CONFERENCE OF ODDFELLOWS

Southland Times, Issue 24232, 16 September 1940, Page 2

CONFERENCE OF ODDFELLOWS

MANCHESTER UNITY ORDER

HALF-YEARLY MEETING AT MATAURA

Representatives from all parts of Southland, delegates of the Manchester Unity Independent Order of Oddfellows, visited Mataura bn Saturday afternoon for the half-yearly conference of the lodge. The gathering was a most successful one. Otago district officers were present as visitors. They were cordially welcomed by the P.G.M., Bro. Watson Rhodes, who presided. The delegates were: P.P.G.M. Bro. C. E.' Borne, P.P.G.M. Bro. J. S. Henderson, P.G. Bro. G. Shirreffs and P.G. Bro. A. A. Knight (Shamrock, Rose and Thistle, Invercargill), P.P.G.M, Bro. H. G. Whelan, P.G. Bro. A. F. Barr, P.G. F. C. Cunningham, V.G. Bro. E. Winder and P.G. Bro. W. Greenhaulch (St. George Lodge, Invercargill), P.P.G.M. Bro. R. C. Stenhouse, P.G. Bro. N. Egerton and N.G. Sister M. Egerton (Winton), P.G.’s Bros. A. Burrows, L. G. Sim, A. Graeve and V.G. Bro. Watson Rhodes, jun. (United Gore), P.G, Bro. H. Casson and P.Sec. Bro. J. *Clouston (Lumsden), P.G.’s Bros. G. W.'Giles, C. H. Ladbrook (Awarua), P.G.’s Bros. A. Knowles and R. Campbell (Riversdale), P.P.G.M. Bro. E. D. Bone and P.G. Bro. P. G. Daley (Star of the West), P.P.G.M. Bro. J. Wilson, P.G.’s Bros. W. Buchanan and R. W. Coltherd (Mataura), P.G. Bro. D. Sinclair (Star of Nightcaps), N.G.’s Sisters B. Dempster and T. James (Hearts of Oak), P.G. Bro. M. Casey (Balfour), P.G.’s Bros. C. B. Hope and H. H. Pullar, (Otautau) and Per.. Sec. P.G. Bro. G. J. Martin (Dipton). The district officers supporting the P.G.M. included D.P.G.M. Bro. A. A. Liddell, Prov. Treas. Bro. A. R. I McKenzie, I.P.P.G.M. Bro. J. L. Sutton, 1 Prov. Treas. Bro. F. Williamson, P.P.G.M.’s Bros. J. Henry and F. J. Sherwood. The Otago district officers were P.G.M. Bro. Masters, D.P.G.M. Bro. M. J. Boardman, I.P.P.G.M. Bro. E. H. Ransom and Prov. Treas. Bro. W. R. Sellars

The address of the Provincial Grand Master was prefaced by reference to the passing of Bros. G. H. Ashley and J. M. McCursley (Loyal Shamrock, Rose and Thistle), T. W. Findlay (Loyal St. George), J. M. Stephenson (Loyal Lumsden), E. W. Millard (Loyal Star of the West), W. H. Leitch. (Loyal Balfour) and A. Cameron (Loyal United Gore), and a motion of sympathy was recorded in the usual manner.

INCREASE IN FUNDS The district officers, he stated, had paid several visits to provincial branches of the order where matters tending for the good of Oddfellowship had been discussed. In spite of the disastrous war and the Social Security legislation the order was holding on well. Its funds had increased by £1295 during the half-year, and the total now stood at £92,496. Membership had decreased by 46 and now stood at 1717. Several remits covering the domestic economy of the order were submitted by delegates, following which the conference adjourned for a social hour and banquet in the Oddfellows’ hall, this function being presided over by P.P.G.M. Bro. J. Wilson (Mataura). The toast-list was as follows:—District Officer, proposed by P.G. Bro. W. Buchanan, responses by P.G.M. Bro. Watson Rhodes and P.P.G.M. Bro. J. L. Sutton; Otago District Officers (Bro. J. L. Sutton—P.G.M. Bro. Masters, D.P.G.M. Bro. M. J. Boardman, Prov. Treas. Bro. W. R. Sellars and I.P.P.G.M. Bro. E. H. Ransom); Past Provincial Grand Masters (P.G. Bro. A. Burrows—P.P.G.M. Bro E. D. Bone); Mataura Falls Lodge (P.G.M. Bro. Watson Rhodes—P.G. Bro. A. B. Sutherland); Kindred Societies (D.G.M. Bro. Liddell—N.G. Sister Knight, Pearl of Mataura, N.G. Bro. J. Robson, Mataura 1.0.0. F., A.D. Bro. H. Keen, U.A..0.D. (Mataura); Foundation Members of Loyal Mataura (P.P.G.M. Bro. Bone —P.P.G.M.’s Bros. J. Henry and F. J. Sherwood); The Ladies (P.C.S. I Bro. F. Williamson—N.G. Sister I Maher); “Performers (P.P.G.M. Bro. i Henderson—P.G. Bro. G. Giles); The chairman (P.P.G.M. Bro. R. McKenzie —P.P.G.M. Bro. J. Wilson).