The Sun.
London, England, 1852-12-23 00:00:00

INSTITUTION FOR ThE RELIEF OF
DEAFNI SS.

The annual meeting of the subscribers to this Insti-
tution was held this day (Friday) at the Public Office,
under the presidency of Lord Calthorpe. Amongst the
gentlemen present were the Rev. G. S. Bull ; S. Beale
and W. Lucy, Esqrs. ; Messrs. W. Chance, jun., Buck-
ley, J. Dadley, C. Sturge, Seeking, and W. Dufton.
The noble CHAIRMAN, in opening the proceedings, ob-

served that he was very little acquainted with the ope-
rations of the Institution ; but he was afraid it was
very much wanted, for there were some trades in Bir-
mingham which he believed were conducive to deafness,
and if by any human agency that misfortune could be
alleviated, they could only.be dqing good by promoting
that agency. Deafness was a great trial to any person, ,
but particularly to a working man, who was exposed to
Se-many contingencies. His Lordship concluded.hrsay.
ing that as he was unable to state anything relative to
the operations of the Society, he would at once request
the Honorary Secretary to read the Report.
Mr. W. CHANCE, jun., then proceeded to read the
Report, which stated that the Committee had great
pleasure in announcing that the Institution continued
to dispense, through its medical officer, Mr. Dufton,
much alleviation and comfort to the working classes
who were sufferers from the painful complaint of deaf-
ness. The number of patients during 'the past year
was 269, of whom 135 were cured, 92 relieved, and 42
incurable ; in 19 of the incurable cases, the complaint
was hereditary. Of the patients cured, fifty-three were
deaf less than 1 year, forty-six between 1 and 5 years,
twenty-seven between 5 and 10 years, six between 10 and

15 years, and three between 15 and 20 years. Of the per-
sons relieved twenty-eight were deaf less than 5 years, thirty
between 5 and 10 years, seventeen between 10 and 15
years, twelve between 15 and 20 years, and five between
20 and 30 years. Of the incurable patients, sixteten had
been deaf under 10 years, nine between 10 and 20
years, three between 20 and 30 years, eight between 30
and 0 years, and six between 40 and 50 years. Mr.
Chance then read the statement of accounts, from which
it appeared that the balance in hand last year was 821.
19s. Bd., the subscriptions had been 421. 19s. 6d., and
the interest allowed was 11. 2s. 6d.; making a total of
1271. is. Bd. The expenditure had been 471. ls. Bd.,
leaving a balance of 791. 9s. to be carried to thenext
account.

S. BEALE, Esq., moved the first resolution. He
scarcely knew anything of the working of the institu-
tion, for, although a member of the committee, he had
not attended one of the meetings, and this he believed
was the case with most of the members ; for in fact the
work was so well carried out by the honorary secretary
and Mr. Dufton, that there was no need for the attend-
ance of a committee. This was amply proved by the
very satisfactory reports that were annually presented,
and by the flourishing condition of their finances.
The motion was seconded by Mr. DUFTON, and unani-
mously adopted.
Alderman LUCY, in moving a vote of thanks to Mr.
Dufton, the surgeon to the charity, observed that he
could bear testimony to the great ability and skill dis-
played by that gentleman in the discharge of his duties,
and the committee and the town at large were exceed-
ingly indebted to him for giving up so much of his
valuable time to the institution. The object of the
charity was the relief of the necessitous poor, and though,
from the more perceptible character of the affliction, the
public were more disposed to contribute to an institu-
tion for the blind than to one for the deaf, yet he attri-
buted this to the fact that the great prevalence of deaf-
ness was not generally known. It frequently happened that
when a poor man was bereaved of his hearing, his family
were deprived oftheir means of support; the remedies, how-
ever, were simple, and when administered with skill, as in
this case, the patient might soon be relieved.

Mr. CHANCE, in seconding the motion, observed that
he could' speak from his personal knowledge of the ad-
vantage many patients had received from Mr. Dufton's
mire, for he had frequefilly been visited by the patients,
ninny of whom had told him that the relief they received
was extraordinary.
The resolution having been unanimously passed, Mr.
BUCKLEY moved a vote of thanks to Mr. W. Chance,
jun., the honorary secretary, to whom he paid a high
and deserved compliment.
Mr. DUFTON seconded the motion, which was carried.
On the motion of Mr. C. STURGE the committee was
re-appointed.
The Rev. G. S. BULL proposed a vote of thanks to
Lord Calthorpe for his kindness in presiding. He was
sure that although that was but a small meeting, com-
pared with ninny over which his lordship had frequently
presided, they were not the less indebted to him for
coming to Birmingham for such a purpose, and for the
interest he always took in the best institutions of the
town. He trusted that his lordship would not accept
the vote of thanks as a merely formal one.
S. BEALE, Esq., seconded the 'motion, which was
carried by acclamation.
The Noble CHAIRMAN having briefly acknowledged
the vote, the proceedings terminated.—A i-is's Birming-
ham Gazette.

NATIONAL PROVIDENT INSTITUTION.

Yesterday, the seventeenth annual meeting of the
members of this institution was held at the London
Tavern—Mr. S. H. Lucas in the chair. The secretary
read the annual report, whiCh congratulated the meeting
on the continued prosperity of their affairs, and on a
large accession of members during the past year. In the
year ending 20th Nov. last 1,127 policies had been
issued, the annual premiums on which amounted to
17,7261. 4s. Id. The annual income was now 206,700/.
lie. sd. The number of deaths since the lagt report
had been 99, exceeding only by four the number re-
ported the preceding year, notwithstanding the great
increase to the number of members since that
period. The directors had considered it prudent to
decline 94 proposals during the last twelve months.
The claims arising on account of the deaths re-
ported amounted, together with the bonuses thereon,
to 48,897. The balance of receipts over disbursements
for the year ending 20th November was 137,193/. 7s 3d,
by which the capital stock of the institution was in-
creased to 875,686/. 5s 7d, which was invested in real
and Government securities, with the exception of 14,739/.
advanced on loan to members on security of their respec-
tive policies, in accordance with the act of 1850. The
Chairman, in a short explanatory speech, moved the
adoption of the report, which, after a conversation, in
which Mr. Bennock and Mr. Richardson took part, was
unanimously . adopted. Messrs. Charles Gilpin and
Charles Whetham, the two retiring directors, were
re-elected. The auditors were also re-appointed.
Mr. Aston then moved, pursuant to notice, " That
from and after the next division of profits, either
a triennial division of profits or a participating
scale of bonus, payable to policies which may lapse
between the periods of each quinquennial division, be
adopted, and that so much of the rules as shall be ne-
cessary be altered for that purpose." Mr. Astell, the
actuary, said inseply, that the principle which dictated
the quinquennial system was that of averages. He found
during the last ten years that the rates of claims by death
were, in 1843, and in class 9, 241 per cent. on the pre.
miums received : in 1844, when all the members were a year
older, 19 per cent. ; in 1845, 38 per cent. ; but in 1846
they fell to 23, and in 1847, to 22. In 1848 they rose
again to 35 per cent. ; and in 1849 to 37 per cent.
In 1850 they fell again to 28, and in 1851 they were 31,
and in 1852, 30. Those inequalities he contended,
showed the advantage of a quinquennial average over a
division year by year. Mr. Willis submitted that a
more frequent division of profits was consistent with
justice and honesty. He thought it exceedingly hard
that the family of the late Mr. Hardwick, the solicitor
of the society, who had died during the last year,
should be deprived of the division of profits in 1853,
when all the premiums had been paid up. Mr. J. Cooke
moved as an amendment that the triennial division
should be omitted from the motion. The Chairman
stated it as his opinion that the change suggested in the
motion would, at this period of their history, be mis-
chievous, and nothing that he had heard in the course of
the argument had tended to shake that conviction. Mr.
Hart moved as a second amendment that the whole
subject be referred to the serious consideration of the
board of directors, which was adopted on a division.

MR. LOVE, THE POLITIIONIST.—This talented artiste
appeared on Friday evening last, at St. George's Hall,
Stonehouse, before a crowded assembly of at least a
thousand of the friends and tenantry of the Earl of
Mount Edgcumbe, by whom Mr. Love was profession-
ally engaged. The peiformances consisted of two of
Mr. Love's celebrated entertainments, which were
highly appreciated. In the course of the evening the
amusements were interspersed with the musical perform-
ances of Mr. Yeo.—Plymouth Journal.
THE PRICE OF LAND IN DEVON.—A significant faot,
showing the benefit of free trade in this country, is com-
municated by a correspondent. A few days ago there
was an auction for a small estate of 15 acres at Crediton,
in the north of Devon. The property belonged to the
late Mr. William Burdge. It was sold by public auction
a ithe Ship Inn, in the above town, and fetched 2,2001.;
or 1501. per acre. The agriculturists here are prosperow
they make a capital price of their corn, their cattlp, Old
their dairy produce, and now believe protection to be a
.6 delusion and a mare."