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Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 464, 19 April 1890, Page 4

The annual report of the Grand Lodge, U.A.0.D., which held a representative meeting at Melbourne on March 4bh, has just been published, and a glance at the report shows how astonishingly rapid has been the progress of the Order in Australia and New Zealand. In 1875 there were 32 lodges in Australia and New Zealand, having 1,307 members, of an average age of 34 years; total funds, £2,936 5s Bd, an average of £2 5s per member. In 1889 there were 150 lodges, having 11,577 members, of an average age of 32 years ; total funds, £83,947 Os Id, paying an average of £6 12s 6d per member. During the past year the sum of £8,571 Is 8d was paid for sick pay ; £2,298 was also paid for funeral claims during the year. There was a profit on the year’s transactions of £10,945 6s 3d, equal to 15 per cent, on the previous year’s capital. There were 700 new members added to the roll of membership during the past year. The foregoing figures do not apply to the Grand.,Lodges of New South Wales and South Australia, which also show steady progress. On the opening of a lodge at Renmark,in South Australia, the Chaffey Bros, presented the Order with two allotments of land for the purpose of erecting a Druids’ Hall. A story, illustrating how the ruling instinct is strong in death, is told in connec tion with the appointment of the Rev. Henry White to be chaplain of the House of Commons. While curate at the East End some years ago, he was called upon one night to attend a dying man. In the room to which he was conducted he found that, though it was squalid, the candles were in massive candlesticks, while many articles of portable property, strangely at variance with poverty, were strewn about. As he spoke some words of comfort he observed a gleam in the sick man’s eye, and following his glance saw that it rested on the slight gold watch chain that hung from the pocket of his waistcoat. Leaning over the man he prayed for him, the wife sobbing bitterly. Where the amen should have come in he heard the death rattle in the man's throat, and moved away. Then he discovered that the dead man’s fingers were entwined in his watch chain, and as he quickly started back the watch came out and fell on the bed. The man was a noted burglar and pickpocket, and even in the throes of death had been unable to resist the temptation unconsciously put in his way. • • : •