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THE KINGSTON ATHENAEUM, founded March 1st 1899, in connection with St. Andrew's Kirk, Kingston, is a literary society, the object of which is " the promotion of the moral, intellectual and social welfare of its members." It is now run on an independent basis. Its meetings are held at the Conversorium at present and its Library is at No. 31 Duke St. The Library is open on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays from 11 a.m. until 5.30. p.m. The membership consists of 308 men and 97 women. R. S. Gamble Esq. is President, and Mr. J. L. Pietersz, Secretary. The Librarian is Miss Rose Geddes. His Excellency the Governor is Hon. President.

THE KINGSTON CITIZENS' ASSOCIATION, formed in 1908, aims at creating and maintaining Public opinion on questions of public affairs, particularly the Political, Intellectual and Social advancement of the people of Kingston. Dr. G. C. Henderson is President and Mr. Frank E. Jackson, Secretary.

With aims similar to the foregoing the TRELAWNY CITIZENS' ASSOCIATION and the MONTEGO BAY CITIZENS' ASSOCIATIONS were formed. Rev. W. Marwick, Falmouth P.O. is Secretary of the former, and the Rev. T. W. Halliday, Montego Bay P.O. of the latter.

THE JAMAICA CIVIL SERVICE MUTUAL GUARANTEE ASSOCIATION was established under Law in 1892 and is recognized by the Government for the purpose of providing pecuniary security for Public Officers for fidelity in office. It is managed by a committee of four public officers, none of them being of a lower rank than chief clerk. Mr. A Nosworthy is the Secretary.

THE JAMAICA BRANCH OF THE BRITISH MEDICAL ASSOCIATION was the first colonial offshoot of the Parent Association and was founded at Kingston in 1877. Its objects are like those of its parent "the promotion of the medical and the allied sciences and the maintenance of the honour and interest of the Medical Profession." There have been 21 Presidents since the formation of the Branch, the present one being Dr. G. C. Henderson, M.D. Lond. Dr. G. F. DaCosta, M.B., C.M. is Hon. Secretary.

A DENTAL ASSOCIATION has been recently formed with objects as above. Dr. E. E. Clark is President.

THE JAMAICA UNION OF TEACHERS, affiliated with the National Union of Teachers of Great Britain, seeks through its forty associations of teachers in the Island affiliated with the Union, to obtain the benefit of the corrective experience of teachers on practical educational questions, and generally to help teachers. Rev. G. L. Young is President and Mr. J. T. Munroe, General Secretary.

GRAY'S CHARITY. By the will of John William Gray of St. Mary, a merchant who died in 1854, £5,000 was appropriated for the establishment of a poor house for the exclusive benefit of the respectable poor of St. Mary.” Fort Haldane near Port Maria was purchased for this purpose and since August 1880 a home has been found in the charity for 12 persons. On the 31st March, 1908 the funds amounted to £13,796.4. 4 1/2d. Mr. Sidney McCutchin is Clerk.

KINGSTON SAILOR'S HOME was founded in 1864 through the exertions of the Rev. George Cheyne and other philanthropists, it was at first maintained by annual subscriptions from the merchants and other leading members of the community, until 1879 when it began to receive government aid. A corporate body was established to manage its affairs. The premises at 42 Church St. were provided in 1883 at a cost of £1,065. The building has been rebuilt after it was destroyed by the earthquake of January 1907. The Home provides a free temporary board and lodging for destitute seamen holding a good conduct certificate. The open hours are from 6 a.m. till 10 p.m. daily. Mr. Thomas F. Coney is the Superintendent; and Mr. A. S. Spratt is Secretary.

KINGSTON AND ST. ANDREW UNION POOR HOUSE is situated on the Admiral's Penn land in St Andrew and maintained by the Poor Rates of Kingston and St. Andrew. The institution accommodates 300 persons, who are not capable of earning their own livelihood at an average cost of 7 1/2d per day. A board of managers composed of all the members of the Parochial Boards of the respective parishes conduct is affairs. Councillor M. D. Farrier is the present Chairman. It was founded in 1870.

THE DISCHARGED PRISONERS' AID SOCIETY was founded in 1898 to assist discharged prisoners, who express the desire to live straight, to do so. This is done by making grants of money to the parties direct or through a Parochial Committee. The Society helps discharged prisoners to secure work, helping them with tools and clothing when necessary. The Society has branches in Lucea and Montego Bay. Rev. J. E. Randall, Kingston, is Secretary and Treasurer, and Mr. W. P. Clark, R.M. for St. Mary is President.

THE HEBREW BENEVOLENT SOCIETY, established in 1851, owed its origin to the cholera outbreak of 1850, and particularly to the energy of the late B. A. Franklin, who was untiring in his energies to aid the afflicted of all denominations. The extent of the distress prevailing among the Jewish poor became so apparent that this philanthropist established this charity. At first only out door relief was given, but in 1863, with some £900, the proceeds of a grand bazaar in Kingston, almshouses were established in Kingston. The charity is supported by voluntary contributions. There are 38 inmates in the home principally aged, and children. The funds amount to about £300 annually.

GEMILUT HASADIM SOCIETY has been in existence over a century. It provides for the burial of the dead besides giving relief to respectable Jewish poor outside of the home. N. M. Alexander, Esq. is President and Aaron M. Sollas, Esq., Treasurer.

JAMAICA MASONIC BENEVOLENCE is an Association the purposes of which are the relief of necessitous or impoverished members of the masonic order, their widows, orphans, or other relatives dependent upon them, by regular allowances, by donations, by the granting of clothing, food or implements of workmanship, by providing education for their children, by aiding in their passage from the island, or such like charitable means. The funds are raised by voluntary donations and annual subscriptions from lodges, individual members and others. At the end of 1908 there was a balance to the fund of £1,169. 1s 2d. Grants during 1907 amounted to £1,885. 3s. 0d, plus £18 for education fees. The funds are under the control of a Board of Directors of which the Presidents are the Rt. Wor. Bros. William Duff and Dr. J. Ogilvie. Wor. Bro. F. G. Sale is Secretary.

THE CITY DISPENSARY. Founded in 1876 in Kingston and confined to the artisan classes and others of the city, its object has been to provide medical attendance and medicine, for its members who pay each 3d per week if an adult. Children of members are attended up to two years free, and from two up till ten they pay 1 1/2d per week. Married women whose husbands and children are members are attended in midwifery free, after one year's membership. The directors having obtained D'Espinose's bequest, of £2,000 which yields £80 per annum are enabled to render aid to 75 free recipients nominated by the trustees of the trust. The office is at 14 Duke St. Mr. M. A. Rowley is Secretary and Collector.

THE WOMEN'S SELFHELP SOCIETY was founded in Kingston by Lady Musgrave in 1879 for the purpose of developing some of the specially feminine industries of the island, (as a means of fostering selfhelp,) and of providing employment for poor needle-women. The society is self-supporting. The premises at 8 Church St. were destroyed in the earthquake and fire of 1907, but the work has been continued in rooms in the City Council building. At the sale rooms in Duke St. there is a large assortment of Jamaica. curiosities, baskets, jippijappa hats, drawnthread work embroidery, etc., as also preserves, chutney and pickles. Lady Oliver is President and Miss F. Burke, Hon. Secretary.

UPWARD AND ONWARD SOCIETY. This Society with several branches all over the island aims at uniting as many as possible of the women of Jamaica in the promotion for womanly virtue, pure family life, and a healthy public opinion on moral questions. Miss Marvin, Principal of Shortwood Training College is the President, and Mrs. C. L. Mais, Corresponding Secretary.

DORCAS SOCIETIES are to be found in several Churches throughout the Island. Those connected with St. Michael's and St. George's of Kingston are specially vigorous. They all supply. many poor people with clothing.

THE SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF ANIMALS IN JAMAICA, founded in 1903, endeavours to attain its aim of protection by education, encouragement, example, and when, these fail by having recourse to the law. Medals are distributed annually as rewards to those who have shown special kindness. to animals. The subscriptions are voluntary, and amounted in 1908 to £84. 13. 8d from 704 members. Mrs. Bourne is the Hon. Secretary.

THE SAILORS' REST. This has been started by Mrs. Denniston to afford sailors visiting the port a pleasant room in which to sit, read, play games, etc. Once kept at Mrs. Denniston's private residence, the Reading Room has been removed to 18 Duke St. During 1908 a new and improved building was erected to replace that destroyed by the earthquake.

KINGSTON CHARITY ORGANIZATION aims at supplying charitable relief for the poor of Kingston and adjacent parish of St. Andrew and support the establishment of Servant's Registry, Provisions of Food for hungry persons, Proper Housing of the Poor, assisting moneyless people to return home, and to establish suitable industries to supply work for the poor. Miss D. Williams is Secretary, and the office is temporarily housed at the Old Wolmers' Buildings.

JAMAICA NURSES UNION. Founded in 1904, its objects are to"facilitate communications between nurses and medical men or patients requiring their services, and to aid in. keeping up the moral, social, and professional status of nurses." A register of nurses is kept at the bureau of information at 21 1/2 Charles St. Mrs. Bourne and Miss F. C. Burke are the joint Secretaries.

This Board, created in April, 1900 ceased to exist on 31st March 1909, the functions being carried out by the Agricultural Society. The members were added to the Board. of Management of the Agricultural Society. These were His Grace the Archbishop, the late C. E. DeMercado, Conrad Watson.

This Society which was established in 1885 takes action in all matters connected with the agriculture and trade of the colony, and consists of 300 members who pay annually £1. 1s. as subscription. "The Merchant's Exchange," in King St. upstairs of the Bank of Nova Scotia Building, gives latest shipping intelligence, etc. It maintains a signal station in Kingston and through the courtesy of the U. F. Co.'s agent at Bowden reports are received of vessels passing Port Morant. The Society also publishes statistics to Commercial men. Mr. L. Ashenheim is Secretary.

British gold and silver coins are in circulation, and calculations are made in £. S. D. The coins of the United States also circulate, one dollar being worth 4/- and five dollars 20/6. Notes for £1, £5, and upwards are circulated by the Colonial Bank and the Nova Scotia Bank, both of which operate here. The distinctly Jamaican coins are the penny, halfpenny and farthing. These are nickel. Though not legal currency, Jamaican Postal Orders. are largely used for transmitting small sums by post within the Island.

The JAMAICA CLUB, organized in 1872, is situated at 59 Hanover Street. Visitors to the Island may be introduced by a Member as an Honorary Member for any period of three months, and for a period not exceeding. six months on paying 21s. a month in advance. Its Secretary is Mr. L. J. Stone. The Governor, the Commander of the Forces and British Naval Officers are Honorary Members.

The ST. ANDREW CLUB commands the premises on the UpPark Villa estate, and is approached from the Marescaux Road. It dates from 1895, and the spacious grounds afford space for fine Tennis Courts, and a Bowling Green. Games of hazard are not allowed. Fifteen Elected Members constitute the Committee of Management. The Committee may elect a distinguished visitor to the island as an Honorary Member; and Members can introduce a friend or visitors. Mr. Frank Pierce Camp P. O., is Secretary.

The ROYAL JAMAICA YACHT CLUB has its Club House in Rae Town on Kingston Harbour. It has over 100 Members. The Secretary is Mr. E. G. Andrews, Kingston P.O.

The WEST INDIA CLUB is represented in Jamaica through the Local Correspondent Mr. G. A. Rock, Public. Works Department, Kingston P.O.

FREEMASONRYThere are three Grand Lodges, five Craft Lodges, as also two Rose Croix Chapters in Kingston. There are also several subordinate Lodges. A fine Masonic Temple is under course of construction in Hanover St., Kingston.

THE ANCIENT ORDER OF FORRESTERS have 12 Courts in the Island with over 600 members. Court Hinds, which dates from 1863, is the oldest.

ODD FELLOWSThe Manchester Unity was established in Kingston in 1885. There are now 14 Lodges in the Jamaica District with branches in Colon, Panama and Costa Rica.

THE GRAND UNITED Order comprises two Households of Ruth, two Past Grand Masters Counsels, one Patriarchy, one District, ten Subordinates and one Juvenile Lodges, under the control of the District Grand, a Subcommittee of Management, America, and a Committee of Management, England.

I. O. GOOD SAMARITANS AND DAUGHTERS OF SAMARIA forwards the work of temperance as well as carries out charitable aims. The first Lodge dates back to 1882. Besides the Grand Lodge there are 17 Subordinate Lodges with four juveniles. There are also branches in Central America and on the Isthmus of Panama.

ANCIENT SHEPHERDS Ashton Unity. Besides the Kingston Branch, established in 1885, there are branches in BocasdelToro, and Port Limon. The Local lodges are eight in number.

I. O. OF MECHANICS has seven local lodges. The office of the Grand Secretary is at 15 Gold St., Kingston.

GOOD TEMPLARY dates back to 1875 when the first lodge was established in Port Royal. Several others have since started in Kingston and other parts of the Island.

Established in 1905, its objects are the encouragement of mechanically propelled road vehicles. The Secretary is Mr. Ernest Nuttall, B.A., L.L.M., 3 Duke St., Kingston.

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