The Sun.
London, England, 1846-11-12 00:00:00

LONDON FRIENDL

TION.
The twenty-second annual general meeting of this
society was held on Tuesday night in the City of London
Literary and Scientific Institution, Aldersgate-street.
J. Masterman, Esq., one of the Members for the City,
presided, supporied by Mr. Alderman and Sheriff
Challis.

The CHAIRMAN briefly opened the proceedings, by
calling upon

The SECRETARY to read the annual report, which
commenced by congratulating the members upon the
fact that the directors had to repeat the satisfactory
statements of former years. Notwithstanding the pre-
valence of various affections consequent upon the un-
usual temperature of the past season, and the larger
payment of benefits, a saving had been realised in the
sick fund to a very large extent. The subscriptions dur-
ing the year bed been upwards of 2001. more than aas
required to meet the current payments, which, added to
the interest of the capital invested in this fund, and 1501.
transferred from the management fund, made the in-
crease nearly 5001. The number of deaths being thir-
teen, of these nine were insured for benefits. The claims
on this fund am-Junted to 1351.; the increase upon it,
including interest, was upwards of 380/. Two additional
medical officers had been appointed (luring the year, one
at Burford, Oxon, and the other at Rotherhithe, in con-
sequence of the necessity for more help of that kind. The
report pressed on the members the necessity of limit-
ing medical districts, as the result already had proved
highly satisf ictory and advantageous to the members,
ina,much as they meet with more prompt attention, and
suffer less inconvenience by a nearer residence to the me-
dical officer. One member had been excluded from the
institution in consequence of having taken relief after
having resumed his occupation. The expenses of ma-
nagement bad been kept very far below thl receipts, al-
though, during the year, several extra expenses had
been incurred, which are not likely to occur again for
some years. The expense of the attendance of directors
had remained nearly stationary for fifteen years, although
the number of members has in the interval increased
nearly threefold, in consequence of the payment to the
committee and auditors continuing to be regulated by
the original rule, which fixed the sum at Is. for each at-
tendance. Many other duties, such as visiting the sick,
were imposed on the directors, in addition to their at-
tendance at the meetings. but for these no remuneration
was given, and the dillicnity of faithfully complying
with the rule induced the directors to recommend
either the appointment of a visitor, or the
giving of some compensation to the directors
for performing it. The report concluded by adverting
to the prosperity of the institution, as shown by the
increase of 178 members, and of nearly 9001. during
the year, and by pressing earnestly on the members the
duty of making known generally the existence of the
society, and its peculiar features, and to urge each of
them to add at least one more to its numbers, on
the consideration that he who induces one to reserve a
portion of the fruits of his physical strength, to as-
suage the sting of affliction, or the cry of the widow,
is the positive agent of a moral good. By acting in this
way each succeeding year would surpass the present in
prosperity. _ _

The report was received with great applause.
Mr. Alderman CHALLIS moved its adoption. It con-
tained all the information which such a document ought
to contain, at the same time withholding any unneces-
sary expression of opinion on the part of the directors
on subjects not before the meeting. The increase of
2001. in the sick fund was a matter for great congratula-
tion, especially when he knew that there were many
other societies that could tell a very different tale.—
(Hear, hear,) It proved that their society was not
composed of the halt and the maimed, but that it was
supported by men who were disposed to take on them-
selves their fair share of its burdens. The limitation
of the districts of the medical men seemed to
him a great advantage. They were greatly too
large, and it was wrong to expect too much
from these important officers. It tended to prevent the
society from receiving support which they would
otherwise have from medical men, than whom he did
not know a more actively benevolent class of the commu-
nity.—(Hear, hear.) The adoption of smaller districts
would, he believed, cause offers of gratuitous assistance
to be made to the society, besides the other conveniences
to the members themselves, from their greater proximity
to the medical officers of the society. It was also mat-
ter of congratulation that only one member had been
excluded. He thought that it was well for the directors
of a society not to be too strict in their interpretation or
enforcement of the-rules relative to exclusion. It was
difficult always to draw the line in such cases. Men
might be suffering from nervous irritation, the result of
long-continued, or even temporary, illness, and nume-
rous other causes, might make him unwell after the doc-
tors had reported that there was no longer any disease
about him requiring their attendance.—(Hear.) And
he would, therefore, always tolerate, and'gently exercise
the right of exclusion in all cases, and rather trust to
their own judgments than the opinions of professional
men on that point.—(Cheere.) Another point was the
expenses of management. He had frequently to take the
chair at meetings of Odd Fellows and similar societies,
and had been much struck with the expense of ribbons,
sashes, &c., for the grands, most noble grands, and other
grands, of those societies ; and though these parties
might not be very grand in themselves as members, they
were in one sense—the expense was grand. It was,
therefore, gratifying to him to find that though their
business had increased threefold, they were at the same
time decreasing their expenses. The worthy Alderman,
after briefly noticing other points in the report, and
eulogising the directors for their disinterested attention
to the affairs of the society, concluded by strongly urging
the duty of aiding to increase its numbers. The greater
the number the greater the stability of the society, for,
as had been remarked, that nothing was so uncertain as
death to the individual, nothing was so certain as its
average. There was not one present who had not some
influence in his own neighbourhood, and who, if he
exerted it, could not send up one, two, or three additions
to the society. With these views he had great pleasure
in moving the-adoption of the report.—(Cheers.)
Dr. MULLINDER seconded the motion in a brief
address, in which he showed the great advantages which
had accrued to the Mutual Clerks' Provident Society by
a recent movement for giving greater publicity to its
principles and objects. They had greatly added to its
numbers, and the same might be done in the London
Friendly Institution. He congratulated the meeting on
having Alderman Challis present, who, as the repre-
sentative of Majesty, had the care of crime committed
to him. But such meetings as that which he now
attended were more important, they promoted prudence
and the comfort of families. Theirs was a national ob-
ject, and intimately connected with the progress of moral
good in the country.—(Cheers.)
A MEMBER said, ,with reference to the sum in the
balance-sheet for the attendance of directors, he found
it amounted to more than the Is. for each attendance,
supposing only one meeting a week. How was this?
The SECRETARY, in explanation, said the expense of
quarterly, special, and audit meetings was included.
The CHAIRMAN then put the motion, which was car•
ried unanimously.
The SECRETARY..then read the balance-sheet, from
which it appeared that the income for the year was
3,228 L 6s. 5d., and the expenditure 2,3371. ss. 7*d., leav-
ing a balance, invested in the hands of the officers, of
7,8091. 15s. 3id.
The CHAIRMAN said, in proposing this document for
the adoption of the meeting, that it would be seen, after
all the expenses of the year had been met, there was a
balance of 6001. in favour of the society beyond the in-
terest on the funds invested. This was a most satifac-
tory state of things.
The balance-sheet was unanimously adopted, and
scrutineers having been appointed to conduct the election
of directors,

The CHAIRMAN begged to leave the meeting, as he
lived some distance in the country, and the election would
occupy some time. He took a deep interest in the wel-
fare of such societies; had been highly gratified by the
state of their affairs, and, as far as his numerous engage-
ments permitted, would always be happy to attend and
to aid them.—(Loud cheers.)
On the motion of Dr. MIILLINDER, seconded by Alder-
man CHALLIS, a vote of thanks was given to Mr. Master-
man, for which the Hon. Gentleman returned thanks.
Mr. Alderman CHALLIS was then called to the chair,
amidst loud applause, and an interesting conversation
took place as to the propriety of an alteration in the
rules, by means of which some objectionable or un-
healthy professions, at present excluded from participa-
tion in the benefits, might be admitted.
,The discussion
ultimately terminated in the understanding that the
directors would consider the subject, and that in the
meantime the rules gave them ample power to try every
individual case that came before them on its own merits.
Mr. VARLEY moved the thanks of the society to the
medical officers.

Messrs. BAINBRIDGE and 'TILLEY returned thanks.
The CHAIRMAN then declared the result of the ballot
for directors ; and after a hearty vote of thanks to Mr.
Alderman Challis for his conduct in the chair, and the
great interest he had shown in the suciety, which the
Chairman acknowledged in an appropriate speech, the
meeting broke up.

HOT CRAB.—The "hot crab" which we had at the
parsonage where we dined to-day was_ exquisite.. _
the
e
or
oarnedam;
contents
eint
tiss
of donethei s
clawsto mix
then add curry paste, not powder, and very fine crumbs
lw-litthhea wlihttllee
of bread, and put all into the shell of the crab, and then
salantandered.—Blachwood's Magazine.
roifchthgeral;
SCHOOL FOE THE INDIGENT BLlND.—Tuesday a
special general court of this charity was held at the Lon-
don Tavern, for the election of three male and three
female pupils. The male candidates were thirty in num-
ber, and the female sixteen. T. W. Miller, Esq., pre-
sided at the election. It appeared from the report that
there were seventy-two male and seventy-six female in-
mates of the establishment, and that is addition to re-
li.-:jous instruction and various trades, the pupils are
now regularly taught to read the Bible by means of
copies printed in the embossed type. From the cash
account it appeared that the corporation was possessed
of .37,5001. I ls. sd. Three per Cents., 25,651 i. ss. 5d
Three per Cents. Reduced, 1,2181. New Three-and-a
Quarter per Cents., besides some freehold and leasehold
property. The election having been concluded the
(
meeting separated.