100 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
January 30, 1904 
Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Institution. 
The annual general meeting of the subscribers and friends of 
this institution was held at the Covent Garden Hotel on Tnur.>- 
day, the 21st inst., Mr. Harry J. Veitch, the chairman, presid¬ 
ing. At the conclusion of the initial business of the meeting, 
the Chairman called upon the secretary to read the report- of 
the committee for the past year. 
Report of the Committee for 1903. 
In presenting their annual report and statement of accounts 
(as audited) for the year 1903, the committee have the pleasure 
of again congratulating the members and subscribers of the 
institution on its continued success -and increased usefulness 
in affording relief both of a permanent and temporary nature to 
those who, through sheer misfortune, due to accident, ill-health, 
old age, and reduced circumstances, have been compelled to 
apply for its assistance ini their time of need. 
At the beginning of the year, 204 persons' being fourteen 
more than at the corresponding period in the _ previous year, 
116 men and 88 widows—were receiving life annuities of £20 ana 
£16 respectively. Of this number during the year sixteen 
have died—nine men and seven widows. Six of the men left- 
widows, whose cases were such as to warrant their being placed 
on the funds for the widow’s annuity of £16, without election, 
and in accordance with Rule III- The committee have- also 
reinstated on the funds a former pensioner, who had 
voluntarily relinquished Ins pension for the time being 
on account of his altered circumstances. There were 
thus at the close of the year 192 pensioners on the 
funds, and the committee recommend an election this 
day of twelve additional pensioners to fill the 
vacancies created. 
They much regret that in view of the present in¬ 
come, and having regard to prudence, they are un¬ 
able to recommend the election of a larger number, 
the more so as the list of candidates shows so large 
an increase on that at any previous election, but 
they would remind the subscribers that- no less than 
twenty-eight pensioners were placed on the fluids in 
the Coronation year (1902), wliich materially added 
to the liabilities of the institution. ;j 
The special funds, viz., the “Victorian Era Fund 
and the “ Good Samaritan Fund,” are, happily, still 
a source of incalculable benefit and help. From the 
former fund £135 10s. has been distributed during 
the year to unsuccessful candidates who had pre¬ 
viously been subscribers, in proportionate amounts, 
according to the number of years they had sub¬ 
scribed ; and from the latter fund, which is for the 
assistance of subscribing and also non-subscribing 
applicants, no less than £81 has been awarded in 
temporary assistance in cases of urgent need, many 
of which were of a particularly distressing and 
pathetic character. The grateful letters which have 
been received from the recipients of aid from these special funds, 
as well -as from the general fund, show how much the help was 
needed, and how greatly it was appreciated. 
The committee would also refer to the generous and tliought- 
ful kindness of Mr. N. N. Sherwood, a trustee and member of 
the committee, who at the last election presented each unsuc¬ 
cessful candidate, who had been a subscriber, or the widow of 
such, with the sum of £5. Mr. Sherwood’s generous liberality 
proved most acceptable, and was greatly valued. 
The annual festival dinner, which took place in June, under 
the presidency of the Right Honourable the Earl of Warwick, 
was very successful, and resulted in -a substantial sum being 
raised in aid of the funds, and the- committee are much indebted 
to his lordship. They also take -this opportunity of tendering 
their best thanks to- the stewards, collectors, donors of flowers, 
the Horticultural Press, and to other friends and helpers 
throughout the country who in any way, either directly or in¬ 
directly, contributed to the success of the festival. The com¬ 
mittee have likewise to -express- their grateful thanks to the 
Earl of Ilchester for. kindly allowing his beautiful gardens at 
Holland Ho-use to be opened—on the occasion of the flower show 
of the Royal Horticultural Society—-to the public, part of the 
proceeds obtained therefrom being banded over in aid of the 
funds of the institution. 
The several auxiliaries, viz., Bristol and Bath (lion, secre¬ 
tary, AV. J. Harris), Worcester (lion, secretary, Mr. Percy G. 
White), Devon and Exeter (lion, -secretary, Mr. W. W. 
Mack-ay), Wolverhampton (lion, secretary, Mr. R. _ Lowe), 
Residing (lion, secretary, Mr. H. G. Cox), and Liverpool 
(hon. secretary, Mr. R. G. Waterman), still continue to be a 
source of strength and much support to the institution, both 
financially and by creating a- wider interest in the work, and the 
committee gladly record their gratitude to the hon. secretaries 
and local committees for their kind and much-appreciated ser¬ 
vices. 
It is with deep regret the committee have again the melan¬ 
choly and sorrowful duty of referring to the many losses amongst 
the friends and supporters of the institution they have sus¬ 
tained during the past year—losses which will be severely felt-, 
and vacant places- it will be difficult to fill. Nevertheless they 
feel confident that the friends o-f the institution who remain will 
not relax their efforts, but will use their utmost endeavours to 
fill up the gaps in the ranks of those who so kindly and gener¬ 
ously assisted to maintain the work. There -are at this election 
no- fewer than fifty-three applicants, and if only twelve are 
elected, forty-one must perforce, beyond what assistance may 
be afforded from the special funds, to- which allusion has already 
been made, wait another year before they can apply for the aid 
they seek. 
Their cases- are mo-st sad, and the committee sincerely wish 
it were ini their power to a-t -once grant them, or at least some of 
them, that'permanent assistance for which they plead and of 
which f-h-ey are so much in need. The committee therefore, 
whilst th-ankfylly acknowledging the help afforded them in the 
past, very earnestly appeal to all friends -and well-wishers for 
their co-operation in obtaining additional support for this 
Roof Gabdening on a Bakehouse. (See p. 93.) 
national horticultural charity, so as to warrant an enlargement of 
its beneficent objects on behalf of these, in their clays of need, 
who- in their time have done their best to minister to the plea¬ 
sures and necessities of others. 
BALA.NCE SHEET, 1903. 
£ s. 
d. 
To balance. 
1,021 19 
0 
Amount on deposit. 
3,105 10 
9 
Annual subscriptions. 
.. £1,580 11 
0 
Festival dinner. 
.. 2 049 17 
3 
Beturn of Income Tax . 
63 1 
0 
Advertisements. 
5b 12 
0 
Dividends and interest . 
.. 868 10 
3 
4,617 11 
9 
8,805 0 
9 
By pensions and gratui ies . 
3,716 6 
8 
Expenses of annual meeting and election 
12 8 
9 
Bent, cleaning, firing, light, etc., and secret 
,ry and clerks 
salaries . 
515 0 
0 
Printing, including annual reports, polling 
papers, etc. . 
Stationery, including cheque books 
Advertisement in Fry’s Charities. 
Festival dinner expenses, £174 2s. ; less dinner 
charges, £109 4s. 
Postages, including reports, appeals, voting 
papers, etc. 
Travelling expenses. 
Carriage, telegrams, repairs, and incidental 
expenses . 
Bank charges. 
Amount placed on deposit 
Balance with treasurer . 
Balance with secretary .- 
108 7 3 
26 IS 11 
3 3 0 
64 18 0 
53 
3 
7 17 10 
0 6 4 
1,022 3 10 
5 12 6 
237 19 0 
5,265 10 0 
1,027 16 4 
3,805 0 0 
