ODDFELLOWSHIP

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 128, 23 February 1921, Page 6

ODDFELLOWSHIP

DISTRICT CONFERENCE CONSIDERATION OF REMITS By Telegraph. —Press Association. Featherston, February 22. The District Conference of the Order of Oddfellows, Manchester Unity, was resumed this morning, the District Grand Master, Bro. W. G. French, presiding. The Arbitration Committee was reduced to six members as follows:—P.G.M. Bro. l.oasby, F.D.G.M. Bro. Madeley, Bros. Ibbottson, A. C. Holms, J. S. Wiley, and I’. G. Guise. One lodge in the district was ordered to conform to the rules regarding book examiner and lodge books. It was resolved that the next conference be held at Loyal Petone Lodge in February, 1922. The purple and past officers’ degrees wore left to the Wellington District Committee. The following remits were before tho conference: — “That subject to the approval of threefourths of the lodges in tho Wellington district, we enact that following the 1920 quinquennial valuation, subject to the approval of tho Friendly Societies’ Actuary, half the available surplus of lodges be pooled, the amount to Lo used for 1 the purpose of reducing the contributions of members of five years’ standing.”—This proposal was supported by P.D.G.M. Bros. A. C. Holms (Unity), J. Kershaw (Brittania), P.G. Bros. Astridge /Levin), L. A. Thompson (Newtown), P.D.G.M. Bro. W. H. Madely (Brittania), P G Bro. J. H. Kraft (Brittania), P.G. Bro. E. Hadfield (.Rose of the Valley), P.G. Bro. Bould (Combination), P.D.G.M. Bro. A. J. Ibbottson (Newtown), and Director W. I. Clark (Antipodean). The remit was carried, and it was decided that a committee, consisting of Bros. Ibbottson, Steffenson, and Guise be deputed to'wait upon the lodges who were opposed to the proposal, and that working machinery in relation to the same be left to the Management Committee. “That questions of the irrelevancy of various phases of book-keeping transactions of lodges be referred by the District Conference to the* lodges involved, such lodges to be requested to furnish written reports to a subsequent meeting of the Management Committee, which the district auditors are empowered to attend.”—Carried. A remit from the Martinborough Lodge: "That the Wellington district, lend money to their own members for building their own houses on time payments,” was deferred to the next conference. Remits from the Masterton Lodge were dealt with as follow:— “Tha.t the Conference of Wellington District recommend to tho New Zealand Branch the advisability of inaugurating a monthly magazine.”—Carried unanimously. . "That the district have printed a more up-to-date form of balance-sheet.”—Re-ferred to the Management Committee for consideration. “That a table of contributions be provided for different rates of society, sick, and funeral Benefits. That the conference reaffirms the advisability of providing for an optional uniform sick benefit of" 30s. per week for all new entrants, also to make provision that present members desiring to contribute for increased benefits can do so by paying contributions ns per scale at their present age. —This was proposed by P.G. Bro. Ltmglev and seconded by P.D.G.M. Bro. A. Holms. After considerable discussion the remit was carried. It was resolved that the Grand Master and the Board of Directors invite the actuary to revise all his scales of contributions. . The following remit was received from (he Management Committee" That owing to .the unsatisfactory state of M. George €Jdge owing to the death of the secretaire and other causes, the remainin'’ members be made district members and the lodge closed.”—lt was resolved that the members lie made district members, and that the Grand Master and Board of Directors he asked to close the lodge after taking the necessary steps.