The Sun.
London, England, 1867-06-05 00:00:00

NEWSVENDORS' BENEVOLENT AND
PROVIDENT INSTITUTION:

The annual dinner in aid of the funds of this
praiseworthy institution took place last evening at
the Freemasons' Tavern, under the presidency of
W. I-I. Smith, Esq., of the firm of Smith and Co.,
the extensive newspaper agents in the Strand,
The chairman was supported on the occasion by Mr.
Danby Seymour, M.P., Mr. Frederick Chapman,
Mr. John llodge, Mr. Spalding, Mr. Gruneisen,
Mr. Collinridge, Mr. Edwd. Levy, Mr. Wentz 11
(the Governor of the Incorporated Society of Li-
censed Victuallers), Mr. William Smalley (the
Secretary of the Incorporated Society of Licensed
Victuallers), Mr. 11. T. Smith, Mr. C. S. Lewis,
Capt. Mayne Reid, Mr. Edmund Tate, Mr. Alex.
M'Mullen, Mr. Westerton, Mr. John Son Miles, Mr.
W. H. Bradbury, Mr. Woods, M.P., Mr. Egan, &c.
Several ladies graeed the dinnner by their pre-
sence.

The cloth having been removed, and grace —" For
these and all Try mercies given"—having been ad-
mirably chanted by the vocalists—Miss Eyles, Miss
Mabel Brent, Miss M. Edmund, Mr. G. Perren,
and Mr. Lawler, who had the direction of the
vocalists,

The CHAIRMAN proposed the usual loyal toasts,
which were warmly responded to by the company,
Captain MAYNE REID acknowledging the toast of
" The Army, Navy, and Volunteers."
The CHAIRMAN proposed " The House of Com-
mons," coupling the toast with the name of Mr.
Danby Seymour, M.P. He observed that the house
was a very hard-working institution. His earliest
recollection dated from his boyhood, when his great
anxiety was to ascertain at what time the House
rose, knowing that if it had been sitting to the un-
reasonably late hour of two or three o'clock in the
morning he wculd have a very hard day's work. In
later years, however, he had begun to see that the
duties of legislation involved a great deal of self-
denial and industry with very small thanks. He
asked them to drink " The Health of the House of
Commons," the third estate of the realm, and
coupled with it not the least influential member of
that house, Mr. Danby Seymour. (Cheers.)
Mr. D. SEYMOUU, M.P., expressed his belief that
the house of Commons, whatever might be the
expressed the opinion of the
franchise, fairly
country ; and that it desired to do the best to pro-
mote the nation's welfare. (Hear, hear.) He,
however, held that it was capable of improvement,
and that the efforts now being made with that view
would meet with some measure of success. (Hear,
hem)

The CHAIR3IAN then proceeded to propose the
toast of the evening. He said that their institu-
tion was not only very little known by the public,
but he was afraid very little known by the news-
vendors themselves. It was one, however, which he,
as a newsvendor felt had strong claims upon the
trade, upon the Press also, as well as upon the
public at large, for encouragement and support. Of
all occupations that of the newsvendor was probably
one which taxed to a large extent the health and
the strength of those.engaged in it, frequently re-
sulting in their breaking down prematurely. (Hear,
hear.) He spoke from personal experience when he
said that there was scarcely any occupation that
absorbed so much of the energies of the man as
that of the newsvendor. For many years he rose
early and late, took rest, and he certainly ate the
bread of carelessness. The man who pursued this
business must accustom himself to early rising and
constant watchfulness, and work in all sorts of
weather, under all circumstances. (Hear, hear.)
In some occupations it was possible when health
broke down, or when other difficulties occurred, to
lie in bed later in the morning, or to put matters off
until the following day ; but the newsvendor must
work moment by moment, under every variety of
circumstances, keeping time by the clock. There-
fore, on account of the wear and tear involved in
the occupation of the newsvendor, it was incumbent
on him to make provision against a future day,
when sickness, old age, or misfortune might over-
take him. (clear, hear.) It was also incumbent
on those who were interested in the success of the
Press to lend their helping haul, seeing that it was
by the agency of the newsvendors that the papers
were circulated throughout the country. He could not
control the circumstances under which the news-
papers were delivered to him from the several offices,
but he had to convey them to the subscribers or cus-
tomers ; and, standing between the newspaper pro-
prietors and the public, he bad to bear the entire
blame of any irregularity. (Hear, hear.) He be-
lieved the newspaper agents afforded to the press of
England a cheaper, a more regular, and a better ser-
vice than any which could be brought into existence
by the newspapers themselves. He therefore thought,
on that ground that theNewsvendors' Institution had
a claim upon the press of London, and he was glad
to say that the claim was warmly acknowledged.
(Cheers.) Going further, he thought that the news-
vendors had some claim also upon the kindness and
consideration of the public, whose servants they
were. The newsvendors delivered the newspapers
for but small remuneration, with unfailing regu-
larity. He, indeed, hardly knew the word " irregu-
larity" in the delivery of the papers, and he appealed
to his friends, the newsvendors, whether the papers
did not arrivepunctually with the milk and the bread
every morning. It was taken in as mental food,
without which other food necessary to existence
would be but a dry morsel. Nothing was asked for
the institution which they could readily get them-
selves, but only that which they were not able to ge's
wholly by themselves. (Hear.) The society had
now only £2,500 of stock, which sufficed to pension
seven persons, who in early life had good hope that
they might make their way in the world, but who
had been overtaken by misfortune, and were left
without the comfortable means of subsistence which
all desired. These seven pensioners received £l6 a
year, which was little enough
to be a matter of ear-
nest solicitation and great canvassing in order to
obtain it. (Hear, hear.) There were also three per-
sons at this moment in very great need, to whom the
society could not give the assistance that was ne-
cessary for them. He, therefore, asked the assembly
to sustain the institution and do what they could, so
that these deserving persons, who had themselves
been members and subscribers, might receive the
assistance they required. (Hear.) It was not a large
petition he put before them. Their numbers were
not increasing, and he believed he might say they
were not an increasing class, whilst their remunera-
tion was perhaps diminishing. The question was
whether the three persons-he referred to, who had
carried on their business for so many years honestly
and respectably, were to be left without the means
of support, without the £l6 a year which was given
to the pensioners of the society, while it contained
many who enjoyed
positions of prosperity and com-
fort ? (Hear, hear.) He thought the committee
acted most wisely iu dividing not to give pensions
out of the annual subscriptions, and limiting those
pensions to the interest on the stock. By this course,
though there might be dissatisfaction amongst the
members of the society, and though they might
quarrel amongst themselves and subscriptions fall
off, the pensioner's had the security of always re-
ceiving what was promised (Hear, hear.) lie
wished he could talk to
that them.
assembly
prosper-
ous society, and expatiate on almshouses and those
of a
arrangements which would tend to the comfort of a
large body of people, and on the beautiful " cottage
in a wood" which all of them desired to realise sonic
day. (Cheers.) ebegged II those of his friends who
represented the press to consider the strong claim
now made upon them ; and lie also appealed to the
public, who were also represented in that assembly,
to give the institution their support. (Cheers.)
_ _

Mr. G. P. TUXFOIM proposed" The Press," which
was felicitously responded to by Mr. EDMUND
YATES, who, in conclusion, proposed the " Health
of the Chairman," which was received with en-
thusiasm, and was cordially acknowledged by that
gentleman.

"The Ladies" was gallantly responded to by Mr.
W. D. SEYMOUR.

proposed, were duly ackno
" The Secretary" and other toasts having been
It was announced by the Secretary that the sub-
scriptions amounted to close upon EGOO, being nearly
double the amount subscribed at previous festivals.
The dinner, which was served a la Russe, under
wledged.
the auspices of Mr. Golden, the manager of the