The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-06-04 00:00:00

!focal an iliztrict

STE WPONEY BEOHER. CLUB.

Lord Lyttelton presided at the annual meeting of
this club at the Stewponey Hotel, on Tuesday.
Mr. E. S. Nash, the secretary, read the forty fUth
report, which stated that the number of benefit
members in the club at the end of 188 G was 212,
making, with 22 honorary members, a total of 28t
The payments for sickness amounted to £B7 183 Gd,
and the balance of the sick fund amounted to £1 883
6s 41d. The balance of the burial fund was £390
4s 110. Twenty-five members bad receive horn
the annuity fund £2OO Is; the balance of that f ,nd
amounted to £3,300 2s. The expenses payable
of the auxiliary fund were £92 16s Bid, and tlle
receipts .4359 lls 91d, leaving, with last ye,it's
balance. £97 10s 21d, a balance due to this fund of
£l3O 16s lid. The balance of the benefit fond
account was £9,113 Os Id, of which £8,960 Is was
Invested in Government stock. The interest re-
ceived for the year amounted to £302 is Bd. and the
total amount received for interest since the com-
mencement of the club was £0,743 Is 4d. The
trustees acknowledged the business-like and ener-
getic work of Mr. E. S. Nash in the performance of
his duties as secretary. A supplementary report to
the date of the meeting showed that. the funds were
now £9,148 4s 10d, and the number of benefit me:n-
bers was 262.

Lord Lyttelton, eter some introductory words,
pointed out that the members belonging to toe clue,
262, represented more than the average of the last
thirty years. The club was, however, growing old,
as was evidenced by the largely increased pay-
ments for annuities, anl the increasing nuniber of
deaths. The introduction of freph blood was
necessary, not to secure the solvency of the clu'
which was amply provided for, but to enable it to
continue and enlarge its spher. of usefulness, and t
return to its members, in the shape of bonuses,
benefits over and above those for which they had
contracted. Another important p _ int for consider-
ation was how, with their present number and
means, to provide for the expenses of management.
If the increasing age of members was not balanced
by the introduction of young members, profits, and
consequently bonuses, would diminish l and as the
lost of management was largely defrayed from
these profits. it was obvious that when these ceased
some other resource must be found to meet the cost
of management. The members would not contri-
bute more than they do at present-2s (aeh a year,
or .226 in all nor could an increase be expected
upon the £23 given by honorary subscribers. Ile
did not think the club could be properly managed
for less than £6O a year at lea.t, so it was clear that
an increase in the numbers of the club would alone
meet the diffieulty. and he strongly urged the mem•
btrs present to do all in their power to bring in
recruits. Unless this wero done thu usefulness of
the club would, instead of expanding, gradually
contract. Existing members would get their claime
paid in full, but the club would cease to be a living
influence in favour of thrift and providence. He
should greatly regret such a result. The club had
been a source of anxious int.:rest and of pride to
those who had go ue before:them, and was so no less to
himself and the other managers. They believed
that it was a matter of the utmost importance to
have in this populous neighbourhood a society
which was undoubtedly solvent, which did not
fritter away its r sources amongst secretaries and
committeemen. which had no pothou3e as4ociations,
whose profits did aut go to satisfy a hungry tribe
of shareholders and officials. He wished that such
societies were far more comaion than they were, so
that working men of thrift and intelligence should
have no difficulty in investing their -avings, wi h
the certainty of a fair and adequate return. His
lordship concluded by moving the adoption of the
report, whiet was seconded by Mr. Walter Parke,
and supported by Mr. H. W. Foley. The latter
remarked that they wanted more alernb,n, that
they might do more good by means of the club.
The honorary members had shown their interest iu
it by subserihing from the time the club star ed a
sum of from £l,lOO to £1,500 to its working ex-
penses, and they had also given their time and
attention to its interests. It was hoped that
thousands of menab r (mid have join3cl the club,
but he was afraid they should never make it in num-
bers what it was once hoped it would be The club
was, however, on a perfectly sound basis. though
the numbers were smaller than the friends of the
club would would like them to be.
The motion was then carried, and the usual
annual appointments were made.
A vote of thanks was passed to the Rev, M. J.
Bickerstaff, vicar of Cookley, for preaching the
annual sermon before the members a the club, and
to Lord Lyttelton for presiding.