The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1881-06-14 00:00:00

FORDINCTON BENEFIT SOCIETY.

The annual gathering sub. members and triads
of this excellent society was held on Tuesday last.
After an existent» of 20 years, during which time
larp numbers of these smaller Wait societies have
cot peed, it is Intranet, gratifying to find that the
Fordington Benefit Society is in • most
stale, financially speaking, and we hope ire prosperous
state,
so. The weather was throujhout the day very
doubtful, but the rain bald off and allowed the
members to walk in procession to and from church
without inconvenience, and at times the sun shone out
br*htly and cheeringly.
The usual proossdoa Ls formed at the schoolroom,
and in fair numbers walked to the perish church,
where Divide service was held.
ssaperopriste hymns
sad Psalms were chosen. The was taken by
the Vicar, sod the lessons were reed by the Rev. Mr.
Henslowe (Bridport). The sermon was preached by
the Rev. Mr. Henslowe from Proverbs v.
In which be referred tithe Importance of thrift asd the
advantage of sorsh societies se theirs.
After the service the members walked to the school-
room, where the annual tea meding wee te be held.
The bell. of the church rang marry peals at iatervals.
The schoolroom, with its long lines of prettily-decor-
and tables, looked exceedingly nice, and Bine evident
that this annual wish gathering would be las enjoy-
able and as successful as in former years. Beautiful
flowers adorned the tables and Mr. B. R. Harris, of
the Cornwall-road Nurseries, deserves many thanks in
lending se many choke plants.
The following ladies, with their usual kindness,
supplied " trays" and presided at the various tabled—
Mies blUss itllier, Mrs. Herbert Miller, Mrs.
Coffin, Mrs . Mrs. Anderson, Miss Brooks, Mrs.
haw, Mrs. S. Dire. Fisher, Mrs. A. Groves,
Mn. H. Basoombs, J. Hunt, Mrs, W. Bishop,
Mb. Lanneter, Mies Pierce. Mrs. J. Gilpin, ML
Harvey for Mrs. R. Huntbood4rs.A. Look, lira R.
Cam for Mrs Ling, Miss Miss R. Hodes for
Miss Rayne. Mrs. Orchard, Northam, Mrs.
Aliardyce, Mrs. Woodland, Kra C. Miller, Mrs. W.
Dixon Mies B. (Jampbell, Mrs. Thomas, sad Mrs.
Mitchell.
At the does of the tea graft was nog. after which
the choir boys, under Mr. Norman, the organist of the
churulls nag .the well.known hymn Let us with a
gladsome mind," to • very pretty tone. The clear,
fresh voices of the boys were heard to advantage in
this music, and they MOO warmly applauded.
The VIDAL OU rising, was very warmly received. He
was very glad to welcome them aU at this their annivers-
ary of their Fordington Benefit Society. This was the
first time he had had the pleasure and the privilege to pre-
side over • soon] gathering of this kind in Fordington, for
although he was the vicar of the parish last Whitran.
tide he did not oome into reMence till after the
annual feast was over. He had been now here twelve
months—a very good twelve months—and be must say
the months had slipped by very Lily to himself.
He knew very well it Ind been a sad year
to many of Fordington people, and this meeting was •
sad one to them to • certain extent, because they did
not see those familiar and well•loved faces which they
had seen for so many years in that loans. He,
however, hoped that the time would come when POMO
of the late vicar's family would be there on that plat-
form. They would he was sure understand why they
were not there. He read a feeling letter from Mr.
Henry Monis, in which be spoke of the very many
kindly memories of the time spent in Fordingtou, and
praying God to bless the dear old parish and everyone
who dwelt therein. He was very sure they were with
them in spirit if not in person that night, and he hoped
the time might come another year when some of them
ould be there. But whiles:Atha. partings had made
b sea of sad one to nem h "hoped it had not been
as. unhappy one. H .nough. Soy might congratulate
*meshes upon ring got on nay comfortably, and
he believed, happily-4applausei)—and be hoped if it
pleased God, it would always be so so long as God
al wed him to stay there. (Applause.) He thought
It would be so—he was quite sure of it. (Applause.)
The first thing they most remember to do_. It being
m-dnlnently the anniversary of their Fordingtun
Benefit Society, was to hear the secretary's report. He
would therefore ask their good friend Mr. Pearce, sad
their indefatigable secretary, to tell than sometUng of
the affairs of the society.
Mr. T. A. Pones thee laid before the meeting the
doings of the gaiety, both financially and otherwise,
during the twelvemonths which have elapsed since last
Whit-Tuesday. First of all, he said, as regards the
numerical strength of our society, on which, of course,
It. stability mainly depends. Ws now have enrolled
on our books 48 benefit members, as opposed te 46 at
this time last year, two new member. having joined as
during the twelvemonths. This is certainly • mere,
, although but slight, in the right direction; but it would
be ter more gratifybar were I able to report a larger
number of entries. Happily there is no removal of
death to be chronicled; nor La any member left us
from any other cause, an undoubted proof that the
benefits offered by the society are appreciated by all
these who have Joined our ranks. The almost
unprecedented severity of the past winter, and the
consequent Limed among many of our membees, have
pressed very heavily OD oar resources, no less than 21
members having_ received sick pay daring the plat
year. The total sum we have expended on that
aseount ham been £24 61. Bd., the largest amount I
have hitherto had to report, being an Isere's* al about
liffi occur sick permeate for therippolissevis vs ear. The I
1 heaviest drain on our fundierse during the
meth of J wben about oarafth cf the
sem mentioned vs was distributed among members
of our club. lam pleased to date, however, that oar
Melt at pressed contains but one name. Although oar
Sob pay account has been to heavy, yet it is
s.
teams for me to be able to report that our receipts
from benefit members done have been adequate to
meet the strain and have A baboce for inve.tment.
The reoeipts from benefit members have been
£3O 13. lid., while in the previous year they amounted
to £29 10s. Id. Once more I have to tender the thanks
of the society to those kind friends wto support us
from you to year by their liberal and substantial
donations, testifying to the warm and 000-
tinned interest taken in the society by many
In the town and neighbourhood. This year no less •
suns than ElB Ss. 68 has been given to the fonds of the
lsociety by kind friends.. subscriptions, either to OW
Ws, management, or benefit fund account, being
somewhat in excess of last year's contributions. Our
reserve fund at the Dorchester Saving's Bank has been
farther increased by • depose of £22, the amount we
I have been &hie to lay aside after meeting such calls es
were made upon the funds of the society during the
year. By this addition and the interest on our former
investments the total sum we new have on deposit in
the Dorchester Saving's Bank is repre•ented by the
substantial figures of E 562 11. M., showing an increase
of nearly £4O on our reserve fund at this time last year.
Early in the present year • valuation of the so.ls
y's
assets and liabilities, as on the Illet of December, 1880,
was made by an actuary in ausordance with the require.
wad of the Friendly Societies' Act, 1875, and the
1 monk showed • slight balsam against us. 80 long, I
however, se we can point to such • guarantee fond as
is represented by our present investment of £56211.2.!.,1
the society need be under no fear of • collapse in •
pecuniary sense. Recently, too, certain returns
respecting the mortality and sickness experienoed by
our society during the past five years have had to be
and sent to the Registrar-Geueral of Friendly
rcTeftiee! It was found that during that period the
' benefit members had increased—slowly, it is true, but
still steadily—from 41 to 48. About 30 had been on
the sick list, one receiving pay to the extent of nearly
£l3, while others received smaller dims varying from
/f 6 and downwards. It has been customary in this
Interim report in bygone yew to refer to any changes
that may have occurred in the officers of the society
between our annual festivals. This yew we welcome
among us our new president and tremor". the Rev. A. A.
Leonard, who has proved himself during the pad year
most zealous and energetic in the service of the society;
and to whom the thanks of all should be tendered for
the warm inured be has taken in its welfare.
(Applau ...) Under his presidency let us hope the
Fordington Benefit Society may have a long and pros-
porous career, and our nice little nest egg--the
guarantee fund—prosper with it All here pre"'
know that the actual founders and promoten of OUT
society
...fah:were brynetreitmisovptifronmg to
rebnyeacrithatof"whiati.
not forgotten by them, and that the interest taken in
as and ow doings is just as warm as ever. I had
hoped to have tma the pleasure of reading you • few
lines from our late treasurer, the Rev. Handley Moute,
who, you will remember, presided at our last meeting;
but • few days duos I reselved • letter from him
asking to be excused from doing so this year, as his
recollections of this time last year rendered him quite
unable to write anything that could be read to-night.
He desired me, however, to offer You hi. warmest
greetings, and to wure you of his good wishes for the
welfare of this club, which will always be associated
fthr his
natiheartvewiFtordinh the love °Lard
thanks
ki
arehes n
due
tirour
worthy and doctor, who, during an saw-
Banat period of sickness, ham been mast
indetatigabtersha attending and alleviating those 01 our
members who ban bad onsaidon to apply to him. I
know that MN work daring the &t twelvemonth bu°
been most arduous, and I felt that the would
be wantiag in courtesy were this reporteetoe% made
without thin publicly thanking Dr. Norton for his
Madness and attention. (Applause.) And now before
clueing and asking your acceptance of my Interim
report I should like we more to bring before the
netios of benefit members the asommity of their
endeavouring to Woos young MOO le loin am ranks.