The Sun.
London, England, 1869-02-25 00:00:00

.1811.44. IP ,

IRE 27;z0VIDILN'T CLERZS" BEVEVOLEXT

FUND.

The 28th annual general meeting of the membcrs
and friends of this fund was hell yesterday even-
ing, at the Loudon Tavern, IliShopsgate-street,
John Abel Smith, Ill:, in the chair.
Mr. Win. Thomas Linford, the secretary, read
the advertisement convening the meeting and the
following report :
"The directors of the Provident Clerks' Benevelett
Fund have the pleasure to present to the members and
friends of the fund their 28th annual report. Tho
income of the fund for 1868 was :--From subscrip-
tions and donations, £1,699 18s. ; icterest on invest-

bonus
Clerk'olaMmu Mutual
Life menu,ers' rr,aon4ce9ss.
iOnd. ;t
hepropPoir.etvioidnenotf
'Life Assurance Association, £2,238 17s. Od.; total,
£5,413 ss. 6d. Pursuant to the resolution of the last annual
general meeting an election of seven annuitants took place
on the 28th May, 1868, when two clerks and five widows
were elected, whose annuities amounted collectively to
£165 per annum. Three annuities have fallen in by death
during the year, and there are now upon the fund 99 an-
nuitants, viz. :-18 clerks and 81 widows, whose annuities
amount to £1,960 per annum. The board have much plea-
sure in calling attention to the sum received from the
bonus of the assured members ; hut even in this direction
they feel that much less is dune by the clerks as a body
than might reasonably be expected, or the amount in
question would be very largely augmented. The board
are now enabled to recommend that seven additional
annuitants be elected during the current year. A resolu-
tion to this effect will be submitted to the meeting. A suns
of money having been left by the late Richard Goodwin
Marner, Esq., for distribution among charitable institu-
tions, at the discretion of his executors, the claims of this
fund were laid before those gentlemen, who kindly allotted
fifty guineas to it. This amount has now been received,
and will appear in the accounts of the current year. The
synopsis of the London charities, lately published in the
Times, will doubtless have attracted the attention of many
members and friends of this fund. It is a source of much
gratification to the Board to find that, in economy of
management, or, in other words, in the application of its
income to the real objects of the institution, the Provi-
dent Clerks' Benevolent Fund stands very nearly at the
head of the charities of this metropolis."

The CHAIRMAN said it then became his duty to
move the reception and adoption of the report that
had just been read, and, according to Lis usual
practice, he would just say a few words before
doing so, but they would be of the old character—
congratulation on all that was connected with the
management, and condolence with the members
upon the indifference with which the public gene-
rally looked on that singular charity. (Hear, hear.)
Previous to entering that room he had asked their
excellent secretary if ever, even once, the name of
their fund had been mentioned in the way of legacy,
and he confessed he did not hear the reply with ar:y
surprise, informing him that nothing of the kind
had ever occurred. lie must say it did appear to
him strange that, iu the life branch of the associa-
tion, with upwards of 10,000 a,surers, it should
never have been left one single legacy. Bat
this he would say, that they had done
very well without it—that they had averted
a great amount of misery from those for
whom they ought to feel the greatest sympathy.
(Hear, hear.) He should ever feel the greatest
interest in the prosperity of the fund, his belief
of its usefulness, and his conviction that if all the
clerks helped it more than they did at present it
would do even ►core good than it di I. He
was extremely glad that all went on satisfac-
torily to those who founded the fund, and he felt
assured that it would obtain increased support the
wore its usefulness became known. He trusted those
iu the city would take the fund up in a manner
that its great benevolent object deserved, and he
would resume his seat by formally moving the
reception of the report.

The motion having been seconded was put from
the chair, and carried unanimously.
Mr. R. 11. JONES, the chairman of the board of
directors, said it was now his pleasing duty to move
a resolution authorising the election of seven a•l-
-ditional annuitants on the fund on:the 27th of May
next. (Cheers.) It was a great happiness to know
that they well kept up their position, and that they
might vie with any society of the same description
in the metropolis, and the moving annually the re-
solution it was his privilege to do was one of the
most pleasing occupations he could be placed in.
Those who founded it thought the benevolent fund
would take the lead, but they had been disappointed,
as the life assurance had taken a very great stride
over it, but still they had not been de-
ficient in doing good. A reference to a
few figures would uct be out of place at the
meeting, because they would show what had been
done towards assisting those who stood in need.
Since the foundation they had granted 2,350 loans,
to the extent of £47,000 ; that fact in itself showed
that some work had been done, because the money
had been lent out in sums of £5, £lO, and £2O.
(Hear, hear.) They had given away £3,600, and
paid to annuitants £18,296. Those were large
figures, but he wished to do more; but, as that de-
pendel on the clerks themselves, all he could do was
to urge upon them the consideration of a fund
that did so great an amount of good. (Cheers.)

Mr. PRICE seconded the motion. Ile wished to
add his appeal to that of their respected friend, Mr.
Jones, but he did not make it to those present, but
to the outside public, who did not support the fund
in the way they ought. The clerks of that great
and wealthy metropolis ought to do more than they
did for such a noble and benevolent fund, and he
hoped next year he should have the satisfaction
of announcing that his appeal had not been dis-
regarded.
The motion was carried unanimously.

__ ........ ............. ___ _
Mr. JEPPS moved A vote_ of thanks to their re-
spected, he might say beloved, treasurer, John Abel
Smith, Esq.—
(cheers)—and to the trustees, Thos.
Baricg, Esq.,
M.P., R. W. Crawford, E,q., M.P.,
Thomson Hankey, Esq., and Baron L. N. de Roths-
child, M.P.

Mr. DAWSON said he felt it a privilege to second
such a resolution.

The motion was carried unanimously.
The CHAIRMAN, in returning thanks, said, on be-
half of the trustees and himself, he thanked them
for the compliment paid them. He thought the
absence of all the trustees was a great compliment
to them, because by that it showed they knew
their affairs were well managed and safe,
and therefore they did not come to the
meeting. He knew that they all felt the liveliest
interest in the prosperity of the fund—(cheers)
and they might rest assured that if any hole or flaw
existed in its management, such an anxious-minded
man as Mr. Thomas Baring would soon he there.
For himself he was very glad he had been of use to
them, and he might at once say that his connec-
tion with the Provident Clerks' Benevolent Fund
would be one of the most agreeable reflec-
tions of a long and busy life. With respect
to charitable institutions, it was one of the cry-
ing evils of the time that where such enormous
sums were collected so much of it should be ab-
sorbed in management expenses. (Hear, hear.)
That being so, he did hope that they would not
under value the care and prudence that so greatly
marked the contrary side, and which were so vividly
shown in their admirable institution.

Mr. COLEMAN moved the thanks of the meeting
be given to their medical officers. Dr.T. W. Jones,
and Messrs. John Gay and Alfred Smee, for their
gratuitous services.
The CHAIRMAN, before putting the resolution,
said these gentlemen had for eight-and-twenty
years given their gratuitous services to the fund,
and it showed a generosity and devotion to a
principle rarely met with. (Cheers.)
O❑ the motion of Mr. MisroN, seconded by Mr.
DYER, a vote of thanks was given to the auditors.

The CHAIRMAN then moved a cordial and hearty
vote of thanks to the board of management for
carefully, faithfully, and successfully discharging
the duties confided to them.

Mr. JONES returned thanks, and add the board
felt greatly obliged for the compliment paid them.
Mr. LLOYD then, in very eloquent terms, moved
a vote of thanks to the chairman. He must be
permitted to say that he did not think the 10,000
assurers, who were mostly clerks, were to blame
for the want of legacies. Many of them did not
get the salaries of skilled artizans—(hear, hear).—
and then it must not be forgotten that they sub-
scribed a portion of their profits to the fund every
year in addition to their annual subscription. Ile
did not know that it was a discredit to the clerks
that their fund had not yet received any legacies—.