FORESTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 199, 12 August 1908, Page 4

FORESTRY.

The half-yearly meeting of the Tara- ' liaki district, Ancient Older of lures* terd, was lield in the Foresters' Hall, -New Plymouth, yesterday. District Uhief iianger i>ro. 0. JiurgvSs was in the chair. There were also present District yub-Chief luinger Jiro. t". ii. Lever, District Treasi rer Jiro. 11. il, I'iiUiv'V, District Jverciary J3ro, U. Tunhvulge, and 1). IS. liru. A. Tunbridge. The following represented the underI mentioned Lourls:—Court Taranaki, r.C.li. Bro. .L\ tJacoM; Curl Wuiroka, I'.D.C.K. ]iro. 11, Uoldwater, and (J. 13. jjro, (J. 11. Weslon; Court ijiglcwood' Forest, I\C.U. J!ro. H, J. fciimpson; Court i'atea, T.C.H. Bro. \Y. JLcCojuisky; Court Kgmoul. P.C.K. Jiro. W. J. Ak-Niveii; Court .Stratford, T.C.K. Jiro. 1\ llimter; Court Pride of iNtw;

J'lynioutll, Sister L. I'tinbridgc; Court Fidelity, Sister A. MeNiven: Court fi'iue.ol Milium, tiro. F. (i. Warring. Tlie district officers' report was read

as follows: —It ull'ords us great [fci- t sure ill addressing you for wie ni'Sl i lime as your 24th ICxecutive Council of I the Taranaki district, for which kindly ( accept our thanks iur placing us ill ( such an honorable position. Wn shall continue our' endeavors to deal with all I matters that may come before us in an 1 impartial manner and by strict alien tion to this important duty entrusted to our care, we iiope to merit your confidence and approval. We are pleased to report that since our last district meeting a new Court was opened in liltliain. On the 30th January, I'JUS, a. District Court was opened under the presidency of Bro. G. Burgess, District Ciiief Hanger (ill the absence of the D.C.H.), assisted by Bro. 1!. 11. Kiveil, P.D.C.R., Bro. F. Williamson, I'.D.C.K., Bro. C. Tunbridge, Dis trict Secretary, Jiro. J. D. Murray!, P.D.8., and officers and members oi Court Stratford, No. 7302. New members were intituled, and the otlicers o. Court Pride of lilthain were duly installed, and the Couri opened as a branch of our order. Bro. C. \V. Larbis, of Court Star of Waillou, was ilie founder. The iong-looKed for valuation report of the district from the Covcriiinent Department lias arrived, and in the opinion of the district ollieers is a j most alile report .and full of good information. It is gratifying to note so many courts show' a surplus, while the few "showing deficiencies have malcriali ly improved their position since l'-10-l, tlie date of the last quinquennial return. It. was with the greatest of pleasure we appointed Bro. K 11. Tribe, 1'.D.C.11.; as delegate to represent this district at the High Court meeting to lie held this mouth at Northampton, .England. Progress of the order dur- ; in" the year 1007, according to tlie di- [ rectory of the A.O.F. for 1008, wad as t follows:—l,27sioßo members, with funds •. amounting to £8,805,485. It is with 1- regret we have to report, the death of i' three members and live nieiniiers wives. All the Courts iu the district t, were officially visited by one or more of I- tlie district officers, and have to cono gratulate the various Courts on the i- 4 manner in which the offices were dul\

carried out. The district officers' report, auditors report, and half-yearly balance-sheet were duly adopted and confirmed, The valuation report of the Government on the Taranaki district as at 31st December, 1005, was read by P.D.G'.R. Bro. H. N. (iobhvatvr. It was decided to hold the next district delegate meeting at Patea. The following were nomina'.vid for district officers:— D-S.C.H. Bro. C. B. Lever to District Chief Ranger; D.li Bro. J. (}. Russell to District Sub-Chief Ranger, and C. R. Bro. C. 11. Weston, 'to District Beadle. A hearlv vote of thanks was accorded to Courts Taranaki and Wair.-k-i for the kind manner in which the delegates and officers were received and entertained. . On behalf of the district, the District Chief Ranger presented to Bro. Caltley. of Court Taranaki, on behalf of Bro. (lolding; P.D.C.1!., a trustee's jewel for services rendered during the past 25 years as trustee of the district. % Other routine business was «on« throuVrh and the delegates and officers were entertained at a luncheon at the White llart Hotel.