INDEPENDENT ORDER OF RECHABITES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXIII, Issue 38, 21 February 1901, Page 2

INDEPENDENT ORDER OF RECHABITES.

NEW ZEALAND CENTRAL DISTRIOT. The 29tl annual meeting of the above Order was held in Qisborne last week. The District Ohief Ruler, in a brief speech, welcomed the representatives to Gisbarne, 37 being present. The Hon. P. H.' Fraser, MX 0., Seoretary of the Disirict, through a severe illnecs, was not able to leave Wellingion, and Bn>. A. J. Bennett, Treasurer, was* appointed Acting Secretory, and Bro. Whi'akor, Assistant Secretary. The District Chief Ruler, in his address, made reference to the death of the Lite Queen, and it was decided to adjeurn for half an hour out of respect to her memory. On resuming a resolution was carried pkciug on record the so'.row felt at the loss sustained by the Empire in the removal by death of our late beloved Sovereign Lady Queen Victoria.

It was decided to send the following telegram to tho District Secretary: " Hon. F. H. Fraser, Wellington: , Greetings from District Council assembled, expressing great sorrow at your illness; hoping you are improving and will soon be back again." Tho annual report as read stated that price the last District Meeting one new Tent hadbaon opened at Inglewood, to be kuown as Tent, No. 59. This Tent was opened by Past Ohief Rulpr, Bro. J. Whitaker, in October. 1899. Seve-al Brothers from the Now Plymouth Tent acoompanied and assisted B-o'her J. Whitaker in its institution We regret to state that one Tout had to be closed ; this is The Rosa of Sharon, No. 115. There are now 27 1 mft'e Tents and 3 fnmale, with *V membership qf 129.0, benefit. There are also 57 honorary members. The foregoing figure* show an ineraase of benefit members to be 102, whilst the honorary members have decreased by t<vo, there being now 57 against 59, muking the total membership 1347. \s te tho district funds, from the fuueml Fund the sum of £375 his been paid on account of ten brothers, two sisters, and sevon brothers' wives. From the Bepcyq'ant Fund, three stipaia/e sum.s qf £5 hi»ve been paid ; total, £ls. From the' Tent Sick Pay Guarantee Fund, the turn of .£l9 10s lias beon paid to district members for Kick allowances. The information furnish id Ly the annual rtturn from the Tents ti fie District as to the Sick Fund of tho various Tents allows that the-e is an increase of ,£1621 10s. There appears to be no increase in the Contingent Funds. The total Sick Funds are now £19.717 15s. 6d.; Oon ting«nt, v £426 os, 6d.; tota.l Tftat Funds, £2O, 143 16s, 2d, sfa District Funds of £1256 14s. pd, and now stand at £7639 8s Bd. The Tent and District Funds added together give the grand total of £27,783 4s Bd. This

amount divided among tb.e memhen pro rata would gi\a eaoh j&2l 10s, I|'',, being a,n increase of Bs. for o'"6h'm«mbier ovbv our last statement. The Sick expenditure, as shown by the furnished returns, is 2194 weeks and three days, being at the rata of one wfek, four days, five hours for each beiofifc urmber in the district. The amount disbursed on account of this j sickness being .£1855 9a. 9d., or at the > ate of £ 1 8s 9£d pe.-inember, as against 19-.. 4.1. as furnished by the report. I'D:; official 'visiting of the. Tents hag b.-ioH performed by the District; Daputy l-Ju; !■; £i« District; Secretary, the District Treasurer, aud P.C.H. Bro. Wr.ita.ker, and. wo trust has resulted in good, Several important alterations and

additions to the G oral Laws were' made during the Co rence, Thn next mo'rtii will bo held io Chrislohurch.