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Officers and Committee of Management FOR THB;,YEAR 1878. PATRON: RIGHT HON. HUGH C. E. CHILDERS, M. P. TRUSTEES: S. BARKER, C. K. DOMVILLE, P. TEMPLE. Committee of Management, PRESIDENT VICE-PRESIDENT, . C. K. DOMVILLE, J. HOBSON, H. CHILDS, W. S. CHAMP, N. j. POWER, P, TEMPLE, W. BURNIP, A. CAMERON, F. BROUGHTON. C. STIFF. P. MURRAY, W. CANNIFF, J. S. LAING, D. McINNES, T. BUTTERS, J. MORAN, G. COLLIS, W. McII^TYRE, CHAS. F. BULLEN, M. D., C. M. AUDITORS: N. J. POWER, T. BUTTERS. Chief Medical Officer: CHAS. F. BULLEN, M. D., C. M. Secretary, A, E. DAVIES. Treasurer, W. S. CHAMP Great Western Railway Provident Society IT ought to be hardly necessary to point out the wisdom of establishing and belonging to such a society ; but most men are so careless of the future, so inattentive to the warnings of the uncertainty of health, and of life itself, which each day brings with it, and so backward in recognizing the prudence of laying up something against that " rainy day " which, sooner or later, and with more or less frequency, overclouds the brightness of every household, that it has been considered desirable, when the Rules and Regulations of the Society are first being circulated, that a concise summary of its objects and benefits should be appended to them. The Great Western Railway Provident Society, then, has been established, primarily, for the purpose of affording to each of its members relief during sickness, and, in case of death, of securing a sum of money to his widow or representative. The annual average rate of sickness necessarily varies in various climates, localities, and circumstances ; and the percentage of accidents also varies in like manner. The Canadian climate, notwithstanding its extremes, is undoubtedly, on the whole, a very healthy one, and statistics go to show that on Canadian railways the average number of injuries caused by accidents is less than in the United Kingdom. Still, under the most favorable circumstances, however skilful and careful men may be, and however attentive to their wants and considerate of their safety the Company may be, accidents must and will occur, sickness must and will overtake many a man whose finances are insufficient to bear the strain which a total or partial cessation of pay, even for a limited period, imposes on them. Most men at their death leave certain current debts,