any lasting good a prolonged stay in a home was essential. The Committee procured the surgical boot, and prevailed upon the City Poor Law Guardians to admit the boy into their Margate establishment for a lengthened sojourn, which it is hoped will enable him to become strong enough to learn a trade. CASES OF DESTITUTE WIDOWS. The two subjoined cases illustrate the successful treatment of one of the most difficult classes of applications that come before the Committee, viz., those of destitute widows. The Widows' Friend Society have helped the Committee most cordially and liberally in some of these cases. SPECIMEN CASES. 1869. A respectable widow, with five children, was sent to the Committee to apply for a mangle to enable her to get a living. Only one of the family was able to earn a ything, getting a small weekly sum as a servant. The husband when alive had been a tailor, and his former employers had acted most kindly to the widow. The Committee granted her temporary help and procured a mangle for her, part of the cost being defrayed by the Churchwardens of St. Botolph's, Bishopsgate. She is now making a fair living. 2008. A widow, aged 63, was sent to the Committee by a City clergyman. She wished to be sent to New York, from whence a sister had written willingly offering her a home. She was proved to be a sober, industrious woman, but owing to her age unable to maintain herself. Two married sons were able with much difficulty to give her slight assistance, but it seemed likely that sooner or later she must come upon the rates. The Committee sent her to New York, part of the expenses being met by the kindness of some City firms who knew the family, and the remainder being advanced by the Committee on the willing security of the two sons. LOANS. The Committee have learnt by long experience that one of the best uses to which they can put the limited funds at their disposal is in granting small loans repayable, without interest, by easy instalments. A small sum of money placed out in this way is frequently the means of enabling some struggling person to tide over a critical time and make a fresh and successful start. Sometimes the loans take the form of mangles or sewing machines. Fifty-three loans have been granted this year, and have proved almost uniformly beneficial. CONVALESCENT CASES. The City Committee have, through the generosity of their supporters, been enabled to deal with the many cases requiring convalescent letters without reference to the Central Convalescent Committee. They have particularly to thank Mr. Rüffer, Messrs. Brown, Shipley, & Co., and others for the help they have afforded by placing their letters at the disposal of the Committee. It is impossible to over-estimate the good that can be done in this way. APPEAL FOR GIFTS OF CAST-OFF CLOTHES. The Committee gratefully acknowledge the numerous gifts of cast-off clothes made to them during the year, and would earnestly ask for still more frequent gifts of this description, both of men, women, and children's clothes. They are of the greatest use, often avoiding the expense of an outfit to those who are emigrating, or enabling those out of work to present themselves in decent attire when in search of, or taking up fresh employment. It so frequently happens that deserving people, out of work through no fault of their own, and obliged to maintain themselves by parting with everything of value they possess, are precluded from obtaining work by their dilapidated appearance, and indeed shrink from presenting themselves to possible employers. HONORARY AUDITOR. In conclusion the Committee, would wish to add an expression of thanks to their Honorary Auditor, Mr. Horace A. Herbert, for the time and trouble he has once more bestowed in the auditing of the appended balance sheet. November, 1884. Bankers-LONDON AND COUNTY BANK, 181 Shoreditch. Charity Agent-Mr. JAMES HARRIS. Collector-Mr. JAMES HARRIS. Office-56 St. John's Road, Hoxton, N. REPORT. THE Committee beg leave to present to their subscribers their Annual Report for the year ending September, 1884. 455 cases have been dealt with, against 467 in the previous year; and, though the Society is not a new relief society, but one that brings to bear all available resources for the deserving poor, yet of these cases 159 have been assisted by grants, eight by loans, and 56 through other channels. The Committee have received from the Gardner Trustees large donations for two blind men, while a woman is in receipt of a pension from them. The sum of £49. 68. 6d. has been expended on 68 convalescent cases, in addition to £12. 6s. from special donors. This does not include the amount spent by the Convalescent Committee of the Central Council, who now engage permanent beds in different parts of the country and at the sea-side, so that while delay is avoided in sending the applicants away to suitable localities, an extension of residence (a matter of much difficulty heretofore) can be at once procured, on due representation being made. The Central Council publish a newspaper, The Reporter, and through making known the requirements of their applicants therein, the Committee have been able to supply a boy (aged eight, cripple from birth) with £7 for a surgical instrument, which he required previous to leaving a hospital, where he had undergone an operation; and also have received £4. 10s., out of a total of £7, for a family emigrating. Through the same source £20 has been procured to pay the balance of a blind boy's maintenance, who had obtained at the Norwood College a scholarship for music. This the Poor Law Guardians could have voted, but they were of opinion that it would be better, if possible. to obtain it from voluntary charitable sources. The Committee acknowledge with thanks the active co-operation of some Almoners for the Society for Relief of Distress, and feel that, if all almoners of charity were to use the machinery of the office, their charity would be more satisfactorily bestowed for the permanent improvement of the condition of the poor. The business of the office is, they believe, still efficiently conducted by one agent, though the work has amazingly increased; for it appears that, in addition to the actual case work, 795 reports and letters have been sent out, and 429 inquiries for other Committees made. Subscribers are respectfully informed that their contributions, which are earnestly sought, will he placed for Relief only, or for the General Funds of the Committee, as they may desire. EXTRACTS FROM CASES INVESTIGATED. NOT REQUIRING RELIEF. No. 5,492.-W. L., widow, laundress, five children, two only dependent, applied for assistance. From inquiries it was found that the family were earning 39s. per week, and that they were living rent free, as they let off to lodgers more than they paid to the landlord. UNDESERVING. From No. 5,765.-M. L., stationer, married, applied for assistance. inquiries it was found that he was in the habit of writing begging letters, and had been for years. During the time the case was being investigated he received two amounts through the post, and on each occasion he took his wife out for a holiday, instead of using the money for the purpose it was given, and returned home drunk. He was stated to be often drunk: wife also drank, and a daughter was out late of a night, and was often drunk when she returned home. INELIGIBLE. No. 5,599.-M. G., a widow, applied for assistance to enable her to get a mangle. From inquiries it was found that she would not be able to get a living with a mangle, as there were already too many in the neighbourhood. She afterwards obtained one through another source; but, after less than two months, had to dispose of it at a loss through not being able to get work. POOR LAW. No. 5,625.-H. E., a charwoman, aged sixty, single, applied for assistance. From inquiries it was found she had had no work for six months, and was unable to get any on account of her age. She was living with a sister who could not keep her, as her earnings were not sufficient to keep herself. ASSISTED BY GRANTS. No. 5,574.-W. J., single, boot-finisher, applied for assistance to enable him to get a surgical instrument, he having had his foot amputated. The case was found to be a deserving one; the instrument was obtained for him at the cost of £3. 103. £1 was given by the Committee, and the remainder obtained by them from other sources. No. 5,703.-W. C., married, bricklayer, applied for assistance to enable him to get a surgical boot, he having met with an accident, and being unable to follow any employment without one. The boot was obtained for him at the cost of 25s. He is now following lighter employment, being unable to work as a bricklayer again. He also asked for a loan, which was granted, and is being repaid regularly. No. 5,761.-G. L., a widow, four children, three dependent, applied for assistance to enable her to get a mangle. The case was found to be deserving. A mangle was obtained for her at the cost of £5. £1. 10s. was given by the Committee and the remainder was obtained by them from other sources. CONVALESCENT CASE. No. 5,474.-R. J., single, a shopman, had been in a hospital but was not strong enough to undergo an operation; he was recommended for change of air, and applied to be sent to a Convalescent Home. He was sent to a Home in the country at the expense of the Convalescent Committee, the travelling expenses being obtained for him from another source. Not being strong enough when he returned, he applied again, when a letter was given for the Woodford Convalescent Home. The case was not suitable for this Home, and a member of the Woodford Committee obtained a letter for the Margate Infirmary for him, and kindly gave 20s. towards the expenses, the Committee paying the other expenses incurred, which amounted to £3. 4s. during three months. He remained at the Infirmary four months, his friends paying the expenses for the last month. He has returned strong enough to undergo the operation. THE past year has been one of very great progress in the Society's work in Bethnal Green. The Committee has been much strengthened by the addition of several very valuable members, and some existing ones, who had ceased, or almost ceased, to attend, now take a renewed interest in it, and are frequently present at the meetings, with the result of greatly increasing the efficiency of its work. The knowledge of the conditions and peculiarities of various industries, and of the habits and modes of thought of those who follow them, possessed by some of its members, is invaluable in guiding the Committee in its decisions; and it is much to be wished that more of the residents in the district, especially those who labour among the poor, or whose avocations or official position bring them into frequent contact with them, would join the Committee, and bring the valuable assistance of their experience to bear upon its work. For the first time since the Committee was formed, an Hon. Secretary has been present (or been represented by a thoroughly capable substitute) daily at the office, and gone personally into every application, and seen every applicant, before the case was laid before the Committee. As a trivial, but none the less certain, indication of the increased labour and care which it is thus possible to bestow on the cases, it may be pointed out that the postage account has risen from £3. 2s. 8d. in the preceding twelve months to £8. 198. 4d. in the year just finished. Another indication of the greater thoroughness with which, owing to the cause above set forth, the work has been |