The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1879-06-28
Twenty-seventh Annual Report of the
Ladies Strangers Friend Society"
June 18th, 1879.

We have arrived at another milestone in the
history of this Society. where We may pause q
moment. and cast a backward glance over the
way we have come and recall the feeble fellow
travellers, whose suffrrings it has been our care
and our privilege to alleviate during the year
now closed.
The number OF strangers who have come to our
Islands during the year. has been much greater
than usual, and as Il consequence. there have
been more applications for aid, at the hand of
.ssweet charity" DIR. Damon, our unwearied
helper, has provided in other ways for the mass of
least needy applicants, So that we have received
but 10 as beneiciarics Of this society; of this num-
Der, one was left over from last year, James
Welsh bysname. Zee remained with us from first
to last about six months. and was always very
grateful and appreciative for aid received from
this society.
OF our Is bcnefciaries. we have paid the ex-
penses of seven at the q" Queens Hospital - for a
longer or shorter period of time. Eight have
been aided to leave the Islands, and five have
found their last resting places in the Nuuanu
Cemetery.
OF the nationalities of our benefciaries, nine
were subjects of Her Britannia Majesty, five were
American citizens, and one was a native of Nor
way. The largest amount expended for any one
case has been 5000, and the smallest amount
$1,000. The whole amount expended by the
society during the year has been $4,000.
There have been many touching incidents con-
nected with individual cases among our benef-
Charles, which show the grateful appreciation of
honest hearts. Many tender letters have been re-
ceived from friends far away. The President will
read portions from some OF these letters, tnat the
members OF this society may feel better acquainted
with, and a deepest interest in those for whom
their funds are expended.
Through The. persistent exertions of DR.. Damon,
we have at length succeeded in getting our ex-
penses at the Queens Hospital reduced, from 81
to rs per diem for each beneficiary. A glance at
the Hospitals published Report for the
quarter ending with the present month of Jnne,
shows that the tax levied on seamen and passen-
gers arriving at OVr Islands. called the "two
dollars Hospital tax" has Melted to that Institu-
ton the handsome sum of So, 200. 1t has also
happened that some unsophisticated strangers on
paying this tax. have " laid the Hattering JUNCTION
TO their souls that they were thereby entitled
to care in the Hospital free of charge, in case OF
illness or accident. This is a delusion, and it has
occurred to your Secretary that it would be an
excellent plan if tbis two dollars tax could be
divided, and one half placed at the disposal Of the
Strangers Friend Society. which is expected to
provide for all the sick poor arriving among us.
In this way our Treasury would not be exhausted,
as is now often is, and we should be able to do
more and better for the suffering poor within our
gates, and who are 10 be with us always"
Respectfully submitted,
A. w. SMITH, Secretary,