ODDFELLOWSHIP.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 29, 27 February 1909, Page 6

ODDFELLOWSHIP.

Tilli TARANAKI DISTRICT. Tho annual mooting of the New Plymouth District of Oddfellows, Manchester Unity, was held at Stratford on Thursday, Fro.v. G.M. P. \V. Oliver presided, and there were present Prov. DjG,M. W. J: Clelaml, Prov. C.S. G. E. Bellringer, and Warden F. J, Brabant. The following deputies represented the lodges G. H. McGahey, P.G. C. A. Matheson, G.M, C. Bond, and N.G. K. A. Newton, Egmout Lodge; P.m. E. H. Bellringer, P.G. E. Dingle, and P.Ci. T. J. West, Excelsior Lodge; Pll'.G.M. F. J. Brabant, Waitara Lodge; P.G. C. S. Smith and Perm. Sec. J. E. Cowell, Uuiou Lodge; P.G. G. F. Dill, P.G. J. W. Snowdon, and V.G. C. Seidell, Manaia Lodge; P.P.G.M. F. E. Amoore, P.G. F. E. Hardy, and P.G. W. Scown. Eltham Lodge-, P.P.G.M. R. .1. Hancock andlP.G. W.Mountford, Midhirst Lodge; P.P.G.M. C. D. Sole and P.G. S. J. Burgess. Stratford Lodge; Perm. Sec. 11. E. Simmons, Toko Lodge; Perm. Sec. W. Graham, Opuuako-To Kiri Lodge; P.G. A. -Melville and P.G. Trowcr, Kaponga Lodge. The Prov. G.M.. in opening the mcet-

ing, referred to the success achieved during the year, and welcomed tile deputies to bhe'meeting. P.P.G.M. C. D. Sole also spoke, giving the visitors a hearty welcome lo Stratford. A considerable amount of correspondence was dealt with, and the auditors' report and balance-sheets were adopted. The District Officers presented a lengthy report dealing with the lodges | and district. The report was adopted. A hearty vote of thanks was ordered to be recorded to tile ladies' committee

for the splendid manner in which they had carried out the entertainment of the visitors at the New Plymouth movable conference last year.

The meeting approved of the new society insurance scheme as placed before them by the GjM. and Board of Directors, and expressed the hope that it would be made operative without delay. The District Committee was instructed to report to the next annual meeting on tlie best way of celebrating the centenary of Odtlfeliowship, which lakes place in'lOlO. IPVov. D.G.M. W. .T. C'leland was elected I'rov. G..U, and P.G. F. E. Hardy, of Eltham, Prov. D.G.M., for the coining year. P.P.G.M. F. J. Brabant was reappointed District Warden, and P.G. 11. 11. Ford was re-elected Auditor. It was decided to endeavor lo have the general rules amended so that any member who has paid three months' contribution shall be entitled to the funeral benefit immediately after admission. Consent was given under the new general rule for lodges to admit female members, the scale of contributions to be the second one in the District Officers' report, and benefits to he accordingly. Clearances are in future to be granted and received with a surrender value attached under the provisions of section B of General Rule 90. The name of the district was changed from New Plymouth to Taranaki. A committee was set up to deal with the registration of the new district rules as a complete amendment. The following nominations were made of officers for 11)10:—For Prov. G.M., Prov. D.G.M. F. E. Hardy; for Prov. D.G.M., P.G.'s S. J. Burgess (Stratford), M. J. Campbell (Union), E. 11. Bellringer (Excelsior), A. Melville (Kapou«a),C. A. Matheson, Archie Hooker, and W. 11. Butler (ligmont), C. S. Smith (Union), .W. Mouutford (Midhirst), J. W. Snowdon (Manaia), Perm. Sec. R. E. Simmons (Toko).

P.P.G.M. F. Amoore was appointed to | confer degrees in Hie southern part oi the district. Nominations were made for officers of the New Zealand Branch for 1010-For CM., D.C.M. C. E. Bellringer; ior D.G.M.. IM'.G.M. J. Clark, Auckland; Director, P.P.G.M. K Amoore, The organisation of the united Oddfellows' picnic at 'Moturoa on Anniversary Dav was left with the Loyal Stratford Lodge, .P.P.G.M. C. D. Sole being secretary. The meeting appointed Ellham as the place for the 1010 annual gathering. The frov. G.M. presented a l'.G. jewel to- l'.G. S. Burgess, of the Stratford Lodge, on behalf of that lodge in token of the respect and esteem in which lie is held by the members and as a recognition of the invaluable services he has rendered the lodge as its treasurer. P.P.I i.M. jewels were presented to I'.P.G.M. Ci. 11. McGahey and IM'.G.M. 1". W. Oliver in recognition of their services to the district. The recipients suitably responded. The newly-elected officers were duly installed and took their seats as officers, thanking the brethren for the honors conferred on them. Votes of thanks were passed to the Stratford Borough Council for the use of the. Council Chamber as a meeting place, and to the Stratford brethren, for their very handsome entertainment of the deputies. STATEMENT OF BALANCES.

The statement of balances at 31st December, 11108. showed:—Sick and funeral fund: lodges, C 21.137 14s 2,1; funeTal fund, district, .CSI4 4s 4d; medical and management fund lodges, £379 5s sd; mam'ciuent fund- district. .CI2 4s Hlil; benevolent fund, £lO 13s lid; Midhirst Hall fund. £lO3 10s: total, £22,553 12s 8(1. Total 1007, £20,720 15s 8d; increase. £IB2O 17s. DISTRICT AND EXAMINING OFFICERS' REPORT. The .report stated: The whole of the lodges have been visited and we found aii improved attendance of members. The lodges' are working satisfactorily aud considerable interest is being taken in the. affairs of the order generally. The Kaponga Lodge again took pride of place for attendance. The Manaia Lodge has shown much activity in securing new members, and stands at the top of the district in this respect. The books and accounts have been carefully examined aud generally are well kept. In some lodges more attention ought to be given to the regular and punctual collection of interest on investments.

The movable committee of the New Zealand brandh held its biennial meeting at New Plymouth during Eastor week of last year. There was a very large attendance of officers and deputies. Good work was done in the interests of the Order, a happy and profitable time being sjie-at together. The committee having charge of the _arrnngenienU for entertaining the visitors worked hard,, and to judge from the remarks passed by the visitors, most successfully. The question that excited the greatest interest al the meeting was llhat relating to the admission of females into our lodges. Alter a long discussion, the amendment giving districts the power to allow lodges to admit females was carried. This amendment,

moved by our own district, now gives to us the pow*r*for which through long years we have striven. We trust that the results will justify the continued ell'orts made by our brethren in this direction. The benefits for female members are ten shillings a week for the I first twenty-six weeks' sickness, and five shillings per week alter six months' continuous sickness. Funeral benefit is ten pounds. The new general rules now allow any member of the New Zealand branch the privilege of depositing his clearance in any lodge of the New Zealand branch, on the same terms as those obtaining in tire lodge from which he come. The alteration is a very important one, and its effect may be more wide-reaching than, at first imagined. The new Friendly Societies' Bill came before Parliament last session, but owing to tlie strong opposition of a section of the friendly societies to the clauses making it compulsory that all new members should pay an adequate scale of contributions for tho benefits pro- • raised, the Bill did not pass. It is un- • derstood that the Bill will come before . the new Parliament next session.

The question of medical attendance is one that has been prominently before the Order during the past year. Fortunately our relations in Taranaki with the medical profession have been very harmonious. Wo believe, however, that al no very distant dote the whole question of medical attendance will have to be dealt with by the lodges and the doctors.

The question of the consolidation_ of the funeral fund is one that is receiving attention: this does not of necessity mean centralising the funds and taking away all control from lodges and districts, but it would spread the liability over the whole of the New Zealand branch.

The society insurance scheme was referred back to districts and a table has been prepared for an increased funeral benefit of .from £25 to £IOO. This is a matter that requires earnest and thonghful consideration. The equal levy system must inevitably prove a delusion and a snare. Mr. Travcrsi, the Government Actuary, in giving evidence before a Parliamentary committee on the Friendly Societies' Bill, referred to tho system as follows:—''No equal levy so-

L'lel.v going on without accumulating a fund lias ever lasted nov is likely to last

for the duration of a single human life. Those who join at the age of twenty ' and live to reach sixty or thereabouts, will find that after paying for thirty >r forty years they are left without insurance. Their money has gone to pay for the early deaths, and there is nothing left to pay theirs." The .Prime Minister has intimated his intention of placing before Parliament a Bill to be called: "The National Provident Bill," providing for annuities and also for sickness ami incapacity. We shall need to carefully scrutinise, the measure to sec that, as far as possible, the interests of friendly societies are not injuriously affected. As the centenary of Oddfellowship lakes place in 191.0, we consider that we ougjit in some way to fittingly celebrate the event, and would suggest that the district committee consider and report to the 1910 annual meeting. The. progress of the district, although not as good numerically as we had hoped for, has financially been excep-

tional, the increase of funds being a record. The admissions numbered 97, the loss by secessions was 83, by clearances two, and by death two, making 87 in all, leaving a net increase of 10. The total membership is exactly 1000. We found that a considerable number of initiations took place in the lodges since the cud of the year. The sick and funeral fund of lodges nt the end of 1908 amounted to £21,137 14s 2d. The receipts were £2077 3s 2d, and the expenditure£lo2l 4s lOd. Sickness benefits absorbed £722 13s, a decrease of £IBB 12s 8d on 1907. The increase of the fund was £1055 ISs 4d. The medical and management fund receipts were .£IB9O 3s 4d, and the expenditure £1854 0s 4d. Of this. £l2Ol 4s were paid for medical and hospital benefits, the roUiT~vame of the funds being £379 5s od, an increase of £42 3s on last. year. The. total value of the combined funds of the lodges and district is £22,553 12s Sd, being an increase of £IB2O 17s.