The Sun.
London, England, 1847-01-19 00:00:00

1311 0 VIDEN T_CLERK S' MUTUAL.
LENT: IT ASSi6CIAT.IOI.s.
FUND.
_11:e sixth annual. general meeting of the members of the
'! volent department of this excellent•aseeciat ion was held
at the London Tavern last evening, at six o'clock.
John Abel Smith, Esq.. M.P., the treasurer of the 'bene-
volent fund, presided.
Amongst those present we observed. Mr. B. Jones, Mr,
t. Clarke,. Mr. W. J. Jordan, Mr.' J. J; r. S. Jepps,
•!Ir• C. Lloyd, Mr. W. Maitland, Mr. H. P. 1: . "Mr. S.
Ssotlev, Mr. B. Price, Mr, .W. S. Saw-tell, Mr. . W:Welch,
gr. Cr. Thomas, and a number of other gentlemen. There
was a numerous attendance.'
Dr. T. MuLLANDER, the secretary, having read the
adver-
tisement convening the meeting,
Mr. R. HeJeexas proceeded to read the report of the Pro-
ceedings of- the association during the preceding year, of
which the- following is an abstract :
It is with no. ordinary feelings-.of pleasure that -the
managers meet the members at the ead of the sixth year of
the association to present' their report of the progress that
has been made in the year just closed. The report for the
• Year 1845 was received. with many :marks of satisfaction, but
oft the present occasion the managers have the gratification
to announce that the amount assured for the-year 1846 'has
been morethan double that for 1845. In 1845 there were
issued 211 policies for sums amounting to 33,6504 while in
the year 1846 the number of policies has been 374, aggregat-
ing 69,200/., being more than two-thirds of the whole busi-
ness previously done the association, 1845 included.
The number of proposals fee assurance made to the nee:
• sociation during the year 1846 were 484, of which 39 have
been declined, 42 deferred for a time, and 9 withdraWn. It
Was not only in the increased number of assurances effected,
but in the increased average amount assured, that the
managers have to congratulate the meeting. ,
While the managers are able to announce so great an in-
crease of prosperity, they are also happy to say that the number
of deaths has been remarkably small. Last year they had to
report the death of one assurer for -1004 and this year they
have to announce four more—three for 1,00/. each,
and one for 2001., making the entire amount of 'clairna• since
the formation of the association, in 1840, to be 6021. upon
flee assurances; all which claims had been proinptly paid.
The managers also reported that now almodt• all , the
large towns had an efficient and- zealous agent, which led
the managers to believe- that a large accession of members
would be made through- their instrumentality. The board
being at all times desirous of affording inforMation to mem-
' "-bers,hoth in-town and country, deputed the deputy- chair-
man, Mr.- R. H. Jones; and the secretary to proceed to Bris-
tol and Birmiughem, in September and October last,-for the
purpose of holding public meetings and affording explana-
tions as to the objects and progress of the association.
At the former place they were honoured with the pre-
sence of P. F. Aiken, Esq.; banker; in the chair ; and at
the latter place Richard Spooner, • Esq., M.P. and banker,
presided, both meetings having passed off in the most satis-
factory manner. The cause of the association
having been ably advocated by the gentlemen present,
the managers are daily receiving evidence of the good re.
sults consequent upon these meetings. ,By the balance-
sheet, which had been duly audited by,three - members, it
appeared that the income of this branch: of the association
Was now- about 5,000/., derived from premiums and divi-
dends, being nearly double that of lest year; and that
2,700/. Three-and-a-Quarter per Cent. stock had been in•
vested during the past year, in the names of' the trustees,
making the total accumulations to be 8,000/. Three-and- a-
Quarter per Cent. stock, besides the lease of the house, .42,
Moorgate-street, and the cash balances in the banker's
bands. The report then• referred to the fact 'of forir man-
agers going out by rotation, but who offered themselves for
re-election, sad of the intention of the hoard to increase their
number and filling up a vacancy which.had occurred by re-
signation. • -The report then calledupon the members to use
their best endeavours to make the year 1847 surpass all
former ones; and, after. an engagement on the part of the
managers to continued-exertion, concluded with the follow-
• ing extract from the speech- of the Right Hon. the Earl of
Dalhousie, when proposing "Prosperity to the Association,"
at the public dinner, in May, 1846:—"And-the society has
this-recommendation, that there are none whose means are
so.small but that they may obtain advantage from it. No
- man is so poor, no clerk so humble, but may join in order to
-provide for the wants of the future by contributing towards'
its-funds, which will be fostered and cherished, and paid to
the uttermost farthliag: -Such associations are of the greatest
value in this country, whose yearly increase in wealth rivals
r and surpasses .that. of princes.... And permit me to- say,: that
'which I take the liberty of recommending to -yonand- others.
of-our humble brethren is not that which I d.o not practise
Myself- I• de not preach. other than I practise. 'I feel the
full value of what can be done by mutual assurance:: - •
•• • Both the report and the balance-sheet were received with
• the warmest demonstrations of applause. •
Mr. Joints intimated that Mr. G.,Thomas, who had re-
signed the office of deputy chairman, and Who- had offered
himself for re-election-as one .of the managers of the institu-
tion, had, since the passing of the , report, ,sent in hie re-
signation. .
The CuintmAN said, now they had beard the•teport, it
became his duty- to propose it for tbeir.adoption in the usual
'laay-- -The time. had arrived when any one who had any ob-
servations to make would be pleased to do so. -
• • Mr..L..Buzix expressed a desire to have some eXplanation
from the directors with respect to the resignation of Mr.
Thomas of the office of deputy chairman of the association.
Such an explanation appeared to him requisite, in order that
those unacquainted with the circumstances -might- be in-
formed why they had lest the valuable services _of a gentle-
man evho;tinring the time he held' the office-of -chairman,
promoted. the interests of the institution to the fullest extent
it his power? e
' The Cuaitimix said, of course he could not- :speak as the
organ of the board, of which he was not' a member. He
. simply appeared before them as the chairman of that meet-
ing- But he was quite sure that the Hon. Gentleinan, on
reflection, would be of opinion that, requesting such infor-
mation either from him or the board, was -a -very erroneous.
way of obtaining, information, especially as Mr. Thomas
himself was present.—(Hear, hear.) No person could
• answer such a questien better than Mr. Thomas himself.
Mr. Txt-i3Lks rose, and expressed- his readiness. to enter
generally. into the subject :of. his resignation if the meeting
wished him to do so. (The meeting signified •their wish to
have such explanation from him.) The first unpleasantness
that occurred to him in connexion with the in.stitutiOnWis an
attempt on the part of the secretary to assume the'exclusive
right of disputing the payment of one of the policies of a de-
ceased member of the eociety. This; was an assumption of
which he at once expressed his disapprebition, be-
cause he contended, that every inquiry ought
to , made into the right and legality of a
cl • to insure With the institution previously
• granting his policy, and not • after his, death.—
(Cheers.) In short, that little, or, in fact, no, Opportunity
should be left, when he had passed away, and when. he had
died in the full belief that his widow or children would de-
rive a stated advantage from it, for raising objections to its
paymente--(Cheers.) This was especially more objection-
able, when the secretary, their servant, claimed the right of
so deciding without giving the board an opportunity of de-
termining whether'the objections, raised to its payment were
• valid. or not. He did net knoW whether that principle now
prevailed, but it did at the time to which he referred. This
was one of the reasons, and he at once stood against it, be-
.. lieving that in doing so he should promote. the interests of
the institution.—(Hear.) Ile should not have considered
that he had, discharged his duty properly if he had not done
so, and consequently showed his aptness for the position in
which they had placed him.—(llear.) The secretary, how-
ever, subsequently apologised for considerable rudeness of
which he was guilty towards him on that occasion. Another
_ inducement was . certain information which was com-
municated to him, in his capacity as chairman of. the board,
reflecting ;upon the secretary, which,' as was . his duty,
he communicated to his colleagues; but instead of entertain-
ing and investigating the matter, whiCh was confidently and
,•
.privately.cOmmunieated to them, it was committed to their
• •minutes where the.secretary "of course had an opportunity of
,
seeing it, and of course connectinghis (Mr. 'Thomas's) name
with it. They refused to 'make an investigation, and allowed
the whole responsibilitY bf the matter' to rest with hire;froin
whom, it had emanated. As a ' proof that he hid no really
,ill-feeling towards 'Di. Muliinder, he might state that the.
present secretary Was a candidate, but rejected; but as the
• gentlemen who was elected did' not continue in the service of
• the institution logger than two months, . Dr. Mullinder
offered himself as a candidate, and having joinedd-the board,
he voted'for hiM bee-alio' he 'found by his testiMonials that
lie vpssessed that zeal and that ability which the, association
required::(Liid. cheers)—and When he had iieenin. the ser-
vice of the:conipatty nine months,- he was amongst the 'first
.to propose the increase of his salary. If he'Aul.tuly feelings
at all with resPeet 'to him, they were decidedly in favour of
,serving him, and he 'should adopt the 'same course with re-
, • . epect to 'the offiCers of any institution with which he
was connected, provided their conchict deserved it.—(Hear.)
Hie third reason' was 'certain insulting obSeriationa which
. were made by the Secretary' 'in a dining-robin;as to his con-
duct as the chairman of the institution, in the course of which
he (Dr. Mullinder) stated something about instituting an in-
d:ctment against him (Mr. T.) at the Old Bailey for in-
juring his character. He communicated this t 6 'the 'present
chairman of the association, but that matter, like
' • the others, had not been inquired into ; 'therefore, for the
last; en or :eleven eleven months, he had taken-no part in the
. - • management of the affairs 'of the institution, believing that
• the intercourse of rechainnen, if he did his duty properly,
must be more frequent with the secretary than any other
member of the court, and that, in-such a state of things,
any intercourse which might take place between, them could
e.
not, on such terms,' prove beneficial •to the' association. -If
was true his name had been published in -the 'list of candi-
dates for the vacant directorship, but he did so in the hope
that the other managers' *Mild consider ' such inquiries
doe to. one who was one of the principal *promoters'
of the institution.—(A' Director: "I deny
,that," and
cries of ," No, ne, he was not.") Re repeated that
. lie was one of the principal promoters of the' inStitu-
, Um; as the list of attendances at the board would
show ; but finding that. they had no intention of making
such an' inquiry, he had felt it- his duty to withdraw. He
thought in promoting the institution -that he had done great
' service to a large class of clerks, who had before dose nothing
• • for themselvei, and he had never sought any compensation
• for the serviceS he had rendered.
The CHAIRMAN saidL-I have no proper right to rise now,
• • ' because there are probably soinc- other gentlemen who may
wish to address you; but 1 fairly tell you that I rise with the
• object of encouraging instead of preventing, discussi a,.—
• (Hear,) I e o not think there is a single peniOn in the le om
but who will give me credit for entertaining a sincere interest
in the prosperity of the institution-:(Loud cheers)—and I
• believe it is equally true, -that there is no person but who
will agree with me—at least that there is nothing in the
ee, puts which appears. to have. existed between Mr.
Thomas and the other • managers of the institution,
• .• •
which can influence My judgment • at all (Hear)-e
-inasmuch as I can hardly be conceived to be otherwise than
indifferent to the result, so far as I am concerned, whatever it
may be. _ I have lent one object, and one object only in view,
namely, the good of the institution ; and if it ever did ap-
pear clear ,in my life tjDitscliffe'retices tied disputes are disad-
vantages, -and injurious to institutions of this kind, and that
. the appearance of, them in plebe, is also injurious, and disad-
vantageousand difficult to repair, I :inn more forcibly cen-
.
• , vinceel of the correctness of such an opinion on this occasion.
. . • L.-would -lie ,e,.a foreign to propriety, as it would be to my
intentions, to ofterin opinlen, either one way or the other,
. 051 the subject. of the differences between Mr. Thomas and
_ the other managers, but I know enough of life to be satisfied
that there are always two-sides to every story.—(Cheers.) I
am of opinion, and I presume you will agree with me, that it
• would be better to suspend any ()Pinion on the facts stated by
Mr. Thomas until proper inquiries havabeen made into them.
"--(Cheers,) I came here preparedeand am quite ready to
, devote any portion of time that may be rquired' to promote
the advantage of the institution.--(Cheers.), But it does
night gthhtis thattiiti
occur to me, that if we were to remain here till to-morrow
e‘ir'eenscehould not arriVe-
at an satiesfactory solution
of opinion or any decided opinion with
• respect Veit. One coterie is appears preferable to adopt. I
think it is due, not only to Mr,:rhomas, but still -more, if
Poesible, to the members of the .boaid, that- inquiry,sbould
take place
; but that is. a task which cannot be performed
this evening. An inquiry should be made-by a committee
Appointed by the members to investigate and to report the
result. —Meat%)
until they Imllst 'h f ea, Ko, ask the gentlemen who
sit around. me to submit to
,imputations for a short time,
have ,an opportunity Of explaljAng • DelieVLIP

TR

•-•
as I do, that this institution has flourished most marvellously
rivi-r-fsirly concede •that, some thanks and gra- ;
tialuedare Ouse; yVli6 La;.:,..4ltokataati it 3
meat; =dal-tope •that,that justice. will be dohe tltem which
they IPive iiot.to exp&t, and 'pain worsts only, but, in
facts,- That is.-Lhe Lest advice I can •give you,
partiality to. out sideOr the other, I leave it to you to adopt,;
or. reject it.--,(Cheers. ) •
Mr. GILKS thought some ex,plariation ought to be given
to show why the policy. in question was suSpellded:
Mr. Tito3Lts said it was not -suspended.
• A•DlnEcron,lt Wu_ paia under discount.
Mr. Guas seemed apprehensive lest there should-be tiny
misunderstanding on the matter, and said that if the stite-
ment•of Mr. Thomas was true, his widow, if he should die,
might be deprive.l of the amount of his policy. - -
The CRAIRUAN said they ;could not all fail to be of-opinion
that they must:either do one thing or the other-•—they,tuust;
either go into the, investigation; or, delegate the task to a
committee, _ He was in their bands. -If they went into one
part of the charges and not into another, they would commit
an injust;ce.
Mr. GILKES expressed his wish to Abide by: the decision-of

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