District Oddfellows In Conference

Chronicle (Levin), 6 March 1948, Page 4

District Oddfellows In Conference

The annual district conference of the Manchester Unity of Indepepdent Order of Oddfellows was held in Wellington this *week. Bro. R. Wickehs, the District Grand Master, - presided. Bro. G. D. Harris was in the Immediate Past D.G.M.'s chair, an'd Bro. F. O. Malcolm was the Royal Victofia Diamon'd Lodge's delegate. . The district committee of management reported that ftie order iii New Zealand was prosecuting vigorous campaign to. increase membership. . The Manchester' Ufiity Pennant was won by the Loyal Morrinsville Lodge for the greatest - increase in membership for' the 1946-1947 period,- Loyal Nelson Lodge was runner.-up for the pennant.', Increasing -assurance . benefits had reached the half-million mafk * in July, 1947, and the sums assured • continued to grow. The Manchester Hnity fire insurance was also being availed of by a great number of members. The international conference of 1948 was being held in Englan'd and the secretary of the Order in New, Zealand, Bro. J. L. Stewart, and the Deputy Grand Master, Bro. A. Gow, were now . en route as New Zealand's delegates. The 1944 valuatfon report had befen received from the Government Actuary and all Lodges.had . been circulated in regard -to their . surpluses. .The Manchester Unity cre'dit union. 'was , .forging ahead and had paid a dividend of three per cent. on' shares. Junior Lodges were now succes'sfully operatings in cohjunetion with Kilbirnie, Newtown, Levin, Lower Hutt and Marlborough Lodges. The eiection' of ' officers for t the ehsuing term resulted in Bro. L. J. ' Cooper being elected District Grand , Master, with Bro. G. H. Forbes as Depu.ty District Grand Master. Bros. Bird, J. L. Wood, S. Eades and I. Russell were elected. management committee, with Brb's. W. A. -Palmer ' and C. E. White as Wairarapa representatives and Bro. R. So,wman as Marlborough representative. Bro. J. Wood was elected examining and relieving officer, and Bros. J. Shewan and J. W. Russel as district auditor and assistant district auditor respectively. The installation of the district officers was carried out at the Loyal Sister Wallis Lodge in the evening by the Grand Master of the Order, Bro. W. B. Brown, assisted by Past Qrand Master A. C. Rlair.