-room on various occasions,and found other parties
there, had withdrawn their subscriptions. lie did
not blame the working-men for not joining. After
a hard day's nork he was little dispossid to come
there and read newspapers. If they had suitable
premises, he should like to have one room for
smoking, and where the working-man could con-
verse with his friend over the events of the day.
(Hear, hear.) They had only to note the success
**II had attended the reading. in ?Tot thit

-al gentlemen wlto had coma into the ;sad.
on yericras occasions and found oil--