there is due from various collieries for rules and cards, £25 15s. Od.; saleable stock on hand to the value of £12 10s.; together with the working property of the society, such as books, &c. Balance due to the treasurer, £16 19s. 8d.

Mr. W. P. Shield (Kepier Grange Colliery), having been appointed by the Executive Committee to make the necessary calculations to determine the amount of contributions that miners at different ages would have to pay in order to secure an annuity of 5s. per week, after arriving at the ages of 60, 65, and 70, had drawn up a report on the subject, which had been printed and placed in the hands of delegates present.

It was proposed by the Houghton-le-Spring society that a superannuation clause be in connection with the fund, and that the stated age when to receive relief be, when a member attains the age of 60 years.

Mr. Henry Taylor (of Newcastle), informed the meeting that he had received a letter from Mr. Backhouse, of Sunderland, stating that something like £1,200 was lying in the bank there, contributed to the Hartley Fund, but which had not been forwarded; and he and his coadjutors were of opinion that it would be better to hand it over to this fund. (Cheers.) There was also £80 which had been subscribed by different parties towards the Permanent Fund, which had been sent to Wood's Bank, to the credit of the society. (Hear, hear.) After a long discussion, it was at length decided that at whatever length of time from the occurrence of an accident, it should be satisfactorily proved that death ultimately resulted therefrom, the member should be kept upon the fund till death, and that his widow and children should be entitled to the same benefit as though he had been killed upon the spot.

It was also decided that the general secretary have a salary of £5 for the year ending May, 1863.

The following were re-elected, with the addition of Mr. Henry Taylor, of Newcastle, as honorary secretary:treasurer, Mr. John Baillie Leithead; secretary, Mr. Alexander Blyth; vice-presidents, Right Hon. T. E. Headlam, M.P., Rev. G. T. Fox, M.A., John Straker, Esq., H. L. Stobart, Esq. The following were elected on the general

committee, namely:-Honorary members, Messrs J. J. Hunter, J. Richardson, and J. Bramwell. The other members were Messrs. Shield, Dixon, D. Cole, W. Simpson, Cruddas, Bailes, Burdis, Jos. Bell, John Brack, and John Howie.

Mr. Stobart spoke at this meeting and said he was not afraid to tell the delegates that there was a great amount of ́ jealousy between masters and men, and the day was coming fast when that would be swept aside. The coal trade in a great measure were afraid that the Permament Fund would give support to strikes.

Mr. Henry Taylor said he was sorry there was some reluctance on the part of some of the coal owners to acknowledge the society. He believed the trade had a mistaken idea as to the way the Permanent Fund was before them. He concluded by saying that unfortunately for both masters and men, there was a jealousy existing, but it always had and would be until a proper feeling existed between employer and employed. The day was not far distant when masters and men would shake hands with each other and recognise each other as members of one human family.

This meeting gave a stimulus to this useful and benevolent society, which has been progressing up to the present day, and now has the large majority of the most intelligent miners of the two counties as its members, together with a great many honorary members. Happily no one now either in the society or out of it, has any doubts as to its beneficial mission, or any misgivings as to its being an evil. Nor do the men any longer display any jealousy, or feel otherwise than honoured for such gentlemen as Mr. Hugh Taylor, Mr. Henry Taylor, Mr. H. L. Stobart, and others of influence to be connected with them. The whole management of the society is in the workmen's hands, they have universal suffrage in sending their representatives to make the rules for the guidance of the society, and if there is anything wrong in the government they have themselves to blame, as the gentlemen above named take no part further than to pay their subscriptions. Mr. Alexander Blyth still continues to act as secretary, and he has now for a companion Mr. William Steel, a most intelligent miner.

In contrast to the first report of this society may be given that which was submitted to the annual meeting held in Newcastle on the 7th of June 1873, and which will give a perfect idea of the great progress which has taken place since its establishment. The report of the Executive Committee stated that upwards of 5,000 members had been 'added to the fund, the total number of branches now being 230, with 30,000 members. This large increase was attributed to the energy of the canvassing agents. The minor accident fund had kept pace with the parent department. It now numbered 25,000, and was established in every branch but three. Over 3,000 individuals in this department had been injured while following their employment, and had received from one to 26 weeks' payments. This branch was now in such a satisfactory position that the committee thought they might safely authorise the amalgamation of the permanent and the minor branches. The sick fund comprised 500 members, and had a balance of £150. The report next remarked that the employers showed no signs of faltering, but were ever giving proof of their desire to help forward the society. There was only some half-dozen owners in the two counties who held aloof from contributing to the fund, which was devoted to the sustenance of the widows and orphans, together with disabled miners who were deprived of their ordinary income from accidents in the mines. Reference having been made to the deputation to Mr. Winterbotham on the truck system, the committee went on to remark that there was still as great necessity as ever for carefully husbanding the resources of the society. The trying or testing point has not yet been fully arrived at, however. The number of widows and children chargeable to the fund was still increasing, as were also disabled members. The balance-sheet showed an expenditure for the latter class alone of nearly £2,000, being an increase of nearly 25 per cent. on the previous year, and without any great extra calamity to account for such increase. With respect to the Cleveland mines, the committee had made special efforts more than once to arrive at satisfactory data as the basis of negotiation regarding terms of admission, but they had felt compelled to give further time, there not being