The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-06-06 00:00:00

THE STEWPONF.Y BECHER CLUB AND
ALLOTMENT SOCIETY.

The annual meeting in connection with the above So-
ciety wus held on Tuesday last, at Mr. Nash's, Foley
Arius Hotel. At an early hour the members of the club
assembled together, and, headed by the 15th Stafford.

shire Rale Band, proceeded to Kinser Church, where atn
excellent sermon was preached by the Rev. Cr. (iilbanks,
Incumbent of %Vol'Aston Church: The members then

re•forined arid tuarehed back to the Stewponey, the pro-
cession being headed by Lord Lytteltou. On arriving at
the hotel, the memb,ra of the club assembled together
. . . •

in the large roma. Lord Lytlelton occupied the choir.
The noble Chairman said the first business was
.to

hear the report, which he should call upda Mr. J. Taylor
to . read
_
" ' "

Mr. j. Taylor laid that this was the twenty•ekth re.
. . .

port of the Sten•poney Becher Club, and was us fAlows

During the past year twentyieight male and two female
members have entered the Club. Ten male members
have been erased fur non-payment, and two have died.
The number of benefit members in the club is now
201 (being an increase of 10 Mime last year), namely,
males 100, females 21; which with 39 honorary members
makes a general total of 243.
Among our benefit members 22 have received sick pay.
The payments for eiekness amount to 1:30 194. and the
money received on this account has been dalll 10s 934.
The balance in hand on the sick fund amounts to £465

S. 94d.
The balance in band on account of the burial fund is
£491 3. Oit. Three tuenilivrii have receive,' from the
annuity fund £:.i3 Sc, the balance on that fund now
•inounting t tit,63l 13. 94.1. The expenses of the aux•
iliary fund have been £4l tis 3d, leaving a balance doe of
£1 lie 104.
We have thus to report a further incre.se of benefit
members (the largest for many years) and since the date
to which this report is male up, five more members have
been added. The total balance in hand now reaches
£1914 Ila Ng.
We are now paying three annuitant nine shillings per
week.
The interest last year was £163 18., while oar balance
with tha National Debt Commis)doners is increased from
£4,486 3. 10,1 in 1866, to £4,953 VD 81, and the general
balance from £4,611 fis 2,1, to £4,912 111 Uid, or 6.519

per rent.
We are enabled to congratulate the members on the
favourable nature of the report for 1067, being the 213th
year of the aociety's existence.
The increase in benefit measbers is greater than has
occurred since the year 1317.
The payments to sick members have been greater than
in the preceding year, but the receipts have nevertheless
exceeded the eatgaings by the suss of CA Ils 910. The
balance tinier each head of assurance may be called very
satisfactory.
Five years have elapsed since the accounts were sub.
mitted to the scrutiny of a professed Actury, the Corn.
mittee have requested Mr. Taylor to take the opinion of
Mr. Bailey, who has succeeded the late Mr. Hardy RR
Consulting Actuary of the Clan (by the reoommendatiou
of Mr. Timid Pratt) as to its financial position, pursuant
to the 37th rate. It will be seen by his report, which is
subjoined, that his opinion is all that can be wished as
to the state of the society's finances. Supported by this
opinion the committee have determined to divide • sum,
not exceeding £6OO, among the members, in accordance
with that rule. . . ,

hlr. Taylor has prepared a list of the members entitled
to a share in title h distribution, and the amount duo to
each individual in proportion to his or her contribution
to the fund since their admission. There is every rea-
son to hop.: that by contiused care and attention to its
management, the society may, year by year, increase in
stability, and that its ranks may be strengthened by a
progressive addition of respectable well conducted mum-
hers.

Mr. Taylor read the following report from Mr. A. H.
Bailey, Actuary :
I have examined Mr. Taylor's valuation of the liabili-
ties and tweets of the club. I am of opinion that the
principles on which he has proceeded aro correct, and
that the data employed in making the calculations are
the hest teat are available for the purpose. I have also
subjected the calculations themselves to such tests as
are sufficient to satisfy use of their accuracy.
The result of the valuation exhibits an apparent sur-
plus of £1992, of which by the 37th rule a portion not
exceeding one half, or £9414, may now be divided. After
a good deal of consideration I have decided to recom•
mend that the amount now to be distributed should not
exceed £6O). The number of members, 204, is compar-
atively small, there is therefore greater risk of fluctua-
tion in the rates of sickness and mortality than in larger
societies, and it is very desirable to make some provi-
sion, at lest, for possible adverse contingencies in future
years, especially as the bulk of the members are youug,
nearly one half of them under 30 years of age. The
question which of the members are entiled to partici.
pate in the division, depends on the construction of the
37th rule, which is hardly within the province of an actu-
ary. But having considered the matter secordiug to
your request ; I think that the intention so that the sur-
plus should be divided among those members who have
paid contributions during the last five years and not re.
ceived any sickness allowances in that period.
SCPPLEMENTARY RIMORT TO WIIIT•TURADAY, 1868.
Number of male benefit members, 192; number of
female ditto, 25-217. Number of honorary members,
39; total, 56.—Monies invested with the National Debt
Commissioners, January Ist, 1868, £4,853 Itis Sd ; half.
year's interest. due May 20, £B7lBs 32—£4.941 14811 d;
in Savings' Bank, £7l its 2d ; total, £5,013 6s Id.—
Amount received for eicknesa this year, £3l Ss 9d;
amount paid for sickness, £l6 12.; balance in favour of
the fund, Eli 16e 31
Mr. Foley moved the adoption of the reports, which
he considered were very satisfactory.
The Rev. R. P. Turner seconded it, and said he was
very glad that the Actuary had sanctioned so large a sum
to be distributed. Ile believed the last sum was £lOO.
He thought the society was going en very well and satis-
factorily. He should like to say a few words previous to
the resolution being put. He fielieved the lout time an
Actuary was engaged it cost the late Mr. Foley some-
thing like £5O or £6O, which he paid. Fortunately now
Mr. Taylor, their Secretary, was a very good accountant,
and he had done the work, and he (the speaker) thought

that he should h stone acknowledgolcnt, and sugges-
ted that Mr. Taylor be paid £25. He believed Mr. Taylor
bad done it as a labour of love, but perhaps £25 would
not be uns,eptable to him—icheers).
Mr. B. Williams, of }Culver, seconded the proposition.
In doing so he complimented Mr. Taylor on the way that
he had done the work, which be was quite lure was very
I *MIA act°. y.