The Sun.
London, England, 1857-02-13 00:00:00

them ; but he hoped soon to find a change in tbat
respect for the better. He saw an item of
200/. in tha balance-sheer, as do:.a'ians to the
society. There was, no doubt, act excellent epirit
dictated the donors of that amount, but he doubted not
that circumstances had the effect of deterring many from
joining the association, believing thereby that it became
a charity ; and however much the class of clerks as a
body might have to struggle against distress, they
did not like to have recour.e to mere chari able
institutions for assistance. He obj c'ed to the changes
that had been proposed, and although the members, no
doubt, felt every confidence in the manager, he thought
it was objectionable giving them the x lusive selection
of annuitants, and that were they ti do so they would
lose half the number of their subscribers, because many
who subscribed liked t haven voice in 'he election of
candidates. (Hear, hear.) He objected to any change
being made in respect to the allocation of the bonuses,
and in the amount of the balance carried forward. The
report just read indicated the steady and ct,rtain deve-
lopment of these great principles of c,,-..iptration upon
which the association was mainly and entirely esta•
Wished. (Ch eri.)
The Chairman at this stage of' the proceedings was
compelled to leave, and. his place was fide,i by Mr. R.
H. Jones.
Mr. MINTON was averse to the changes proposed by
Mr. Pike, as being likely to damage the progress of the
association. He differed from Mr. Warwick that their
acceptance of donations kept subscribers away, and re-
marked that he should like to see a much Itrger sum
every year i❑ the balance-sheet under the head of dona.
tions, and urged on the directors and members to in-
crease it all they could, and offered his services t) ac-
complish that desirable object. He str;gested their
having a dinner or ball like other benevolent soctetir as
a means of increasing their income. •
Mr. PARR was of opinion that an ad vae tazeous change
might be made with reference to the election of annui-
tants, and the sum raised from 151. to 20/. He wi.hed
also to see a larger amount for donations annually in
their list, and could scarcely believe that clerks abstAi toed
from joining the association from the charitable charac-
ter it gave it, whensin reality it vv.,s a charitable institu-
tion. He thought the members of the institution might
be increased by altering the form in which the advertise-
ments were couched. 13y it the public were led to be-
lieve it was a class association, into which none but
clerks were admitted, whereas it was for the tenefit of all
trades and profeaiions. He heped soot) to ace this
society have schools and asylum's in connection with
as many class societies had.
Mr. HATTON called the, attention of the meeting to the
necessity of the 'directors making application to the
16,000 Government clerks in Lon ion to h,come mem-

hers of the association. He WP, oppo, I to their re-
ducing their bonuses, because large bonuses wrre a gr at
temptation to persons to join associations. lie was not
disposed to place the election of annuitants in the bands
of the directors—though be did not doubt their in-
tegrity.
Mr. LLOYD, after regretting Mr. Hankey's absence,
suggested that it was a ivisable that the directors should
bring as many of the trustees al possii,l3 to the meeting,
in order that they might see and hear how the associa-
tion was progressing. He was much gratified to find
that the funded property produced almost sufficient with
whizh to pay the annuitants. He bad always consideied
that the only legitimate course to be adopted was to
bring the amount of the annuities within the interest of
their funded property. He considered they had muck
cause for congratulation. He approved of the present
plan of election, for it induced many persons to become
members to be'able to vote.

Mr. REYNpLps was averse to placing the elections in
the hands of a board of directors, and the proposed divi-
sion of the profits. He wished t) see a larger number
of subscribers.

The CHAIRM&N said that the directors had distributed
10,000 circulars amongst the clerks at the G.,verniner,t
offices, as well as personally canvassed, and what the
result may turn out remained yet to be seen. A dif-
ference of opinion appeared to ez,st as to money matters
connected with the,. association, ant he considered it
much better for the meeting to rely °a the directors in
carrying on the affairs of the association. After 16
years' operations, he congratulated the members on their
position, and that the princicles wi,h which they s'arted
remained intact to this hour. (Cheers.) With regard
to their increasing the amount of the at,nuities, that
would be a question for discussion when they met to re-
vise the rules. He then alluded to the pleasing fact
that one of their members had returned a donation
made to him with interest, and remarked that, when
that gentleman joined the association, there was every
probability that he would never require its assistance.
(Hear, bear.) Nothing would give him (and he felt
certain it'would also his brother directors) greater dis-
comfiture than for the election of annuitants to be placed
in the hands of the board. (Hear, hear.) It had been

suggested on more than one occasion, but ho had always
set his face against it, because it would be pacing them
in a most unfortunate position. Ha was for leaving as
little as possible to the discretion of the board. (He ir,

hear.)
The report was then put to the meeting and carried
unanimously.

Mr. WELCH, in proposing the next resolution, hay ag
reference to the annuities, said that he had great pl
sure in submitting it to the meeting, the only regret he
felt being at its limited extent. Having taken a warm
interest in the association from its commencement, he
certainly did regret that they were not in a position to
grant a larger amount for distribution—btill he felt (from
knowing well the desire of the Board not to give more
than they were really in a position to give) that they
bad given, on this occasion, to the fullest extent they
ought—if not, perhaps, rather beyond what they were
justified, in the hope that the resources of the
fund would, before long, be greatly increased.
Every exertion had been used by the Beard, in soliciting
clerks and others to join the association, but so far as
his experience enabled him to form an opinion he re-
gretted to say that he found in canvassing what he
might term the superior.slass of clerks to iccrease the
benevolent fund, a disinclination to support it. He
considered it was more creditable to those who did
sup-
port it, they being mostly those whn received medium

salaries. (Hear, hear.) When lict lady canvassed a
gentleman, holding a good appointment, for a subscrip
tion, he replied—" No, I don't think it worth while to

subscribe. I don't like it." Now, it was his (Mr.
Welch's) firm opinion that gentlemen had too much
pride to join the association,—(hear, hear,)—being
afraid of the word " charity"—(hear, hear)—but
he thought that the man who would put his hand into his
pocket and deprive himself of a little luxury, that he
might give a guinea to provide comfort and support for
his less prosperous neighbour, possessed the noblest
feeling a man could entertain. (Hear, hear.) He
deeply regretted to find men hold back their support to
this institution, whom he knew to be in a position to
give it. Could such persons only hear the tales of dis-
tress and suffering that came before the board, th, y
would not hesitate to give their mite towar3s its allevia-
tion. Many widows had told them that if it had not
been for the assistance they bad received from the asso-
ciation they must have broken down under the calamity of
the loss of their husbands, and by which they and their
families were left in destitution. The support they had
received from the Association had enabled them to bear
up to seek for other means by which to increase their
incomes. (Hear, hear.) It was very gratifying to see
in the balance-sheet the return of a 101. donation that
had been given to a gentleman connected with the Asso-

elation. That was not the first instance of the kind that
had occurred to them, and he recollected the case of a

gentleman who wrote to the Board, stating that he
was in such distress that he had not (1)0438, nor the

means to procure them, in which to apply for employ-
ment. The Board gave him a donation, and the

consequence was that he obtained a situation, and he,
like the gentleman who figured in this year's balance-

sheet, returned the amount with interest awl sincere
gratitude. (Hear.) These were features of an extremely
gratifying character, and he should think sufE7,itnt to in-
duce any man who knew of them to give his subscrip
tion. (Hear, hear.) He thought that the principals of

the large firms of London and the country ought to give

some assistance to the benevolent fund, because the Per-
isms for whom the fund was intended were, he might say,
the machinery of trade and commerca, and consequently
the principals of firms ought to subscri be to it and givealittlo
of their abundance towards augmenting it. To attain
that object he thought the clerks should interest them-
selves, and bring the benefits of the institution before
their employers. (Hear, hear.) He concluded by mol
ing the following resolution :
" That on the 2sth May next, or such o her day as the
board may appoint, an amount not exceeding 751. ba
granted in annuities. The nunib,!r of annuitants of each
class to be fixed by the board according to the applications
which may be received."

Mr. PRICE briefly seconded the resolutfm, which was
carried unanimously.
Mr. JErrs moved the best thanks of the meeting t
T. Baring, Esq., M.P., T. Hankey, Esq., M.P., W. G.
Prescott, Esq., Baron Rothschild, M.P., trustees of the
association, and that they will continuo their kind inte-
rest in the welfare of the institution. (Cheers.) In

moving the resolution, he called on the meeting not to
pass it as an ordinary routine vote of thanks. It was
the only mark of respect that they could pay these gen-
tlemen for their services during the past year. (Hear.)
They were of great assistance to the association, not only
from the weight of their names, but also for their active
interference in the business of the association. (Rear.)
Mr. COLEMAN seconded the motion and eaid that he
could bear witness to the advantages the association de-
rived from the services of those gentlemen, and he hop( I
that that recognition of their services would stimulate
the principals of other firms to do likewise. (Hear.)
The CHAIRMAN said that he had received a letter from
Mr. Smith regretting that business elsewhere pre-
vented him from attending the meeting, but if he (the
chairman) thought it desirable he would leave it, at great
inconvenience, and be at the inee,ing. He and the
board thought that they could not, under the circum-
stances, call on Mr. Smith to attend. As regarded Mr.
Hankey, he was always glad to attend, and nothing but
pressing business prevented him from remaining till the
conclusion of the meeting.
The motion was carried unanimously.
Mr. REYNOLDS moved a vote of tha9lcs to the audi.-
tors, Messrs. Galbart, Pollard, and Since.
Mr. LINTOTT seconded the motion, which was carried
unanimously.

Mr. LLoiD said he had much pleasure in prepasing a
vote of thanks to the Board of Dime:ors for their excel-
lent management of the affairs of the Benevolent Fund
during the past year. He felt certain that every gentle-
man present felt satisfied that the directors bad given
their best attention to this branch of their affairs.
(Hear, hear.)
Mr. TOOLE seconded the motion, and expressed an
opinion that the association would go on increasing.
The motion was carried unanimously.
The CHAIRMAN, in acknowled4ing the compliment,
said that it was the earnest desire of the board to do all