FRIENDLY- SOCIETY FUNDS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 225, 17 June 1919, Page 6

FRIENDLY- SOCIETY FUNDS

THE QUESTION OF CONSOLIDATION. There was an attendance of some sixty members.' of the Independent Order of Oddfellows, Manchester Unity, at the fortnightly meeting of the Loyal Britan- ,'."" nia' Lodge last evening, when a discus- * 'V'sion was held on the question of the ■•'■■;• consolidation of the funds of'the lodges "of the district. ; '.''_. .Brothel' Kershaw, in opening the dis- ' cussion, pointed out that in joining a . , lodge a member consciously or uncon- '„' gave his assent to the consolida- ;' 'tioh of the funds of that lodge.' The '!',: speaker then instanced the case of a ,'.,; 'lodge;'where the members, through per- '.. ; -haps a-majority of them'being engaged • ..'in.a.hazardous calling, such as'mining, '.'','; made' more calls on the funds of the '"'' lodge than would'be the case with a :.'. city lodge, where the unearned jnore- ■ ment of the property which probably . was in its possession placed its finances iu a strong position.- Another factor .in .....favour ..of consolidation was that since 'v,^,the outbreak of the war it had been \ \ found that several of the smaller lodges whose financial position was not strong had sent more members on active service proportionately than had many of l the larger lodges. Taking into account ';.. ; the philanthropic principles of the society it .was the duty of the strong to ■help the weak. The centralisation of the control of sick funds would also t facilitate the clearance of members from one lodge district to another. Brother also instanced the easy means of controlling the funds of the various lodges. Brother Salek, speaking as an oppon--1 of - consolidation, pointed out that the "high ideals spoken of by the last ...speaker,were being practised' every day :_ ,, at, the. present time. One of the argu. . -monts of the supporters of consolidation "was that many of the various lodges had :■'funds lying idle which could be better 1 . invested by a board of control. In his ...'. opinion, the pooling of the funds of the various lodges was unwise, and would 'only rob the individual lodges of their , .independence. The reason of tho New South Wales district accepting'consoli- ... dation whs that tho various lodges thers ~ - were_ in such a. hopeless state, and that .. ...the investment of the lodges' funds was banly managed. Tho administrative .'...charges under consolidation in New • South Wales had been more than trebled •as against the old system. If the funds of some of tho lodges vere not administered properly it was the duty of the directors to take action. It was not Tight to penalise a thrifty lodge. - . Other speakers also spoke on the ques- . tion. and at the conclusion of the de-

bate a hearty vote of thanks was passed by acclamation.