Philanthropic Collections.—­The following are a few not mentioned in previous pages:—­A local fund for the relief of sufferers by famine in Asia Minor was opened May 6, 1875, the amount collected being L682.—­In 1875, a little over L1,700 was gathered to aid the sufferers from the inundations in France that year.—­November 25, 1878, at a meeting held to sympathise with the losers through the failure of the Glasgow Bank more than L1,000 was subscribed; L750 being gathered afterwards.—­The Mayor’s Relief Fund, in the winter-time of 1878-79, totalled up to L10,242, of which L9,500 was expended in relief, L537 in expenses, and the balance divided between the Hospitals.  The number of separate gifts or donations to the poor was 500,187, equivalent to relieving once 108,630 families.

Philanthropic Societies.—­Are as numerous as they are various, and the amount of money, and money’s worth, distributed each year is something surprising.  The following are the principal ones:—­

Aged Women.—­A society was commenced here in 1824 for the relief of poor women over 60 years of age, and there are now on the books the names of nearly 200 who receive, during the year, in small amounts, an average of 17s to 18s. each.  Miss Southall, 73, Wellington Road, is one of the Hon. Sees., who will be pleased to receive additional subscriptions.  Fifty other aged women are yearly benefitted through Fentham’s Trust.—­See “Blue Coat School.”

Architects.—­There is a Benevolent Society in connection with the Royal Institute of British Architects, for relieving poor members of the profession, their widows, or orphans.  The local representative is Mr. F. Cross, 14A, Temple Row.

Aunt Judy’s Work Society.—­On the plan of one started in London a few years back; the object being to provide clothes for poor children in the Hospitals.  The secretary is Mrs. W. Lord, Brakendale, Farquhar Road, Edgbaston.

Bibles, etc.—­The Birmingham Depository of the British and Foreign Bible Society is at 40, Paradise Street; and that of the Christian Knowledge Society is at 92, New Street.

Boarding-out Poor Children.—­A Ladies’ Society for Befriending Pauper Children by taking them from the Workhouse and boarding them out among cottagers and others in the country, had been quietly at work for some dozen years before the Marston Green Homes were built, but whether the latter rule-of-thumb experiment will prove more successful than that of the ladies, though far more costly, the coming generation must decide.

Boatmen’s Friend Society.—­A branch of the British Seamen’s and Boatmen’s Friend Society, principally for the supply of religious education to the boatmen and their families on the canals, the distribution among them of healthy literature, and the support of the work carried on at the Boatmen’s Hall, Worcester Wharf, where the Superintendent (Rev. R.W.  Cusworth) may be found.  The subscriptions in 1882 amounted to L416.