BRANCH LODGE FORMED

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 87, 17 June 1946, Page 4

BRANCH LODGE FORMED

ANCIENT ORDER OF DRUIDS GRAND SECRETARY’S ADDRESS At the meeting which took place in the Caledonian Hall last Wednesday evening for the purpose of forming a branch Lodge of the United Ancient Order of Druids the Grand Secretary, Bro. A. L. Williams, of Petone, prefaced the business of the meeting with an address, in which he outlined all the aspects connected with lYtembership, and also the foundation, growth and present position of the Order. Opening his remarks, Bro. Williams stated that the United Ancient Order of Druids was a Friendly Society which operated on purely democratic lines. There were 96 branch Lodges in-the North Island Grand Lodge with an aggregate membership of over 12,000. The Grand Lodge of Canterbury and of Otago and Southland swelled this number to over 21,000. Membership, he said, was open to persons of both sexes between the ages of 15 and 40 years and could be of an honorary or full benefit nature. During the war years the influx of members to the Order was at the low figure of approximately 70 per annum, but 1946 had seen a recovery and already over 100 initiates had joined the Order since the beginning of the New Year. 1548 members had gone overseas in the Armed Forces and of these 110 had paid the supreme sacrifice. One hundred members of the Order were still serving in Japan.

Financial Position The financial position of the Society was very sound, the assets totalling well over the millions pounds mark. Each benefit fund was actuarially solvent, showing a substantial surplus. During the year ended December 31, 1945, £48,673 17s 6d had been paid out for sick pay, funeral and death benefits. The funds of the Order had increased by a nett amount of £21,343 7s lid during this same period The contributions were based on actuarial practice and amounted to only a few pence per week The full benefits consisted of sick pay of £1 per week; a death benefit of £100; and a funeral benefit of £2O with an additional funeral benefit of £lO for the wife of a member, should she pre-decease him. There were also benevolent benefits and endowments as well as full life assurances available to members, both male and female. Contributions of members obtaining the age of 65 years were considerably reduced and the amount for this purpose alone, during 1945 was £4583 19s sd. Foundation and Growth

The Order, he said, started in New j Zealand less than 100 years ago—in 1878. In 1895 the Grand Lodge of the North Island of New Zealand gained home rule by seceding from the Grand Lodge of Victoria and had progressed from a membership of 473 and 8 Lodges, having a capital | of £ll7 to its present position of 96 Lodges and a capital of £1,028,171 19s 7d. The outstanding advantage of membership of the Druidic Order was the availability of training for sound citizenship through the medium of discussion and the practice I of thrift. Self-reliance, a knowledge I of chairmanship and of conduct of meetings was inculcated and it was} a noteworthy fact that many public j men received their early training inj a Druids Lodge. j