ODDFELLOWSHIP

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 138, 28 February 1918, Page 6

ODDFELLOWSHIP

WELLINGTON DISTRICT CONFERENCE

The annual conference of V/ellington! District of Oddfellows, M.U., was continued yesterday, all the delegates being

present. It was resolved: "That this district conference strongly advises ledges not to accept members under the annuity scheme until the B.M.C. decides tho question." The Mlowinc remit from Loyal Unity Lodge, Featherston, was carried uiianimously: "That in the event of tne B.M.C. passing a rule to discontinue the advance of sick pay to soldiers on. active service, the district establish ft special fund, independent of file sick and funeral funds of lodges, to meet the obligations." Tho committee set' up to draw '-.up model rules to govern soldiers' sick pay reported as follows: "Wg herewith submit rules to govern such payments and; recommend that tho District Management Committee have them in readiness and be empowered to make such alterations to the rules as the registrar or revising barrister may deem necessary in order to have this rale registered, so soon as possible if it is found necessary to do so after the B.M.C. meeting in April next. We also recommend that the'' sum of £100 he transferred from the relief fund held by the. district to form a nucleus of this fund, if this fund is established." The rules were adopted as follow:— (1) A fund shall be established termed the Soldier Members' Sick Benefit Fund, bv the payment of a contribution (which shall not be paid from the sick and funeral fund) by lodges at the rate of Is. per quarter per member (excepting soldier members), for the purpose of paying the sick benefit of soldier members on active service. (2) Should the contribution of Is. p.er quarter per member be found to «e insufficient to meet the sick benefit claims, the district management committees are empowered to make such further calls as may be deemed necessary to meet claims for sick pay. (3) The rules governing the payment of sick benefit shall also apply to this fund. Claims for sick benefit from this tod shall be first made-to the lodge, and if in order and on the production of a' medical certificate from the Defence Records Office, shall .be paid by the lodge, and an application, accompanied by the certificates shall be made to the Provincial C.S. of the society, for a refund of the amount, and on his being satisfied that the application is in order shall be empowered to pay the claim. A refund of levies paid oil members who have left the lodge shall be refunded to lodges. The agenda paper for the B.M.C. to he held, at Wellington in April was fully discussed, and delegates, in most instances given a free hand m the deliberation of the business to be brought £ °ElMtion of Arbitration Committee resulted :-Bros. A, J. Jbbotson, A. Perrin, AV. I-Clark A t) Holn,s, J. P. O'Sullivan, P. S. Powell, fl. itMadeley, C. J. Burnett, A. Zambra, 0. Dalev, and J. H. Kraft. A'bonus of £10 10s. was granted to the C.E. of the Wellington District, Bro. ,Godber, for the extra work done during the war period. ■ 'The election of officers resulted.Provincial Grand Master, Bro. W. IClark; Deputy Grand Master, Bro. U J. De Lacey; Treasurer, _ Bro. l. bPowell P P.G.M.; Examining and KeSS Officer po. W. H .Madeley, PPGM.: auditors, Bro. E. C. Ludwig,' P.P.G.M.. and Bro. A. Pemy, PPG.M.; Book Examiner, Bro A. Perrin P.P.G.M.; Management Committ e Bros. A. Zambra, T. Palmer, W. H Madelev. A. J. Jbbotson, A Guise, and J B. Wiley, B.M.C .Delegates, Bros. G. E. Godber A. C. Holms, A, J. Ibbotson, D. P. Lpasby, and J. I "a vote of thanks was accorded Loyal ''Britannia Lodge for .the Vnanner m which it had entertained delegates. It was resolved that the usual grant of £5 be voted to the Britannia Lodge. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded the Press for hearty co-operation m assisting Oddfellowship in publishing reports of their annual conferences. The conference concluded with the singing of the National Anthem and "AuW Lang Syne."