The Express.
London, England, 1857-06-27 00:00:00

NUTniL PROVIDENT

On Wednesday evening the annual meeting of
the moiety was beid at Radley a Hotel, New Bridge-street ;
the Richt Mon. the Earl of A mmmmm chi in the chair.
Mr. CZAYLES HCYLo, Jun., the , mud the report,
frame which it appeared that lost year 1,790 proposals were
made to the society, being an immure et 438 upon the pre-
vious yew. The reserves had Mr/cased in the per from
31,75 W. to 43,6601., the interrat ou which had amounted to
1,6431., sad we. now 1,900/. The society Fillet its commence-
ment in 1847 had enrolled 14,663 members.
On the question of re-electing four directors who retired
by ballot, end among whom was Mr. Samuel Morley,
The Rev. J. B. OWEN, M.A., am chairman of the society,
said that he could ant Ohm Mr. Morley to be proposed with-
out expressing the deep obligation of the board to him for big
eminent rervitias and the honour they felt in having no dis-
tinguiohed a philanthropist connected with the society.
The business of the meeting having been gone through, the
Rev. J B. Owes moved a epeeist resolution, thanking Lord
Albemarle for hie mid and useful counsels. Ile remarked
that throughout the country at large his lordship's set
nu behalf of provident institution. for the million were well

The nohle CHAIRMAN, in acknowledging the compliment,
said this subject was ono in which he hod taken great inte-
rest, and he was anxious to do everything in his power to
maim such societies, which be thought demanded that the
Influence of those who powwowed the accidents of birth and
station should be employed to encourage them. (Hear.) It
was a fact that when ninny of their countrymen went into a
foreign country, they could get a far higher amount of wages
than the natives; but whilst the natives if the country made
provision, for a rainy day, Englishmen spent all, and some-
tintee• little more. Ile found in the Rev. Mr. Ovren's
pamphlet that the "nave ies" in England had in the shape
of wagon revived from the railway companies many mil-
lions of money, which had nil gene, and he believed
that many of them besides had got into gaols.
The poor mien must help himself. Parliament could do
nothing for him; government could do nothing for him ; and
the rich could do nothing for him—if he would not assist
himself. But in his opinion the people of England were
improvident even in their providence. Ile could mention,
however, that three millions five hundred thousand persons
iubscribed to provident societies in this country; and out of
their hard earnings few millions five hundred thousand
pounds was paid annually, involving a capital of twelve
millions. It was hardly necessary to nay Low essential it
was that such societies should he placed upon a sure footing.
Nothing but the general impotence of the question would
bass induced him, with the little leisure he had in the par.
motion, to have attended HIM meeting. (Hear.)
ltaMta% p next alluded to the demoralising influenoe of
societies held at public homes, and hoped to have the Co.operation of the clergy, both of the established church and
dissemtess, to put that practice down. Cowper had said
of it:
"'Tie here they learn
The road which leade front competence and peace
To indigence and rapine, till at last
Society, grown weary of the load,
Shakes her encumbered lap and casts them out."
Them were two emits' claims which this society had fur
support. First, it woe registered by Mr. Tidd l'ratt ; and,
seesedly, the tables had been approved by an actuary. lie
(the noble lord) had t erasion to offer some remarks to a small
bode of labourers in Yorkshire a short time Once, which re-
marks he believed had etimulated tome individuals of station
in that county to establish a society of this kind, and be had
heard with surprise that there were not two of those indi-
viduale who did not believe Mr. Tidd Pratt's signature was a
guarantee of the solvency of the concern. He wished peo-
ple to understand that the certificate of Mr. Tidd Pratt only
me the society a legal status. These friendly societies had
been in um sines the last century, and it was much to be
I lamented that undertakings requiring the most scientific
management and calculations had often been commenced by
sonic 20 or 40 persons utterly unacquainted with the aubject,
and whose posovedings therefore had been actually
micild The conaequence woe that from 1795 to 1836
so fewer then 17,365 clubs felled, and as if this DM not
enough, societies were still being formed on the like self-
destroying principle. There was a club in hie own neigh-
bourhood, held at the Fox and Geese public-house, where
the members pad Is. to the club and 4d. for drink; the pub-
lican was the secretary and tremurer, and he need hardly till
them who DMA the fox and who the geese. (Laughter.) His
lordship trusted the clergy and gentry would me their in-
fluence to discountenance such clubs. He was glad to find
that the directors of this society appeared to concur in tbo
views which he had expeem& in parliament, in his own
county, and at a nieeting of 3,000 operatives at Birmingham,
vie., that deferred annuities, a most impotent don to
working men, should be secured, not by a private institution,
but by the government. It was truly lamentable to reflect
that there were thousands of club. and institutions of other
kinds, which had contracted to provide what was rolled old
ago" pay for 111, 40 year. an, and were Mill doing es., though it
was well known that such contract, never could kw fulfilled.
Had he the power he would dot are it unlawful that any such
contemn should DO natile,and whenever hehad opportunity he
would peeteet against them. Idle lordship congratulated the
society upon its highly favourable prospects.
Mr. SASII.DL Montev said that the thousands of members
who conatitufi 4 the society would be glad to hear that his
lordship had bemuse their patron. Lord Albemarle was the
tried friend of the working classes. (Hear, hear.) As the
treasurer of the institution, and connected with it from the
commencement, he was 'satisfied that conducting the affairs
of etch societies in other plans than public-hooves, did
much good in keeping down the drinking habits of the work-
ing classes. (Hear, hear.) Ile believed there were few in-
stitutions bleared with snots an active, intelligent, and good
working board of directors es this, and he felt it en honour
to be associated with such men. ]le hoped his lordship would,
as opportunity offered, confer with the society, and afford the
directors help to their farther exertima. Cheers
Mr. F.O.Nitisos, the society's actuary, said he wee satis-
fied from evidence that omitting like this contributed largely
to the welfare of the country loath in a physical and a morel
roes. They encouraged, noy he might my, enforced habit'
of care and good conduct, which could not but be most bent). '
/Mal. Ile believed he was correct in saying, certainly he
1111 b• wafer as own observations end enquiries (which had been
pretty extensive)) had gone, that of the hundreds of thousands
of members ecriendly Societies one only had been executial,
eta. Manning, who belonged to the Great Westernßailway
Club. This society, it was his pleasing duty to state, had
grown and flourished more than any similar one in the tame
time. Their financial position wale strong and would become
stronger still. (Cheers.) No doubt the experience of the
directors and officials must improve their condition. At the
time of sterling this society great difficulty was
apprehended from what was considered by some
the unnecessarily high rate of premium, but Mr. Barbs had
the greatest faith in high rates, as the members would con-
sider them a guerantee against any financial disaster; and
the result of their operations had proved his calculations to
be correct. The sdvantagm to country members, if one be-
came a member in Liverpool, and removed to Manchester or
Norfolk, were most important, as no change took place in their
memberahip, and thin ho considered ought to be prominently
brought before the public. He then pointed out the great
advantage and necessity of keeping separate OCCOLIDDI as done
by this society, and of a quinquenniel cove Ligation into their
Adre. (Hear hear.) He was much surprised at the small
amount of sickness they had had. There was another ele-
ment of security in thit number of their members, for be
would remind them that MOW/ societies had broken down, not
from any &LODI MI errors, but from numerics' paucity. They
would never fail if they had numerical strength, and he was
happy to nay that their own widely was firmly established,
and only wanted the co-operation of eves 7 member. (Cheers.)
With one other remark he would conclude. He would never
allow any member to sulocribe for an allowance of more than
two-thirds or three-fourths of his earnings, otherwise it might
be a bribe to members to continue upon the fund in sickness.

After some remarks from Mr. J.PAYNE,
Mr. Bral.R, the secretary, observed that his lordship had
objected to societies like this working through branches, and
atipeared to consider loyal Institutions better. But ho (Mr.
Burls) thought that there was some misapprehension ca to
what was involved in • branch. There were institutions
whom branches; areomed the right of separate government
end exclusive eel( control. To such en element in a blench
he should so much object as the noble earl in the chair; but
a branch of thin society meant nothing more than a finger to
the hand-a limb through which the vital force might cir-
culate. The same laws governed the branches as
the general 'society, and if the former transformed
• law, er bocame lax or extravagant, they would at
came be called to account. Such • principle as this
therefore was the only one that should be adopted, fur how
else could email institutions exist f Twenty persons might
not be strong enough to form a society alone, but these
lame twenty would be most valuable to • confederating in-
stitution. Their own rackety proved this. Out of 160
Martine, 33 brought no new members during the past year ;
60 had brought from one to five members ; 2.5 brought five
to ten, 16 brought ten to twenty ; 9 brought from twenty to
fifty; 10 brought from filly to 100 ,• and only two brought from
100 to 600 members. Now if there had been here no con-
federation, it is clear that • large number of the branches.,
had th worked alone, intuit have died away; instead of
which they had lived on, and were in their measure valu-
able alliance'. It was to be regretted that the legislation
on the subject of friendly aocieties had been so
fickle and uncertain. In Lord Beaumones act some most
valuable principles were adopted which hod in a subsequent
Act been altogether ignored, and hr was at alma to understand
how the high authority of Mr. Tidd Pratt could have been
given to meh a principle aa that enunciated in pages 39 to
42 of his late report to parliament, vie., that societies should
not extend rick allowance beyond the ages of 60 or 6.5, leav-
ing the member. to secure a government annuity, which
seemed to say that so long as very little was wanted, much
might be bad ; but when much was wanted, nothing should
he had. Mr. Nelson had shown in hie work on "Vital
Statistics" that it was precisely at 'bees ages that sickness
happened in a fourfold degree ; and yet it wallow suggested
that at those periods there should be no allowance at all.
Bucb a prinople was absolutely at variance with 'he purpose
of a society which was to sustain their members in sickness
at all periods of life.
The Cstatuvast remarked that he thought Mr. Pratt
must have altered the opinion expressed in the work referred
to, as, on sending to hint the other day for mine information,
a pamphlet had been returned Implying a contrary mom-
mendation. He observed that Mr. Nelson had referred to
Mr. Prates vlewa in his statistical publication.
Mr. Beats replied that at all events there was the autho-
rity, which was the more serious as noblemen and others
naturally sought and sob the birdied nowise'. It might be
' difficult to deal with sickness in more advanced age; but if
so the system should be improved, not the principle abets-
boned and he wished it to be known that whoever acted at

I given wee defeating, not !wiping, friendly

TheCit•ltincos mid he did not think the Mamba ealcM
bated to endanger the society. He read a letter from T. H.
&theism E.tonsue, Esq., the member for North Wiltahire.
regretting his inability to attend. In conclusion. he °lemya!
that ho had obtain...l a greater amount of information that
evening. than from all the books he had rend on the suLjeet.
Dr. Dem., of Kingssood, propousl a note of thank., to the
director., which was seconded by Mr. J ENKIN, of Christ-
church, sod carried unanimously.
votes to the delegates from the provinces and the
secretary terminated the proceedings of the meeting,