The Sun.
London, England, 1863-09-01 00:00:00

Dramatic, Equestrian, and Musical Sick

Fund,

Yesterday the eighth annual meeting of the elec
tion of officers and passing of accounts of this
society was held in the saloon of the Theatre Royal
Drury-lane, Mr. B. Webster in the chair. Among
those present were Mrs. Reddich, Mrs. Ruddell,
Miss Julia Weston, Miss Thorne, Miss Lund, Miss
Clide, Mrs. Manders, Miss J. Sims, Miss J. Smith,
Miss Ettersall, Miss Pitt, Miss Pattison, Miss Maria
Conway, Miss Maria Mills,.Mrs. and Miss Turtle;
Messrs. B. Webster, Anson, Reddish, Nelson Lee,
F. Stuart, Conway, Plumpton, Dacre Baldie, R.
Phillips, IV, H. Eburne, J. Plumpton, Lewis Ball,
S. May, C. Sloman, S. May, sen., Norman Mon-
tague, Aldridge, J. H. Churchill, Captain Dampier,
Mr. Dawson, Mr. Paul Herring, Mr. Middlemist,
Messrs. J. Johnson, Regan, J. R. Jullian, W.
Jullian, Wolton, Reynolds, Dalton Russell, Morri-
son, Moon, C. Ryce, E. Ryley, Malcom Dunbar,
Rayner, J. V. Johnstone, and Thomas.
The following is the annual report :

"Your committee with confiJence announce to you the
firm yet steady progress of this most useful institution.
During the past year no amount of labour has been spared
to carry out the good work so well begun. Situations for
116 members have been obtained, 50 families have teen
assisted to enable them to get to their engagements, 41 cases
of distress have been relieved, and 576 days of sickness have
been administered to. The families of five members have
received the allowance for interment, and many cash ad-
vances have been made to distressed but respectable breth-
ren. The summary of the eight years may be announced
as follows :-4,051 dalc s of sickness relieved ; 360 loans for
journeys granted; 133 cases of distress relieved, many of
these having no claim.

" Your committee, in compliment to their numerous sub-
scribers and donors, Leg to call attention to the fact that
but two only of the numerous benefits before recited are
paid for by members, and those at a rate far below the
scale of any other benevolent society. It is by the profits of
the annual dinner and donations that they are enabled to
produce so good a result.
" Your committee beg to express deep regret at the de-
mise of five members during the past year, and alto to name
that this association has been deprived of two of its most
firm supporters by death—namely, H. V. Swarborough,
Esq., and John Gray, Esq., two gentlemen by whose advo-
cacy and liberality this and many other institutions of our
profession have greatly benefitted.
" In conclusion, your committee, thanking you for past
favours, respectfully enjreat your support and sympathy
for the future ; and to the ladies of the profession generally
they offer their heartfelt thanks for the strenuous efforts
they have made to assist in alleviating sorrow, sickness, and
distress."

Mr. WEBSTER said, as their president, he was
proud to see the members of this association present
year after year, and always under favourable cir-
cumstances. It was always very delightful to find
that an institution of this kind, with regard to their
profession, was most liberally patronised by the
public, and it only wanted the members of the pro-
fession to join hand in hand, and heart in heart, to
carry this institution forward through its career till
it arrived at the highest summit of its prosperity.
This institution had its peculiarities; it was more
broad in its objects than any other institution they
had, seeing that it made provision for the sick, and
advanced money to take persons to their engage-
ments, thus enabling them to carry out honestly
the practice of the professien which they adopted.
He ,then called on Mr. Phillips to read the financial
statement.

Mr. R. a PHILLIPS then read the statement of
accounts, which showed an expenditure of £3Bl
Os 10d for the year ; and receipts by profit of
dinner, £124 18s 5d ; sick-fund payments, £lB2
18s lld ; contingency-fund payments, £24 2s ld ;
interest on capital, £3O 12s 4d; agency department,
£lB3 8s 9d ; making a total of £546 Os 6d; leaving
a profit of £16419s Bd. The cash in the bank at last
audit was £1,245 is 7d. Profit of the year (less
arrears), £77 2s Bd. Actual cash in bank, £1,322 4s
3d. The summary for the year showed the following
results :—Days of sickness administered tc, 576 ;
funeral allowances, 5 ; cases of distress relieved, 41;
loans on journeys, 50. He (Mr. Phillips) then
stated that these accounts showed that the institu-
tion was actually doing a large amount of good, and
incited those members of the profession still un-
connected with the society to Join it.
The CHAIRMAN then moved the adoption of the
accounts, and the motion was unanimously agreed to.
Captain DAMPIER moved the re election of the
present officers, and that the name of Mr. H, G.
Nevill be added to the committee.

Mr. MAY seconded the motion, and it was put
and carried.
Mr. LEWIS BALL moved that a vote of thanks be
returned to Benjamin Webster, Esq., the honorary
consulting counsel; T. J. Jer wood, Esq., honorary
solicitor; Peter Berrell, Esq., and R. P. Middle-
mist, Esq., honoraky surgeons ; I'. Roberts, hono-
rary dentist, and the other honorary officers of the
society.
The motion having been seconded by Mr. NEL-
SON LEE, was unanimously egreed to.
Dr. MIDDLEMIST briefly acknowledged the com-
pliment.
Mr. REDDICH moved a cordial vote of thanks to
the President, Mr. Webster.
Mr. CHURCHILL seconded the motion.

Mr. WEBSTER, briefly acknowledging the com-
pliment that had been paid to him, expressed the
great satisfaction ho felt at the progress the insti-
tution had made, and moved a vote of thanks to
Mr. Anson, who, he said, was not only the secre-
tary, but the founder of the institution.

The motion was carried by acclamation.
Mr. ANSON, in replying, thanked those present
for the cordial manner in which they had carried
this motion, and asked them, if he had ever appeared
over-zealous, that they would attribute it to his
anxiety for the institution. The society had un-
doubtedly done much good ; it had relieved the
theatres from begging petitions, which tended more
than anything to degrade the profession. He was
sure there would be no coolness in supporting the
institution if they all knew the undercurrent of
paverty running through the profession. Only a
few days ago four most distressing cases were pre-
sented to him for relief, and others were frequently
arising. Ho concluded by moving a vote of thanks
to the subscribers, which was carried by acclama-
tion.

On the motion of Mr. MAY, seconded by Mr.
JULLIAN, a vote of thanks was returned to the
committee of management and the auditors.
Mr. PHILLIPS, having on behalf of the committee
of management returned thanks, Messrs. Conway
and Johnson were elected auditors for the ensuing
year.

Mr.ltocHEz said this institution was for eques-
trians as well as for others, and he regretted that
he saw so few equestrians present. For twenty-
seven years he had practised that profession with-
out any accident and without coming on the funds
of any society, but on the 27th of Juno twelve
months ho went to bed well and awoke to find him.
self paralysed. He had a wife and daughter who
could jump 28 balloons, and she did it the other
night, and she only got 103. a week, so that he was
very thankful for the assistance ho got from the
society; without it he would have wanted food.
None of them knew how suddenly they might be
taken ill, and he recommended them to keep up
their subscriptions, although he hoped ho might
long see those arour.d him as well as they at that
moment appeared to be.
Mr. PLIMPTON moved, and Mr. CHURCHILL
seconded, a vote of thanks to the press, and it was
carried.

Mr. F. STUART then moved, and Mr. NELSON
LEE seconded, a vote of thanks to Mr. Edmund
Falconer for the use of the saloon in which the
meeting was held, and a vote of thanks was awarded
to the trustees.
Mr. NELSON LEE responded, assuring those pre-
sent that the undercurrent of distress which had
been spoken of did really exist in the profession,
and cited cases which had come under his own ob.
nervation, proving that such was the case. He
concluded by an earnest appeal to the profession to
join this institution, which. fittingly concluded the
business of the meeting.

THE GHOSTS of David Garrick nod Edmund
Kean are especially- c►lled upon to note the following an-
nouneeruent:—" Another French Shakspearean actor is
expected in London ere long—a M. .I.'aillade,; he has won
great favour by his representation of Macbeth in frcuch,
and will essay the 50,uv, chttruter ins Engl6h,"