The Sun.
London, England, 1862-02-28 00:00:00

PROVIDENT CLERKS' BENEVOLENT

FUND.

ANNiTAL MEETING.

The 21st Annual Meeting of the the Provident Clerks'
Benevolent Fund, No. 15, Moorgate-street, was held on
Wednesday evening, at.tho London Tavern, Bishopmgate-
street,
Tilb.uAs BAILING, Esq., M.P., one of the trustees, oecu-
pied the chair.

-
The adVertisentEnt ConVeraing the meeting having been
read, the chairman called upon the secretary (Mr. Linford)
to read the annual report, which was as follows
The tloald Mahkgehient heg to present to the members
and friends of this fund their 21st Annual Report, which it
affords them much gratification to state is of an extremely
favourable Character. The income for the year lBfl 1 had
been as follows I—Donations 21 55., annual subscriptione,
.C 5 ?8, ditto of ss. and upwards, from Assurers being clerks,
£732, total, £1,281 ss. ; net proceeds of the dinner in May
last, £2 593 17s. lid, biter-est, dividends, &c.,£889 17s. Bd.
Total, £4,765 Os. id.
The very handsome sum realised by the dinner, which was
held on the 30th May last, under the presidency of the Right
Hon, the 1.46 rd Mayor, will, doubtless, be remarked with
satisfaction by the members. It will be remembered that,
with a view to assist and strengthen the efforts of the board
on behalf of this valuable fund, a personal appeal was ad-
dressed to every member, earnestly soliciting his co-opera-
tion. 't he result of this appeal has been in the highest
degree gratifying, not only from the pecuniary results, but
from the kindly feeling exhibited among the members at
large, which the board desire to acknowledge most cor-
dially, and the encouragement,thus afforded to the board in
their owu exertions. Several cases of immediate and press-
ing necessity have come before the board during the past
year, and the sum of £245 25., has been expended in gra-
tuities towards assisting the applicants in their need. Pur-
suant to the resolution of,'the annual general meeting on
the 6th February, 1. 8610114aption_orlumuitants took place._
on the 28th of May fat, when. the-following were elected, viz:
—one clerk to an annuity of £3O, one widow to an annuity of
£2 two widows to annuities of £l5 each, making atotal of
£BO per annum. Three annuities of £l5 each have fallen, in
during the past year; one by death, one by the re-marriage
of the annuitant, and one from the voluntary relinquish-
ment of the annuity by the widow receiving it, in conse-
quence of an improvement in her circumstances. There
are now upon the fund 11 clerks aril 48
lailt9ronpaelrannuites be granted, viz.,
tdows of clerks; A resolution to the
annum,wTidho ,
ewtoawrhdon.aorwe
tr we co receivingmcl
emrkerecommend
dcaontl
hldeactst
xev
iegw
hy
above effect will be submitted to the',rneeting. The board
trust that the striking evidence which the accounts of the
past year exhibit of the results that can be achieved when
their exertions are cordially supported ,by the members,
will, for the future, secure a continuance of that support.
The CIIAIRMA.N; in moving the adoption of the report,
said he had been most unexpectedly ',called upon to preSide
wovoerrthy the meeting
treasurer
John Abel 'Smith,
Esq. In fulfilling that post his duty was one of a Very
agreeable and easy character, inasmuch as he had only
andyhonourable the unavoidable absence 'of their
frien ,' d
to congratulate the members of the society on the great
success which had attended their operations. After an
existence of twenty years and upwards, the insti-
tution had now arrived at a state of maturity, which
he hoped firmly established its futuie prosperity. The
necessity for such an association was abundantly proved
by the great advantages which accrued' froni it. He need
hardly tell them' that it had the effect of encouraging
amongst its members that spirit of frukalityand providence
which was the best- guarantee for independence in after
life. One great'principle in the working of this institution
was, that it granted loans to members who, from misfor-
tune, and-not from fraprovidence, were rirdtaced t) tempo-
rary want, and it was gratifying to learn that the large sum
which had been so advanced had been -apPlied in such a
manner that the lessee incurred had 'been very trifling in-
deed. As he-hed been amongst the earliest promoters of
the institution, he was extremely happy io see it established
on so secure and permanent a basis:' He regretted a
previous engagement-prevented him the Pleitsure 'of re-
maining with them to the close .-of their -proceedings,
and therefore after formally moving' the adoption Of the
report, he would airk their valued- friend, Mr. Richard
Jones, to take the chair he was compelled, to vacate.
Mr. H. JONES having complied with the request, said
before putting the Motion for the adoption of the' report, as
it was the anniversary of the 21st year of the existence of the
fund, a few words fronatim would not be out of place. In the
first place he wished to direct the attention of the meeting
to what had been done. During the time the fund had
been in existence they had spent no less a sure than £2,000
in gratuities, which had been of the greatest benefit tithes°
it had been given--(cheers)—and above £9,000 ingranting
annuities. , (Cheers.) . Such facts spoke for: themselves.
Those gentlemen's present who had attended• the public
dinner at the end* of the month of : 'May: • last
year would, perhaps, recollect that "when lie had,
the honour of addressing them on behalf of the bend-
,
volent fund he urged:l-Viral:a- to !wliberal in their donations,
as it would perhaps be the means of increasing the number
of annuitants at their next election. (Hear.) That appeal
was most generously responded to, and now they had the
satisfaction of hearing that in place of the number usually
elected the directors had been enabled to double it, by
electing eight annuitants instead of four. (Cheers.) The
directors had also lent out during the past year a consider-
able sum in loans from £25 and under amongst the mem-
bers who had stood in need of temporary assistance; and
he was happy to find that those loans had been punctually
repaid with very trifling loss. The directors knew that the
money had been,of the greatest assistance to those who had
had it, and he had only now to urge them in the strongest
manner to go on and prosper in the good work they had
undertaken. (Cheers )

The adoption of the report was then put to the meeting,
and carried unanimously.
Mr. WELCH, deputy-chairman of the Life Assurance
Branch, in moving the next resolution, said no one could
feel more gratified at the announcement which it made than
he did, as it was more especially the chairman and himself
that became acquainted with the distresses of the applicants
for relief. The communications were received in the most
confidential manner. and the unfortunate circumstances
with which they were made acquainted were never allowed
to pass out of the board-room. (Hear, hear.) When he
found by the resolution that it was proposed to add two
clerks and six widows to their annuitants, which would
then amount to 67—(cheers)--he thought every one of them
would go home that night, feeling a delight and pleasure
that they had contributed towards the aid of those who
stood in need of assistance. (Cheers.) He thought that
every one must feel a pleasure in administering to the wants
()Pothers, and the clerks, respected as they were as a body,
were no exception to the general rule, for some of them
could not tell how soon misfortune and sickness would over-
take them. In such a necessity what substantial assistance
did not the benevolent fund hold out to them. (Cheers.)
He knew that some objected to the proposed assistance, as
it looked like receiving charity, but to those he said it was
not so ; it was an independent fund, to which they had con-
tributed in health, and to which in sickness or distress they
had a right to ask for assistance. (Cheers.) Then again,
with respect to the facility with which members obtain
loans from it. He knew an instance where a highly respect-
table clerk obtained a loan of £25 to apprentice his son,
which he honourably and punctually paid, and then in a
short time after he again applied for a similar loan for the
same purpose, which was granted. He did not think that
that looked as if he thought the fund was a charity. (Hear,
hear.) He looked upon it as an independent fund, where
all could go as a right, rather than run the risk of getting
a refusal and the cold shoulder from his friends or acquain-
bt aanr
ic ea
ss e Cth
the
eh
ex. s.
fu) n
dAs
was ma
all
tnhs.
to f
cmo
tile edt i nbge t ewmi
sphoer ad r(Tr emre-
quired, and he urged the clerks of the metropolis to give it
their best and most energetic support. Many might not
stand in need of its assistance, but then they ought to come
forward and support it as a principle, and also for those
who had not been so advantageously placed in the world.
(Cheers.) He begged to move that eight additional an-
nuitants, viz., two clerks and six widows of clerks, be
added to the number of annuitants, which would then
amount to 67. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. COLEMAN felt great pleasure in seconding the reso-
lution. He thought the amount annually given as annui-
ties ought to be a sufficient stimulus for the clerks as a
body to come forward and supportde
smft
ort
irhegnehgbt
meetingt ehbn strength.
n(vligo lmefe a
roni
forth,
t fund.misfortune
etandunahear.)
.e)
None
twhwas
eT sphwreoohpfri
resolution
while we
ewtl miumet
icpeooontushslwede
rsaetssefe
oldclraehwr
rethioaeal
dptt
hr
uao dayanvnai
dnimously.
Mr. JEPP.Sp., moved 3
r. thatv .G.
t 4; thanksrbeessetot t
and Baron
given to the trustees, Mr. T. Baring, m.p., Mr. Thomson
llh
md
ee
Roths-
child, ei nob s
il tgh
cand l‘ k,
eYL
m
P ; and to Mr. John Abel Smith, the treasurer.
Mr. PRICE said no gentleman in the meeting could
second that resolution with more pleasure than ho did.
(Cheers.) Mr. John Able Smith was their kindest and
best friend. (Hear, hear.) He had been very ably seconded
by the trustees, but had it not been for the untiring energy
and powerful assistance of their valued treasurer, they would
never have reached their present prosperous position.
(Hear, hear.)
The CHAIRMAN said it only remained for him to add his
mite of praise, and that was, that all the gentlemen richly
deserved everything they could afford to give them (Hear.)
The resolution was carried unanimously.
A vote of thanks was returned to the press for the sup-
port it had given to this institution, and to the chairman
for his constant attention to the interests of the fund.
The CHAIRMAN briefly acknowledged the compliment,
and the meeting terminated.

REDUCTION IN COLLIERS' WAGES.—The colliery
proprietors in the neighbourhood of Wigan have given no-
tice to their hands of a reduction of 10 per cent. in their
wages, this step having been rendered necessary;they state,
by the general depression of trade, and of the coal trade in
particular, and by the reduction in colliers' wages in other
districts. The notices will expire next week. At present
the men seem inclined to accept the reduction as a ne-
cessity.