The Sun.
London, England, 1849-01-16 00:00:00

THE SUN,

THE PROVIDENT CLERKS'
111 I-
U BENEFIT AND AIUI'UAL LIFE AS-
SURANCE ASsOCIATION.

The eighth annual General Meeting (f the mem-
bers of the Benefit Department of this Association
was held last evening, at six o'clock, at the London
Tamer❑, Bish(psgate-street. The attenthnce was very
large. Mr. Richard Henry Jones, the Chairman of
the Board of Directors, presided. Among those pre-
sent we noticed J. W. AVelch, Esq., Deputy-Chair-
man ; John Clark, Esq. ; W. S. Sawtill, Esq.; W.
J. Jordan, Esq.; S. Notley, ;S. Jepps, Esq.;
A. Dawson, Esq. ; J. Lintott, Esq.; W. Ratray, Esq.;
A. Since, Esq., P.R.S.; J. J. Iselin, Esq. ; Dr. Ray-
ner, E. J. Gidney, Esq., East Dearham, &c., &c.
Dr. MuLLINDER, the secretary, having read the
advertisement convening the meeting,
The CHAIRMAN said—Gentlemen, I am extremely
happy to meet you again for the eighth
time, and to congratulate you on the prosperous
state of the association, notwithstanding the
vast ameant of sickness that has prevailed
during the past year. It is at all times particularly
gratifying to my self and to your directors to meet
you ; hut that gratification is much enhanced when,
on the present occasion, as on all former occasions on
which we have had the pleasure of meeting you, we
are enabled to report that our business has progressed
in a great and rapid proportion to that transacted in
bygone years. I trust, therefore, when you have
heard the result of our labours during the past year,
that you will, as heretofore, be of opinion that those
exertions have been characterised by an earnest
and anxious desire to promote the prosperity of the
institution in the success of which we are all so
deeply interested.—(Cheers.) The Chairman than
read the report. of which the following is an ab-
stract :

" Notwithstanding the great commercial depression
and other causes, which have retarded the progress of
associations of this kind during the past ewentful year,
the board had much pleasure in announcing that this
it-sociation had considerably improved its position by a
great increase of members, from which it may be in-
t e rred that as the principles and objects become more
generally known, so they increase in attraction. During
the past year 525 proposals had been made to the asso-
ciation, amounting to 111,4601.; of which 409 had beers
accepted, 66 declined, 50 withdrawn and waiting further
intoreattion. 434 policies, representing 85,1101., had
be en issued during the year. Although much sickness
had prevailed, the board were happy to state that the
claims continue below the average rates, only eleven
deaths having occurred during the year, being claims to
the extent of 2,150/. Some of these deaths had been of
a very sudden nature. The board then called upon all
members to avail themselves of the power of nomi-
nating, whereby much expense and trouble was saved
to representatives. The annual income from pre-
mime had been increased by 2,3551., which, with
the interest on stock, amounts to about 8,9001. During
the past year the beard had the satisfaction of adding to
the funded property by purchasing 4,500/. Three-and. a-
Quarter per Cent. Stock, making the total standing in
tee 11:1111e$ of the trustees to be 15,0001. The repert
thee alluded to the first quinquennial division of profits
which took place during the year, and which was of so
satisfactory a nature as to give a reversionary bonus of
one per cent. per annum on the amount assured for the
period the policies heel been in force, or an equivalent
recuction of 33 per cent. on the premiums payable for
the next five years. At the meeting for the purpose of
communicating to the members the declaration of the
heard relative to the division of profits, an opinion was
expressed that the period which members should be as-
sured in or,!er to entitle them to participate should be
reduced ; the board, after taking the opinion of their
consulting actuary, determined to submit a proposition
on the subject to the members, at a meeting to be held
immediately after the annual meeting. At the last
annual meeting, the board called attention to the
favourable results produced by sending deputations
to the provinces, to make more generally known the
important advantages of the association, and during the
past year the same plan had been pursued by depute-
ns visiting Gloucester, Stroud, Monmouth, Newport,
Bris!ol, Norwich, &c. Public meetings had been held
at Liverpool, presided over by the worshipful mayor, T.
B. Borstal), Esq.; at Gloucester, by the worshipful
mayor, D. M. Walker, Esq.; and at Norwich by H. J.
Gurney, Esq.; and great interest was taken by those
gentlemen in promoting the objects of the association.
The report then alluded to the fact of four of the board
retiring, viz., Mr. S. Jeph, Mr. H. H. Jones, Mr. S.
Notle-y, and Mr. H. Price, by rotation, but being eligible,
offered themselves for re-election; and that a vacancy
having occurred through the retirement of Mr. J. J.
I elfin, Mr. J. Dankearts (Messrs. Anthony Gibbs and
Sons) being duly qualified, offered himself for election.
It concluded by stating, that while the board would con-
tinue their utmost exertions to promote the extension of
the association, they again begged to remind the mem-
bers that their hearty co-operation is required to aid
them in promoting its progress, and with such assistance
it must eventually become one of the most extensive and
uselul associations in the kingdom."

The reading of the document was interrupted at
several points by the applause of the members.
The CHAIRMAN proceeded—Gentlemen, it only re-
mains for me to propose " That the report now read be
adopted and printed for circulation, at the discretion of
the managers." Before, however, I submit this motion
for your approval I wish to offer a few remarks. I
wish much to press upon you the importance of your
carrying out the recommendation in the concluding
paragraph of the report in the spirit in which it
is made, for it is most essential and important,
I assure you that every individual member
should use his best exertions to accomplish the de,
sirable purpose which we have recommended. I wish
particularly to impress upon the members the neces-
sity- of taking a personal interest in promoting the
increased prosperity of the association, endeavouring
to induce their friends to follow their example, and to
become members. No one should imagine that his
individual exertions are of no avail for no one, I can
assure you, however humble he may consider his
influence, can tell how much he may accomplish if he
will only apply himself to the task. It has
fallen to my lot to advocate the question in many
quarters. A similar duty has devolved upon all the
managers ; and I may say that we have all been
astonished at the amount of success which has at-
tended those exertions.—(Hear, hear.) I wish
also particularly to call your attention to the
nomination clause. During the past year, as
stated in the report, many of the families of
deceased members have suffered great expense
on account of the deceased having neglected to
nominate. The process is simple, and so advanta-
geous, and saves so much trouble and expense, that it
is extraordinary any one should omit to attend to it.
A printed form is supplied on application at the office,
and you have merely to fill it up and send it back.
Its receipt is immediately acknowledged, and in case
of death, the party nominated receives the amount of
the policy without expense; but if this important
duty is neglected, the relatives of the de-
ceased member have to undergo all the ceremony
incidental to proving a will in the Prerogative Court,
which I need not tell you entails great expense upon
the parties who are compelled to apply to that court,
and seeing the evils occasioned by the omission of
this duty by the members,l wish to press upon you to
adopt at once so desirable a privilege.—(Hear.) In
the report allusion is made to deputations to the pro-
vinces. I have had the happiness of forming
a member of some of them, and, in the words of the
report, I may say, that the interest and satisfaction
created in the places we visited with respect to the
association have been very great, and the results not
less pleasing. I see a gentleman before me who, at
the last meeting, urged the directors to advocate the
association strongly in Liverpool, as a very
large field was there open ; the directors had
previously had their attention turned to that vast
district; but the suggestion to which I
refer has not been lost sight of. As regards
our agencies, we are using every exertion to obtain
the services of gentlemen of talent, energy, and re-
spectablility, for without such qualifications an agent
is merely a nominal person. We are anxious that
those, over whom we have not that personal control
which we should possess more strongly in London,
should be persons of undoubted character and influ
ence. This has been an important and essential fea-
ture in our recent visits tolathe provinces. Whilst on this
subject, it may not be inopportune to mention that Mr.
Joseph Townsend, an agent at Bristol, a gentleman
whose name will stand high with us, as one of
the warmest supporters of the 'association, has been
compelled to give up his agency, in consequence of his
business not enabling him to give that attention to it
which he has heretofore. J will merely mention
what has been done by his individual exertions. his
first remittance in March, 1845, was 61. odd for the
quarter; his last remittance for the quarter was 2601.
Now here is a strong instance of what can be done by
individual exertions, and I bring Mr. Townsend for-
ward in this matter because he has served us so well,
and because he has ceased to be our agent, and I do
not wish to part with him without giving credit for
The great exertions he has made. At the same time,
he has expressed his intention to continue to do every-
thing in his power to promote the increased pros-
perity of the association in his locality.—(Cheers.) I
am happy to say that we have appointed a very
able gentleman as his successor. It is, perhaps,
invidious to mention Mr. Townsend except in
relation to his retirement, as one among other
agents deserving of particular notice ; at parting,
however, both they and the members will see the
justice of the terms in which I have spoken of that
gentleman.—(Cheers.) In order to show you the
importance of life assurance, I will read you a letter
which we have received this morning. I presume all
of you are assured, but if there are any of you who
hive
not availed yourselves of the benefit of life
assurance in conuexiou with this association—if
there are any here who have not taken the wise
precaution of nicking some
pro vibion for the
future I would urge upon them the necessity
of 'doing so. No one present can answer for a MO•