GOOD TEMPLARY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 261, 27 March 1913, Page 8

GOOD TEMPLARY.

BIENNIAL SESSION.

The biennial session of the Interna- ".£) tional Order of Good Templars was eon.- % tinued yesterday morning. |jj The Grand Chief Templar Bro. G. An- V drews called the meeting to order at J9 o'clock. ■ " 201$ firaail Electoral Superintendent •v /" v. brought down the report of the Electoral Committee. , ~J

. A long discuuion took place on this report, the various speakers impressing the urgency of this work upon the members. The' report was slightly amended t and finally adopted. ; The Shield Uonnnittce reported that 1 they recommend that the competition ,{ be continued under the present conditions. . M

A commencement was made with the Ageniia Paper when more progress was _'j made. Item No. 1 in reference to the elec- , tion of B.C.T caused a general discus- ' sion and alter amundul vith addition of a few worus was carried. The evening session was opened at 7 o'clock by the Grand Counsellor Bro. H. B. Thomson. •

A larg-j number of telegrams were received; conveying greetings from Victoria, Queensland, and various places in the Dominion.

The following motions were carried in connection with the electoral work of the Order:—"That this Grand Lodge of Good Templars desires to draw attention to the fact that, notwithstanding that an absolute majority of votes was cast in favour of the absolute/ prohibition of the liquor traffic at the lust poll in this Dominion, the will of the people as expressed at the poll wns defeated by the iniquitous handicap of the , three-lifths ■ majority, as at present re- ■ quired. We, therefore, call upon all. temperance woncers to unite in an endeavor to bring this unjust handicap toan end, and call upon Parliament to make an amendment to the Licensing laws at next session, so that ths will of the people as expressed at the poll shall become law. (2) That this Grand * Lodge endorse the Democratic vote campaign, and immediately get voters and members to pledge themselves not to vote for any candidate who will not - give us the right to vote the liquor traffic out oa a more equitable basis." ' AFTERNOON SESSION: ; i The discussion on the agenda paper was continued at the afternoon sessio'n. It was resolved that. Lodges who so desire may elect their officers half-yearly, instead of quarterly. In reference to the privileges of the Associate members., it was decided to . leave the law as it stands.

lie. annual meetings of District Lodges it was' dceiilcd to allow District Lodges to hold their annual meetings' at a date they think most suitable^ After some discussion it was decided that the law in reference to admitting candidates into the Order remain as at present. It was agreed that the next session of the Grand Lodge be held in Wellington. i

A number of special notices of motion were brought forward and dealt with. The Special Finance Committee brought down an interim report. Many desirable alterations were suggested in the report, and after being fully discussed were adopted. The report of the Grand Lodge Advisory Board wa3, then finally adopted. A very satisfactory report was received from the Grand Lodge trustees in, reference to the various properties belonging to the Order in different parts of the Dominion.

EVENING SESSION. At the evening session Sister Cumming, who represented this Grand Lodge at the International Supreme Lodge held at Hamburg, Germany, read a very intejesting and concise report of the meeting. The report showed the Order to be in a very flourishing condition. ' A notable fact indicating the state of the Order in Germany and surrounding countries was that no less than 1212 members were invested with the International Degree. It was announced that the Ritual was now printed in twenty-one different languages, and it was just a matter of time when 1.0. T. Lodges would be found in every country in the world. A very hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Sister Cumniings for her services and excellent report. The election of officers was then propeeded with, the following being elected: —Grand Chief Templar, Bro. A. B. Thomson; Grand Counsellor, Bro. T. H. Dal ton: Grand Yice-Tomplar, Sister Flanagan; Grand Superintendent, Juvenile Work, Sister C. Cameron; Grand Electoral Superintendent, Bro. D. C. Cameron; Grand Secretary,;Bro. G. Petherick: Grand Treasurer, Bro. R. H. Rigarlsford; Grand Chaplain, Bro. .T. Griffiths; Grand Marshall, Bro. G ,W. Harfcnell: Past Grand Chief Templar, Bro. G. W. Andrews; Grand Guard, Bro. J. Hodgkinson; Grand Sentinal, Bro. G. Kimslcy; (fraud A. Secretary, Bro. H. J. Millan; Grand D. Marshall, Sister M. Williams; Grand Messenger, Bro. C. Arnold; Grand Organist, Sister E. M. Dalton.