Oddfellowship.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 33, 9 February 1904, Page 4

Oddfellowship.

TARANAKI DISTRICT MEETING. The annual meeting of the Taranaki district of Oddfellows, Manchester I'mty, was bold ](n liawera on Thursday. I'rov. G.M. Bio. I'. Pepperell presided. Other district oliicers present weno Deputy G.M. llro. F. Amoore, l'rov. Warden .llro. Hooker, and Prov. C.S. Bro. 0. E. Bellringer. The deputies were : P.G.'s Bros. IT. Ainsworth, J. Loveridgc, McGahey and W. Roberts, Loyal Egmont Lodge ; P.G.'s Bros' F. C. Bellringer and W. .1. Clealand and N.G. Bro. C. Brown. Loval Excelsior Lodge; P.P.G.M. Bro. F. J. Brabant, Loyal Waitara Lodge ; P. G. Bro. J. Hicks, N.G. Bro. W. Patten, and V.G. llro. "A. XL CJgden, Loyal Union Lodge ; (i.M. Dro. F. McCarthy, and V.G. Pro. Limbrick, Loyal Jlanuia Lodge ; P.G. Uro. A. Hansen, and l'.S. Bro. F. E. Hardy, Loyal Elthani Lodge ; P.G.'s Bros. R. Hancock and J. Fisher, Loyal Midhirsl Lodjje ; Kg. Pro. CD. Sole, Loyal Stratford Lodge : T.U. Bro. W. Kelly, Loval Toko l,odge ; N.G. Bro. K. Weir. Loyal Kaponga Lodge. 'llicro was no report from the Loyal Opunake Lodgv. The district and examining officers siiTmiit'Kd tlKir report as under . Your •ciisti ict officers have the honour to report that they have visited the whole of the lodges during the year. Owing to the e a i<ly date ofjthc district 'meeting it was found to he impossible to visit the Opunake and Waitara lodges on a lodge night, but we hope to visite these lodges at a later date. The lodges on the whole were working satisfactorily, although wo could have hoi>cd for larger attendances of members. The busy season, however, especially in the country lodges, largely accounted for the comparatively small number present. Application was made for a new lodge to be opened at Kaponga, and was granted by the district officers, and the lodge was duly opened by us on Dec. 1. We trust our action may have your approval, and that the new lodge may prove a great success. This addition to the number of our lodges owes its existence to enthusiasm and energy oi P.P.G.M. Bro. Jo'Sn Leydon, of the ~nd district, who takes a very keen interest in all affairs for the good of the Order.

The Opureake LoUge Ims had very great difficulty in securing the services of a medical practitioner, the local medico being unable to see his way to take the position of lodge surgeon-. As the matter is one of vital importance to them, they are practically at a standstill, and are very' anxious that some way may |>e found out of the difficulty. We trust that something may be done to help them. The Premier picnic was held this year at Eltham, when there was a lair attendance, but not'so good as we had hoped for. We -trust that in future the brethren ir-ay help tc* make our annual gathering more

successful. From the annual returns we find

that the membership of the district is now 794, an increase of 10 per cent, for the year. Ninety-two were admitted, six died, three left by clearance, and seventy-three by arrears" and resi^/nation. The financial position of the district is as follows : Sick and funeral fund of lodges, £14,914 ; district funeral fund, £443, total £15,359 ; medical and management expenses fun, lodges £2lO 16s lid, district £«7 4s 54<1 ; benevolent fund £sl 18s 3d ; haM fund £ls>7, an increase of £lOlB for the year, the total Worth is £15,846. The amount paid for sickness was £506, a decrease of £l9B ; funeral benefits £240, an increase of £7O. Medical attendance and medicines £B7l, an increase of £59. The report of the Unity for the year 1993 shows that the Order has 862,673 adult members, in addition to which tlhero is a large number of juvenile members and men.i vis of vidows' funds. The total capital was £11,562,328, the increase for the year being £381,7i">4. The large amount of £915,396 was paid for benefits. in conclusion we thank the lodge officers and nierofjers for the kind and courteous reception we have always received when visiting the lodges. We wish our Hawera brethjen a most successful >.ime in connection with their exhibition, and trust that the lodge anil town may l.e benefited thereby.—Signed by Bros. F. R. Peppereil, Prov. G.M. ; I'. Ainoore, Prov. D.G.M., and 0. E. Ucllrinjger, Prov. C.S. The report was adopted. It was decided to leave the Opunake Lodge question until the arrival .of the Opunake delegates. The auditors' report and balanccfiheet were adopted. The Prov. C.S. reported on the <listnct funiefaL fund. The balance held on trust by lodges amounted to £2613 12s 4.d. The assessment for the year .was £348 19s 2d, of which ■mount £174 9s 7d was called up. Clio sum of £240 was paid during Ikhe year for funeral benefits. Che Prov. C.S. also submitted a Report on the lodge management and medical expense fund for 1903, stating the position was very satisfactory. Ho recommended a reduction in the management levy to ninepence per member during the current year.—Adopted. It was decided that the district secretary be the only paid official, whose salary should remain as at present. The election of officers was proceeded with. D.P.G.M. iiro. Amoore (Eltham) was elected Prov. G.M., end P.G. Bro. McGahey as D.P.G.M.; (Warden, Bro. W. Hooker (re-elected); auditors, P.P.G.M. Bro. F. Pepperell and Bro. Loveridge. An apology was received, through ithe M>i<ov. C.S., for 'the of fP.P.G.M. Bro. Free on account of illness, and on the motion of Deputies Ainswortn and Brabant, the meeting passed a vote of,sympathy and of appreciation of his good work 3n the interests of the Order. P.P.G.M. Bro. J. Leyvion (Auckland district) visited the meeting land was received with full honours cf the Order. After the luncheon adjournment accounts wore passed for payment. The notice from the Excelsior [Lodge, moved by Deputy F. Bellrfrtger.tjml senonded ilyy Deputy Bra.l/ant, "That ti»e resolution passed 'by th|s district' to register as a Ibranch of the New Zealand Order be rescinded, and that the district sever its connection with the New Zealand district," was lost by a largo majorits r . Deputy F. Beilringer proposed, and Dopuity Sole seconded an amendment to the rules in live direction of abolishing the hall-yearly meeting. r Fhe motion was carried. Deputy Sole moved and Deputv Hellringer seconded that the balance of the first Oddfellows' Premier pictnic be placed to an account to be called the Taranaki District Hospital Cot Fund, the money to be placed at interest until such time as the distriuj officers t'nink fit to dispose of it.—Carried. The action of the district officers in opening the new lodge at KaponKa was approved, and they were givMn power to open any new lodgy. It was unanimously decidid to |)lace on record the appreciation of the work of P.P.G.M. Bro. .1. Leydon in the Tunannki tlist aict and for the Order hi gonenal, the report to lie forwarded to the Auckland district. Bro. Leydon suitafld.v responded. P.O. Bro. McGahey was nominated lor the P.G.M. chair. For the position of D.P.G.M. the following were nominated : P.G. fjiro. Wilson, Manaia : I'.G.'s Bros. Wcßobbie and Hicks, Hawera ; P.O. lira. W. Kelly, T'oko y P.G, 'Bro. I

Staimers. Ellrown ;, P.G.'s Bros. C. D. Sole, Loveridlge, and 11, 11. Ford, Egmont (New Plymouth). l'rov. C.S. Bra. <\ E. Bellringer and Prov. G.M. Bro. Amonm were elected to attend the A.M.C. at Auckland in Easter week, and it was decided to vote for Lytlelton as the place for / holding the A.M.C. meeting in 100"). On the motion of Deputies Ainswort'h and Linjfu-jck. it was decided to nominate the'Prov. C.S. for the Deputy G..M. chair of the A.M.C. It was resolved that the next annual ■district Premier picnic be held at New Plymouth, and that the district oilicers he conveners. Votes of thanks and routine business having l<cen passed, the meeting was closed by the district oilicers in duo loi'm.