ODDFELLOWSHIP.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1058, 22 February 1911, Page 2

ODDFELLOWSHIP.

THE ANNUAL DISTRICT MEETING. . NATIONAL PROVIDENT FUND. ; ., The annual district meeting of delegate* - from the various lodges connected with the 1.0.0. F., M.U., was held. yesterday, ' Bro. G. A. H.nall, P.G.11.,' presiding. . " Bio. A. J. Ibbctson, P.D.G.M., occupied tho rice-chair, and Bro. G. E. Godber, P.C.S., was also present. ■ The- following .-• delegates, from the various ,lodges wer« . ■ present:—Loyal Britannia Lodge: Bros; - O'Sullivan, Madeley, P.P.G.M., J. Ker- - shaw, T. N. Anderson, T. G. Osborno S: • : Guy, P.G.'s,:and W. J. Durrant, N.G.j •'*■■■' Loyal Antipodean Lodge: Bros. J. Clart J. Avery, «. Read, P.l J .G.JL's; R, Smith and A. Guise, P.G.'s;. Loyal Rose of the ' Valley: Bros. E. Hobman and M. Peccine, ' P.G.'s; Loyal Rose of Sharon, Bro. L. Kitchen, P.G.; Loyal St. George Lodge: • Bro. A. Iggulden, P.G.; . Loyal Unity ' Lodge, Bros. C. Lust, X.G., and C. Keji-t- ' Johnston, P.G.'s; Heart of Oak: Bro. L. H. Smart, P.S.; Loyal llastertfin:'Bros. P. Smith and.P. C. Reynolds; Loyal Grey. town: Bro. D. P. Loasby, P.P.G.M.;■ Loral Petpne: Bro. C. Brocklebank,-P.P.G.iI. j r Royal "Eketnhuna:. Bro. John r Carter, P.G.; Loyal llartinborough: Bro. A. Suth*- V '■■ erland, P.G.; Loyal Mangatainqka: Bro. - H. H. Godfrey; P.G.; Victoria Diamond, ':.'■ Bro. Georgo Astridge, V.G.; Loyal New. V: .*•• town: Bro. J. S. Wiley and Bro. W. G. french,'P.G'.'S; Loyal KUbirnie:-Bro. A. ■•-; C. Bretherton, P.G.; Loyal Combination: " Bro. A. Grierson, P.G. •>-,.< ; : ; Bros. I. Salek.' P.C.S.v of'-.Wanganui, and Bro. G. W. Sellars.P.P.G.M.; of the ••' Ashley'district, were accorded a velconie,. and seated on either side of the GrandMaster. ' /-. ':,. ; ;*';"'',■ " r 1.. . -."■' Grand Master's Address. ;';* *";■-..". Tho- Grand, Master, in Ws address, trusted that the result-of the deßbera- ■ '■'■--.- of the.c.onference-would be of great good to their district and order. A! loyal lodges, they all acknowledged their allegiance to his' Majesty King George V. : Interest was taken by the Sovereigns of : the realm in Oddfellowship. Those pr* sent would hear with pleasure of the pre*' senlation by the 'Manchester *• Unity ' to r ( King George of a gold, jewel. Continuing, the Grand Master wished.to thank Bro/.'•••"■ X.. ,-J;- Ibbotson- for-His services'. ."afe- aIL" -" tim?s, and also.Bro.;G.E. Gadber, !cor4 responding secretary.: The- Juvenile 0;Lodge, under the care of Bro. O'Sullivan, "':■■ was still' holding its own, and, great; in- '.''■ terest was shown by the bdye in tie work..•*.,' Reference was also made to the'treat Idsa..'. sustained- by Bro"; Godber of his wife, and to the death of Senior ■; ■"' Trustee, Bro. G. M'lLvride, of the Rosa,' :'■ of Shiron - Lodge, ;Hutt. ,i - -■ 'i'Yi'v The matter- of v a" national'-, provident" ■*- fund scheme, le continued, was very important.- Several -schemes -had'; been.:.>;. btoiight'. forward whereby friendly., speie- v, ties could co-perate with the Government^■.'■'■•-'' but the feeling ■-. existed that if Govern-'; msnt assistance . were - accepted ;in'; any ■ ':'■ i form'their independence would be threat:/" ■■.; ened.. Although they had many difficulr *i ties to contend with, they had a glorions ' . heritage, and the work done.for.them in J the past 'lay those who. tried to Kghten } the distress of their fellows had been pro-: ; ductiveof great good. ■,'.' i- •::■'. :'-,''■* ■":• •'..-■ "The Annual Report.-f■;'>•'. The.annual.report of the ■ Management' stated in, reference -to, the : ; position of the Order at 100 \ ~, years of service had. -j been.-,- completed. Owing to various causes the'additions to . .-;■ membership. h&d-.been' very* small; : only ' seventy increases ~in the adult .Membership being 'recorded. . The initiations."; '\ during 1909 were 33,613, and sthisj increase **:.'. in the qolohifl' aiid'foreign districts.2l76, ~? : -\ • making a .tbtal of! 35,789;-.. The secessions ~; , in the United Kingdom numbered 25,840, ;: and the deaths 5879, the total loss being-. 33,719, thus leaving 'the net increase' of ;; . seventy. The aggregate membership now.■•■'.* " stood at 1,035,627.; The financial state-/^) nient still continued"to show •a'''satisfa&''f;"--tory increase.' The* total worth of funds '• is £U,%W%, ieing an. increase ; for the ; "year ofiJeal,3G3r'r. -J.-V ■.^Mcif;;:: , • resolution"carried %&* the..: fiocicty f s'- biennial* meeting at", - that the funeral funds should be centralised- on.a.-system providing for the establishing of a central (or society) funeral fund, contributions payable through* dis- r tricts on an equitable graduated -seaTei".. to be provided "by-thSVactuaryfaija tp^lieff , , benefits in" each..!lismcj,;-.-. "it be necessary,",said the'rS' ,, ■ port, "for your Provincial-Correspondence Secretaries to keep cards for every mem- j ' ber in the, district in 'order that; ac-. counts for contributidhs to this fund' may ! be kept in proper * order." ..'v.::'jV. : '.&, * . Regret was. expressed that no: jachan.. was taken "last;sesEiieEbin regard io the jn-. r > sertibn of the much-debated clauses '15'. '■■:., and, 16 in the: Friendly. Societies Bill., _, i - y: Respecting a' question of managerial ;., expenses of new and, small: lodges,; this, ■' - considered the committee, '-"was •a' '< serious matter. As the mial payments to man- : agement fund .were - tqtally;' inadequate , to meet the 'ordinary exnenses, and_ to ■ increase the-levy would place - these lodses at'a disadvantase with other- so-, cieties, it was-hoped that some means -~ -.. would be taken which would r help to, 1 , . meet the ordinary expenses.' In, viewy of ;• the cftming into fofce-df the society fun- , eral fnrid ■it would Kβ necessary to'; take . steps to deal with the present: funeral fund.- /-" ' ;" , "."*,"•"■-■ " •■".' : '.• The report was adopted......, . ,• ; i; .. c ; ; ::;,. Business'of the Conference..- ; — -. -i•*.:. The business of the conference tcs cpn-T- . cerned largely with the rules .ci,. the. v Order, the. discussion being of a ■; nature. ' -.-■- ' . i. : '-'" ; : ''' I "': i .' : -'^---,~r ; j'-t"-.-After some discussion;«'iwas restiieo.'; , ■ to refer the issues raised by the Rational; r V ■Provideht Fund legislation of ~ ernment to the 'Biennial Movable Urn-. ; mittee for consideration and Teport. v,<* .; The conference agreed upon a casis cl j ; centralisation of the funeral funiU .lit- :,.- .± viously this -fundj.was. adnii.ni«si'rd jLy ; ~; the respective districts ;In future .■****..■■.■■>, resolved the-society itself will;.cont).ol , its administration. ...'-.,.""■,'".* :i -- r- ; ■■ ■'■'.':.•'.)'-■"} ..'"■" ■'■ ■' Election of Officers. ; ",/7 ;: : ': The following officers were elected for ; i. 'tho ensuing yearr--y , _~ .1;-,.,,- '- . : .\- Grand Master, Bro. J. Ibbotson; Die-. ~v trict Grand Master, Brp. -C. M. F:cg. , Provincial Correspondence Secretary tro. ._.,. G E. Godber; Treasurer, Bro. 1.,b. . - Trustee, Bro. 'J; F. O'Sullivan..■-;. .-,.. : . ,;:,-.