The Sun.
London, England, 1849-05-17 00:00:00

SERVANTS' PRO-VIDE:NT AND
EENEvoLENT SOCIETY.
One of the Isrgest and most respectably attended
meetings psihaps ever held in the same locality, took
place 3 esterday afternoon at the Hanever-square Rooms,
for the purpose of furthering the objects of the above
institution. Fur some time before the hour appointed
far the meeting great crowds 2Fs(mbh d in the neigh-
hood, attracted by the announcement thst his Royal
Highness Prince Albert intended honouring the meeting
by Lis presence; and shortly after two o'clock, when the
doors were opened, the room in which the aeiemblage
collected was thronged in every part, the great majority
of the audience being ladies.
Ills Poyal Highness Prince Albert arrived a little
after three o'clock, and his appearance on the platform
was hailed by a universal demonstration of respect and
applause on the part of the immense concourse of persons
present.
plat-
form arid at the meeting were—Lord John Russell, the
Amongst the distinguished individuals on the
Marquis of Westminster; Lords Ashley, Effingham,
Adair, and Fielding; the Archbishop of Cant' rbury; the
Bishops ot Oxford, Exeter, London, Salisbury, Chi
chester; Aiclidefecons Manning and Wilberforce; Sir T.
Acland, Sir 11. Duleinfield, lion. Colonel Phipps, M.
Guizor, Messrs. Philips, Acland, Colquhoun, &C.
His Royal Highness Prince ALBERT, en taking the
chair, as soon us the applause which greeted his rising
was hushed, addressed the meeting as follows:—Ladies
and gentlemen, the object for which we have met here
this day is not one of charity, but one for the purpose of
affording friendly assistance and advice to a large and
important class of our fellow-countrymen, the
domestic servants of this empire. Where is the
heart that does not feel the deepest interest in the
welfare of domestic servants, or who does not sympa-
thise with those who minister to us in ell the wants
of daily life; who tend us in sickness, who re-
ceive us on our first appearance in this world, and ex-
tend their care even to our mortal remains—(Hear, hear)
who live nadir our roofs, and form part of our house-
hold and fumily.—(Applause.) And
yet 'on inquiry I
find that a great part of the inmates of the workhouses
of this metropolis is formed of domestic servants. I am
quite sure that startling as this fact is, it is no proof of
want of liberality and kindness on the part of masters,
or of vice on the part of servants, but the natural cen•
sequence of the peculiar Position in which the latter
are placed. During a considerable portion of their lives
they share in all the expenses of their opulent masters;
at other periods they have not the means even of sus-
tpoecduaria.; v(ihCiesasrii hear.) It
vicissitudes which
some
life safe from the
eough
makes it the duty both of masters and servants to try to
is cover and
may
plan by which domestic
servants
itsaitthdeng cotnhesirdaesrealyteieshfreofmday these
temptations of a prosperous, and from the sufferings of
d agbreee canted upon
an evil day.—(Hear, hear.) On that account I rejoice
in this meeting—(Cheers)—and I gladly consented to
take the chair at it—(Cheers)--to assist the objects of
the Servants' Provident and Benevolent Soeiety. Ladies
and gentlemen, I feel convinced that this society is based
upon a right principle, as it follows the dictates of a cor-
rect appreciation ot human nature, which requires every
one, by his own exertions, to work out his own happiness
—(Cheers)—which prevents us from valuing, nay, from
feeling satisfied, with a prosperity which others have
made for us. It is based upon a right principle, because
it endeavours to trace out a plan according to which, by
proviious self-denial, providence, and perseverance,
nut only is the servant raised in his physical and'
moral condition, but the master is taught how
to direct his efforts so as to aid his servants in acquiring
resources which shall bo sufficient to sustain them in
sickness, old age, and in want of employment.—(llear.)
It is based upon a sight principle, because it does not
hold out a temptation to servants either by the prospect
of possible extravagant advantages which would tend to
transform their providence into a species of gambling;
or by convivial meetings, which would lead them to ulte-
rie r expense; or by a system of ballotting for a few
prizes, which would draw them into all the waste of time
and excitement of an electioneering contest.—(llcar.)
Such are the characteristics of many institutions on
which domestic servants and a portion of the
other industrial classes in the country mainly
depend; and what can be more heartrending
than to see the breaking of banks and the failure of
such institutions, which not only mar a man's pros-
and plunge him of a sudden into the depths
pects for life,
of destitution, but which tend also to destroy in others
all confidence in the honesty or the wisdom of those
who have induced them to risk in such institutions the
advantages of their providence.—(Hear, hear.) Let
if they will embark their funds
them consider well that
in such institutions—if they will heye convivial
se_v
esc
l _meet.
lags—if they will claim for them 1 s tare in the
—they cannot do so without
government of
risking their future happiness and that of their families.
Let theist bear in mind that their savings are capital, and
that capital
will only
bear a certain rate of interest,
re which is held out to them beyond
and that any advantage which
be purchased by a corre-
sponding risk of
est can i
the capital itself. The advantages
which are held out by
the financial scheme of this so-
ciety are based upon the credit of the country at large and
the faith of the Government.—(Cheers.) It is regulated
by an Act of Parliament called the Deferred Annuities
Act. Its principles are shortly these—That, according
to the tables which I have here before me, anybody
whose income does not exceed 150/., may, by a small
instalment, purchase an annuity, to be deferred for not
less than ten years, but which after that period may
begin at any time the depositor may choose to name.
One annuity cannot be more than 30t., but a depositor
may purchase distinct annuities for his wife and chil-
dren, the latter being fifteen years old. Should he wish
at any time to withdraw hisj deposits they will be re-
turned tO him, provided the withdrawal takes place
before the annuity commences. Should he die before
that period, his deposits will be returned to his heirs,
and the only loss he can sustain will bo the interest on
the money deposited.—(Hear.) Although this wise and
beneficent measure was enacted so far back as the
third year of the reign of William IV., I am grieved
to find that during tho whole of that period only 700
persons had availed themselves of its provisions. I can
discover no reason for this, except that tho existence of
this Act and its provisiobs are not generally known, and
that people are afraid of law and Acts of Parliament—
(Laughter and cheers)—which frequently cannot be
understood on accout of their complicated and technical
wording.—(Hear, hear.) I have heard another reason
stated, to which, however, I cannot attach much credit.
It is said that servants are afraid that the knowledge of
their being able to purchase annuities out of the savings
from their wages may induce masters to reduce their
wages. But I have a better opinion of the disposition
of the masters—(Loud cheers)—and I am convinced
that, on the contrary, nothing tends more to counteract
the liberality of masters than the idea—which is
not altogether unfounded —that an increase in their
wages sometimes leads to extravagance.—(Hear, hear.)
To make this Act of Parliament more generally known
to the public at large is ono of the main objects of this
meeting; and one of the objects of this society is to
form a medium by which servants may acquire for them-
selves the benefits which are held out by this Act of
Parliament free of all trouble, risk, and costs.—(Cheers.)
Another object is to establish a home for female ser-
vants when out of employment, the usefulness and im-
portance of which hardly requires a single word of
commendation on my part. It is also proposed to
establish model lodging-houses fur men servants who
do not lodge with their masters, and to establish a re-
gistry for servants iu general. Anybody who is ac-
quainted with Use inconvenience and annoyance
of the general system of obtaining characters of
servants will see at once how useful and important it
must be to introduce a system by which both the
servant, on the one hand, may be protected from the
ruin which the caprice of a single master, with
whomhe
may have stayed perhaps only for a short
Ilmtet:would
e other,
hem upon him, and to protect the master, on _
hem the risk which a character obtained from
_a former
weak master by the importunities of an undeserving
servant will expose him to.—(Cheers.) It is not a small
boon we confer upon a servant when we enable him to
appeal to the records of a long and faithful service in
order to redeem himself from the disqualification which
a single fault might otherwise bring upon him.--.(Cheers.)
If we succeed iu drawing attention to these different
points, and make the public generally aware of them, I
am convinced that we shall have the satisfaction of
having materially uidcd a most interesting class, which
I find, by the lest census taken in this country, to be
among the most numerous of the population. Ills Royal
Ilighne. a concluded by calling upon the treasurer to lay
before the meeting more particular de
tin s on the poi
nts
on which he addressed them.
Mr. CHESTER then read the report, which entered at
great length into statistical details with reference to the
number of servants in the various union workhouses in
the London diettiet, as well as the progress which the
present society ha I made during to two years of is
existence; which had been most prosperous and encou-
raging. The additional c xpenditure which they had in-
curred had been caused by the necessity
giving greater
publicity to the objects of the society. The society had
become incorporated with one which had already existed
for fourteen years on specific terms, and it was proposed
to establish model lodging•houses for male and female
servants out of place, and also a registry. °face, in
addition to the other benefits of the associa-
tion. Want of space prevents us from giving
any more details of the report. The principal
object of the society was to enable them to purchase
Government annuities as the only safe and sound
sytem of procuring annuities for old age. The report
concluded in the following words:—" The object of this
society, and the principles and system on which it is con-
structed, are duly appreciated by servants; and it re-
mains only to be Neu whether the public at large will
effectually support the benevolent fund, and enable the
directors to accomplish the important objects for which
that fund has been created. The aims of the society are
by no means limited to the improvement of the physical
condition of the servant—we desire to promote the true
interests of servants in ail respects, and to develop°
among all classes of her Majesty's subjects in this king-
dom a true idea of the relation between master and
all
servant.
Servants, obey inthings your masters
recording to the flesh; not with eye service as men
pleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God; and
whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lard, and not
unto men. Masters, give unto your servants that which
is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in
Heaven.'— Col. chap. iii., 22, 23; iv., 1."
Lord J. RUSSELL, in moving the adoption of the first
resolution, said it might be thought that he was not
very well calculated to explain the objects of that
society ; but, seeing that they had already heard from
his Royal Highness Prince Albert the very best pos-
sible summary that could be given—(lleer, hear)—
of the objects and utility of that society, and also from
the report of the treasurer the must interesting matter
of those objects, he would confine his statement briefly
to what appeared to him some of the principal benefits
which that society would confer. It appeared that no
less than 970,000 persons belonged to tlio class of do-