ANCIENT ORDER OF FORESTERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 August 1922, Page 7

ANCIENT ORDER OF FORESTERS.

DELEGATES AT WAITARA. D.C.R. Bro. F. Coleman presided at the meeting of delegates of Foresters at Waitara on Tuesday. Others preesnt were: S.D.C.R. Bro. W. Draper; W. Bro. Harvey; B. Bro. R. E. ,T. Kivell; secretary, Bro. A. J. Tunbridge ; treasurer, Bro. H. R. Cattley; delegates, Bros. J. D. Murray (Opunake), H. S. Tate (Court Raleigh, Waitara), W. H. Rudga (Hawera), .1. Andrews (Patea), G._ Plews (Stratford), J. C. Frewin and J. Cliff (Court Waireka, New Plymouth), A. J. Way (Court Taranaki, New Plymouth), E. Crossman (Inglewood), Sis. Hammond (Court Pride of New Plymouth). An apology from Court Prido of Elf ham delegate was accepted. In presenting the district officers’ report, mention was made of the steady progress in membership. Congratulatory reference was made to the improved financial position of courts throughout the district, the total aggregating £45,266 up to December 31, 1921. included in this were Waireka’s funds £15,915, Taranaki £7lll, Inglewood £6587, Egmont £4041, Stratford £2544, Hawera £2248, Patea £2099, Pride of New Plymouth £1358, Robin Rood juveniles £677, Eltham £538, Opunake £479, district funds £1663. The membership stood at 1481. Court Waireka was steadily Increasing and now stood at 571. Financially the district stood second in the Dominion, having a surplus of £3.92 per member; £325 was paid out in funeral allowances. Bros. Andrews, Plews and Murray expressed appreciation at the very encouraging report presented and at the efforts of the district officers in looking after the various courts and visiting same. In remarking on the fact that the benevolent funds stood at £538 in credit, Bro. Andrews asked if something could 1101/ be done to help some members who were financially embarrassed and found it difficult to meet the court dues. In the case of accident or sickness they were entitled to relief, but the question of assisting those short of funds through unemployment, etc., was not provided for. He related one incident where a member after 12 years’ association found it impossible to meet the court calls and would become unfinancial, meeting with an accident after being in arrears, and thus precluded from obtaining the usual benefits and payments. Bro. Murray expressed his sympathy in the case. It would be a pity if under the circumstances a member was lost, and he felt sure if the court secretaries reported cases of similar incidents the district courts would gladly meet the case. Other brothers spoke in a similar strain. D.C.R. Bro. Coleman stated that every application made on the benevolent funds was closely scrutinised and invariably relief was granted. He thought in Bro. Andrews’ case the Eltham secretary might assist in bringing the matter before the district, and. he had no doubt, a grant would be made. Bros. Crossman asked if it were possible for doctors’ fees to be put into a common fluid so that members visit any doctor they preferred instead of being tied down to the court’s medical man. He laid on the table a newspaper cutting dealing with the matter of a Wellington lodge. Bro. Plews did not favor the idea. The Stratford Court had tried this practice and found it undesirable. Their experience was that members took advantage of this to get a doctor to attend their aunt or some other relative, and the same abuse applied to the chemist. He knew of cases wherfi members had obtained cattle drenches for cows and charged the court funds. The secretary, Bro. Tunbridge, said New Plymouth was well treated with local doctors and had no occasion to seek a change. It would entail a tremendous lot of extra work, and he thought would be found scarcely workable. The question was then dropped. The nomination of officers for the next year were: D.C.R., Bro. Draper; S.D.C.R., Bro. Harvey ; D.W., Bro. Kivell ; D. 8., Bros. Rogers, Tate, Crossman and Sister Hammond. New Plymouth was fixed upon for the February meeting. Votes of thanks were passed to the Waitara Court for the hospitality and attention extended to delegates and sisters. At the close of business the Waitara brethren showed delegates over the freezing workers and other interesting sights and spots in the town and suburbs.