so efficiently discharged by her have been undertaken by the committee themselves, whose benevolent and abundant labours in the service of the poor and the afflicted are deserving of the warmest recognition. A summary of the work done by the Ladies' Association and an abstract of its yearly accounts are usually appended to the Annual Reports of the Session and Deacons' Court.
It may be mentioned here that the congregation made an annual collection in aid of the funds of the Otago Benevolent Institution until the Hospitals and Charitable Aid Act of 1885 came into operation. The proceeds of these collections during the twenty years in which they were made averaged about £50 8s a year. The collection for 1877 was £111 0s 10d, and that for 1878 reached the exceptionally large sum of £155 0s 8d. No collection seems to have been made, however, for the year 1876. These contributions were of course exclusive of annual subscriptions paid directly to the treasurer of the Institution by office-bearers and members of the congregation. The Patients' and Prisoners' Aid Society seems to have taken the place of the Benevolent Institution as regards the annual collection. During the last few years a sum averaging fully £30 annually has been collected for the Society. Special collections for various objects are made as appointed by the Synod. A summary of these is given in a statement appended to this History.[1]
