The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1850-07-30 00:00:00

LIVERPOOL PROVIDENT CLERKS'
ASSOCIATION.

The first annual public meeting of the Liverpool Provi-
nent Clerks' Association was held last evening in the Ses-
sions-hoWe, :Chapel-street. The object of the meeting
was to receive the report from the directors and auditors,
and to elect directors and auditors for the ensuing year.
At the hour appointed for opening the meeting ( seven
o'clock) not many persons were present, but on the Mayor
taking the chair at ten minutes past seven, the number
had somewhat increased. His Worship the Mayor having
been moved to the chair, expressed the great pleasure
which he had in presiding on the occasion in support of a
society which he believed was calculated to do a great deal
of good. He then called upon the secretary, Mr. W. J.
Poole to read the report, which was as follows :

FIRAT ANNUAL REFORT.
"In presenting this, the first annual report, the directors
would beg to premise, that they have anxiously endeavoured to
establish the society upon a scale befitting the high and import-
ant position which Liverpool holds, and to meet the require-
ments of the various classes of clerks in the town ; that they
have met with much kind encouragement from many leading.
firms, and obtained numerous promises of assistance and sup-
port in furthering the objects of the institution. The directors
have to report that, during the last seven months, 85 members
and assurers have joined the association, and that the interest
taken in the affairs and well-being of the society has gradually
increased, and is still increasing. They. at the same time, beg
to remark that, although the society has been twelve months in
existence, yet it could not be said to be fairly before the public,
un'il Octoter last, and consequently that it could scarcely be
expected to have many members, or to have made much pro-
gress. The directors are also aware that many persons have
paused to ascertain whether the society would attain to its
annivenuary, and numbers have promised to become members,
provided the institution stood that test,—a course which,
although cautious, is somewhat ungenerous towards those of
their own body who have so earnestly and anxiously exerted
themselves to form the society for the benefit of all, and more
especially as no personal risk could be incurred by those who
avail themselves of its advantages—the funds of the association
alone being liable for its engagements; this oversight, the di-
rectors hope their brother clerks, for the credit of the town,
will remedy by immediately becoming members. The direc-
tors would also urge the claims of the society upon parties who
are not clerks, as a means of making pi ovision against times of
sickness, for old age, and on death ; the tables being calculated
upon the lowest scale possible, consistent with safety. It
should be borne in mind that the members and assurers are
the shareholders, and will participate equally in the periodical
division of all profits: also. that the greater the number of
assurers, the larger will be the amount of such profits divisible.
In submitting the accompanying statement of the year's ac-
counts, it is necessary to observe that three members have ex-
perienced the full advantages or the sick assurance, independ-
ently of many others who have received medical assistance
only."
. _ _

The report then acknowledges the eminent services of
Dr. Shain, the medical officer, of Mr. Davenport, the
chairman of directors, and of Mr. Macgregor, as an
assistant at the audit. The finances of the association
appear to be in a very satisfactory condition, and the
accounts are kept in a very clear and praiseworthy man-
ner. Among the donors and annual subscribers are the Earl
of Harrowby, Edmund Molyneux, E.q.' Bailey Brothers,
Baring Brothers. J. P. Heywood, Esq., T. and H. Little-
dale, and many others of our leading merchants.
Mr. DAVENPOI T moved and Mr. Was. M'GREGOR
seconded a resolution adopting the report, which, with
the subsequent resolutions, will be found in our adver-
tising columns.

Mr. ALEX. M'GREGOR moved and Mr. OYLER seconded
the next resolution appointing the officers to fill up the
vacancies which had occurred during the year.
Mr. RUSSELL rose to move the third resolution, and in
doing so addressed the meeting at some length in expla-
nation of the benefits to be derived from enrolment in the
association. After saying that he had undertaken this
task, because he considered it would come better from a
member than a patron, he went on to state that the
Liverpool Provident Clerks' Association was enrolled un-
der act of Parliament ; they could not go either to the
right hand or the left, but must adhere strictly to the
course laid down by the law ; therefore it was that the
greatest degree of security was ensured. They proposed
to limit the insurance to the sum of £2OO, in order to save
the stamp duty, and because they considered that very few
clerks would be found able to exceed that limit, especially
if they contributed to the sick and pension fund, the ad-
vantages of which branches must be obvious to every one
connected with the association. He especially addressed
himself to the young and unmarried men with respect to
the insurance, as offering facilities for entering on the
duties attendant on the married state, and showed that
the subscription was so trifling that it would never be felt
by them. He also appealed to those of his own age,
verging on thirty, and advised them, if they had not yet
joined the association, to do so at once. He called upon
them, as prudent men, to debar themselves of some su-
perfluous luxury, in order to gain the advantages offered ;
a single glass of ale a day-2d. a day saved—would pro-
duce £lOO at death. Persons filling lucrative situations
might sneer at such a society and say, " We can save out
of our salaries a sufficient sum for the necessities of old
age without your assistance." But did they ? That was
the question. Experience showed just the reverse, and
such men, if cast out of their situations, found it more
difficult than subordinate men to gain other offices; yet
there was no avoiding these casualties. We knew by the
lite seriousbankriptcies how many merchants were com-
pelled to close their houses ; and whenever that was the
case, numbers of clerks were cast on the world. Mr.
Russell then referred to the " situation book," which
lies at the society's offices. He considered this presented
an advantage to merchants, for they might be sure of
getting prudent young men through its means, and con-
bulAut bet fie wen paid a wen-mentect
compliment to the London association, which he never-
theless considered as not being adapted to meet the neces-
sities of this town. As a contrast to the picture of the
prudent clerk, an instance of an opposite character was
adduced :—A gentleman, resident in London, who had
enjoyed a salary of £3OO a year for many years, was sud-
denly cut off by an epidemic ; his resources were so
limited that even the expenses of his funeral had to be
defrayed by some friends of the deceased. If this unfor-
tunate man had denied himself the luxury of a car for a
few times a week, or some similar expensive pleasure, he
might have left his pennyless widow a handsome sum, or
if his own life had been prolonged, an annuity of £lOO per
annum. Mr. R. then glanced at the sick fund, and pointed
out its object, namely, the providing medicine and at-
tendance, and ten or twelve shillings a week, to members
overtaken with illness ; this branch was of paramount im-
portance,. and it was intended to extend its objects. For
instance, a recipient when arrived at the age of 65, would
be placed on the permanent pension list, by which he
would receive ten or twelve shillings a week for the re-
mainder of his life. The objects of the Association would
not stop here ; for there was a further design to establish
a " Benevolent Fund" out of the surplus profits, after
devoting the bulk of these profits amongst the subscribers.
At the conclusion of a powerful address, the speaker,
turning to the Mayor, said, as the representative of the
merchants of the town, he was desirous of pointing out
to his worship that clerks receiving a salary of £7O, £BO,
or £9O a-year were not able to save much : it was often
with great difficulty the small subscription to that
Association could be saved by persons thus situ ited,
he therefore thought that if they (the Association)
endeavoured to provide a prudent and careful class of
clerks for employers, that these ought also in return to
assist them in carrying out the objects of the Association,
which was guaranteed by Act of Parliament, and whose
rules had been submitted to the revision of the Govern-
ment Auditor.

Mr. HUGHES briefly seconded the resolution, which
was put from the chair and carried nem. con.
Mr. JOHN SMITH moved the fourth resolution, ex-
pressing confidence in the officers; and in support of it
made some valuable remarks in approval of the objects of
the society, which he considered would tend to the social
amelioration of all classes, the development of intellect,
and the promotion of charity to our fellow-creatures.
The speaker instanced, as an institution of a similar
description, the Athenieum which had begun from even
a less beginning than that Of this society, and was now a
flourishing institution ; and urged upon the Provident
Clerks' society to persevere in carrying out the objects
which they proposed for themselves. In one point, a
man would always, he thought, find his claims preferred
by an employer from the mere fact of his belonging to a
provident society. After a few remarks upon the desira-
bility of parliament abolishing those taxes which retarded
efforts to economise and to save money for old age, and
the duty of all parties to live within their incomes, and to
be prepared for casualties of every description, the speaker
concluded a very feeling and pertinent address, which,
having been seconded, was passed with acclamation.
Mr. DAVENPORT moved a vote of thanks to the patrons
of the society, and explained that the list would have
been much more numerous had the fbw parties who had
solicited donations been able to devote more attention
and time to the work. They had been kindly received
by all the merchants upon whom they had called, and
especially by the worthy Mayor, the chairman of the
present meeting. The resolution being seconded
by a gentleman who took an opportunity of expressing the
thanks due from the society to Mr. John Smith,
A resolution of thanks was moved and seconded to Mr.
Davenport and the directors of the society for their ser-
vices in behalf of the society, and passed unanimously.
Mr. DAVENPORT briefly returned thanks.
A motion of thanks was next moved to the secretary,
Mr. Poole, for his great exertions in advancing the inte-
rests of the society, and being seconded by Mr. ALEX.
AVGREGOR, was passed unanimously.
Mr. POOLE briefly returned thanks and expressed his
confidence in the prospects of success which were dawning
upon the society ; and in particular remarked upon the
fact as most gratifying that many carters, porters, police-
men, and others, were applying to be admitted as mem-
bers of the society. He entered at the same time into an
explanation of some:of the peculiar advantaLo ; offered by
the society.
A vote of thanks was next voted to Mr. Rushton for
having granted the society the use of the Sessions-house.
A vote of thanks was given to the Mayor and carried
by acclamation, after which the proceedings terminated.
The first annual dinner will take place in the course of
wthoershniep, thextor tplayoefor. willllowinpgrewseids;.........ek, on which occasion his

The Cambridge Black Ball Liner arrived on Sunday,
and not on Monday as reported in our last.
ROYAL AMPHITIIEATRE._Mr• Anderson, Mr. Reeve,
and Mr. and Miss Baker appear nightly at this theatre
during the ensuing week. This evening, it will be seen,
that an excellent bill-of-fare is presented.
The Art Union of Liverpool offers unusual attractions
to the subscribers of the present year. The prizes are
most valuable works of art, and besides the engravings,
the subscribers are entitled to other advantages in con-
nection with the society. The holder of a prize is entitled
to select for himself.
MISS CUSHMAN FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY.—It will be
seen from the advertisement in another column that Mr.
Copeland has succeeded in securing the services of this
t hb
iesfocroeu
natnr
yE. n
es hr
performancea ud i enc e du r ns g
fixedl3
talented actress for one night—the only occasion on which
to this
12th of August.
presents
forh e
Monday, hill
visit app ett