The Sun.
London, England, 1852-01-21 00:00:00

BENEVOLENT DEPARTMENT.

The annual general meeting of the members and
subscribers of this department was then held; Mr.
John Abel Smith, M.P., iu the chair.
_ .

The advertisement convening the meeting having
been read, a report was submitted to the members, of
which the following is an abstract :
No. Amounts.
Received from New Subscribers
Old ditto 420 449 8 0
f t Life ditto 1 10 10 0

Total number of Subscribers 485 for 528 3 0
Donations

£625 2 9

Subscriptions from Insurers. ..___
1,449 at ss. Od.
2 at 10s. 6d.
6 at 10s. Od.
1 at 20s. Od.

£992 8 9
Gratuities amounting to 1101, have been given to 17
members.

Loans to the extent of 1,5501. have been granted to
97 members.
__

On the 29th May, 1850, one clerk was elected to an
annuity of 251.; and two widows of clerks to annuities
of 15/., making with those already on the fund 5 clerks
and:'l4 widows of clerks, at an annual charge of 335/.
The balance-sheet for the past year shows that the
addition to the funds is 4541. 95.; making the total
amount of this department 12,9381. 15s. 4d.
The board regret that they have lost by death the
valuable services of two of the original auditors, Sir J.
Pule, Bart., and John Readnell, Esq.
The treasurer and trustees have expressed their satis-
faction at the present position of the association.

The CHAIRMAN then rose and said—Gentlemen, it
will be my duty to propose to you the adoption of
this report, but as I feel that the circumstances under
which it is presented to you are extremely important
to your future prosperity and well-being, I take the
liberty of attaching to the proposal of that report
some very few observations.—(Hear, hear.) I wish
particularly, first of all, to draw your attention to
one item in that report, which I confess has given
me very great satisfaction indeed. It is the return of
a sum of money given to a clerk in difficulties, when
he found he could do without it.—(Hear, hear.) It
not only is most highly honourable to the individual,
it not only stamps him as a man of right and
proper and correct feeling, but it also shows that be
thoroughly understands the objects for which this
benevolent fund was originated and established.—
(Hear.) It is not for the purpose of giving money
away, but it is for the purpose of temporarily assist-
ing-those who otherwise would be perplexed, embar-
rassed, and driven into difficulties, and therefore I
hail this item in the report not only with the greatest
pleasure, but also as an evidence, as it appears to me,
that the object and meaning of the fund, and the
manner in which it took its rise, are well understood
and appreciated.—(Hear, hear.) Having said these
few words upon that particular point, I come to the
great and important object to which I wish to draw
your attention, namely, the alteration in the rules
of the two departments, which have taken place
since I last had the honour of addressing
yisouunfgruomeettihonisahpllyacea.—ve(rlyieiamrp,
ohretaar.nt)
onTe,haathdalttehreatcinior.
cumstanees which have occurred since it was made
show that it is important in the pecuniary advantages
which it confers upon the members.—(Hear, hear.)
It is important too in the advantages which it with-
draws from certain persons who either had, or ima-
gined they had, them before.---(Hear, hear.) As
there was evidently a question of taking away some-
thing from somebody, it was a bounden and impera-
tive duty on the part of the board of management
to give the clearest and deepest attention to the
propriety of proposing the change in the rules,
and to take care that there was no real right taken
away from any one who possessed it before, and the
board of management did me the honour of re-
peatedly consulting with me during the time that
this alteration was under consideration.—(Hear,
hear.) I therefore most amply and most willingly
take my full share of the responsibility in advising
and approving of those alterations.—(Hear, hear. )
Those gentlemen, who_ are all present, will do me the
justice to say that
m ywhennorthat alteration was first
broughtveierresnoel
eic_ut
attentionint doh
ree
sr avn
iffidcureltwy
to theice
It!
delicacy of whatedstletdhrohuorlid
rights
sn thaehidr im-
mediatetheand their first proceeding wghas to olnfos
inquire,tan .rtebl irgooiuonguehs,
atnhewrehownlerel
have not the knowinghonouyrrolfgnt,
wgho w personally,
hich
would but
preventwho
rthe
ne
etahergeonrtnleomt
any vested believe
si
trsigthot sin —in any
the adoption of this alteration in the rules.—(Hear.)
The answers from both were distinct, explicit, and
that difficulty was removed.
clear, and, therefore,
The thing then to consider was, whether, in refe-
rence to the pecuniary interest of the benevolent
department itself, this was a wise and judicious
measure to propose; and as I believe all concealment