1¾ acres of the Old Cemetery Reserve at the top of Rattray street, but the Committee decided that, while a piece of land 10 acres in extent was desirable, not less than 5 acres would suffice. On the strength of a promise from Mr. J. H. Harris, Deputy Superintendent, that he would recommend to his Executive "the placing of an amount on the estimates to enable the Committee to purchase an eligible site," the Committee called for tenders for 5 or 10 acres, not exceeding a mile and a half from the Octagon, but there was no response. The second government offer was the right of purchase of 100 acres of the Pine Hill Reserve at £1 per acre, in lieu of the 1¾ acres of the Old Cemetery Reserve. The Pine Hill Reserve, however, was, after careful examination, rejected as a site, owing to its distance from the city and the difficulty of access to it, but it was ultimately secured as an endowment. Owing to the seeming impossibility of securing a more suitable site, the Committee then signified their willingness to accept the 1¾ acres at the Old Cemetery Reserve, but only again to abandon it.
While the erection of a permanent Asylum was thus delayed, urgent cases of distress forced themselves on the attention of the Committee, and they therefore determined to lease some suitable place for a time. In this also they were disappointed, for no proprietors could be found willing to let their buildings for such a purpose. Out-door relief, however, was administered to a steadily-increasing number of applicants, whose cases were carefully inquired into by a sub-committee. At the first general meeting of the subscribers, held in the rooms of the Institution in Farley's Hall, Princes street, the weekly average number of recipients of aid was stated to be 50, no fewer than 10 children being boarded out, and the amount expended weekly in relief was about £25. The report submitted at that meeting stated that "since the formation of this Society relief has been widely distributed, and in several cases your Committee has the satisfaction of reflecting that the existence of this Institution has been the means of rescuing many unfortunate persons from the misery and temptation to which their circumstances exposed them, of turning deserted and orphan children from the paths of vice, and assisting helpless women to maintain themselves in honesty."
