ODDFELLOWSHIP IN GERALDINE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1123, 8 January 1884, Page 3

ODDFELLOWSHIP IN GERALDINE.

On Friday evening last the regular meeting of the members of the Loyal Victoria Lodge, No. 19, 1.0.0. F., was held in their hall, Geraldine, there being a good attendance. The Lodge was opened in due form by Bro J. Dobbie, N.G. The minutes of the previous meeting having been read and confirmed one candidate wa» duly initiated as a member.

INSTALLATION OF OFFICERS. The installation of the newly elected officers for the ensuing term then took place, Bro. G. Ward, D.D.G.M., performing the interesting ceremony, with his usual skill and ability. The following are the names of the officers who now fill the chair N.G., Bro W. Coltraan, sent, V.G.,8r0. R. Hammond ; Secretary, Bro. J. W. Pye (re-elected); Treasurer, Bro. G. H. Patrick; Conductor, Bro. T. Kallagher ; Warden, Bro. Stonehouse ; Inside Guard, Bro. Pizzey; R.S. to N.G., Bro. Owles; L.S. to N.G., Bro. L. Newport; R.S. to V.G., Bro. Williams ; L.S. to V.G., Bro. T. Pye. At its conclusion, the N.G. appointed the following as a Standing Committee: —Bros. Coltman, | Williams, Pizzey, Pye and Ward. Audit Committee—Bros. Williams, Sherratt and Owles, Sick and Visiting Committee—±srog. Patrick and Newport. The Lodge was then closed.

The Banquet.

As is usual on all such interesting occasions the proceedings of the night terminated with a banquet, which was catered by Bro. Stonehouse, who fully sustained ' his well-known reputation in this line. Owing to the lateness of the hour at which the Lodge closed, many of the brethren did not stay to partake of the good things provided. One noticeable feature in connection with the banquet is the fact that as the toasts were drank with hot coffee and ginger ale. Bro. Coltman, N.G., occupied the chair. After the usual loyal toasts had been duly honored, the Chairman proposed ‘ The Army and Navy,’ coupled with the name of Bro. G. Ward.

Bro Ward, in briefly responding, ra

marked that at one time he had belonged to the Volunteers and hoped soon that a movement would be on foot to start a Volunteer Corps in Geraldine. The Chairman next proposed £ The Press,’ coupled with the name of Mr A. Fisher, of the Geraldine Guardian. Mr Fisher responded. Bro G. Ward proposed c The health of the present.N.G., Bro. Coltman, senr. The toast was drank with musical honors, after an overture on the piano by visiting Bro. Hamann. Bro. Coltman, in responding, thanked the Brethren for the hearty manner in which they had drank his health, but more so for the honor they had conferred upon him in placing him in the N.G.’s chair, and he hoped that at the end of his term of office he would have filled it with credit to himself and the brethren also. He desired that no party feeling should exist amongst them, and that he should be sup. ported by them all. He was glad to see, on looking over the books that day, that u» body they were prospering, two*

and a half years ago they were at a very low ebb, but a few of the brethren stuck well to the Lodge, and worked well together. During the half year ending December, 1882. the Lodge books showed that they had taken £sl 9s lOd, and during the same period ending December, 1883, the amount was £76 3s 3d. The rental of the hall for the former period was £23 la 6d and for the latter, £34 8s 6d. When they looked at that they could all see thev had much to be thankful for. He hoped they would still go on increasing and each member do his best to get others to join the Order. For his part he would do his best in that direction and trusted that when he went out of office he would put down his collar and gavel satisfied that he bad done his duty. (Applause 1 ) The Chairman proposed ‘ 4 Success to the Independent Order of Oddfellows in New Zealand,” coupled with the name of the D.d’g.M., Bro G. Ward. Bro, Ward said he was glad to hear that the Lodge was progressing favorably since their last installation, and he considered it was'in a very fair way of doing well in the future. During the past six months there had been a new Lodge added to the district—that at Fairlie Creek. It now possessed sixty-two members and all were working well to further its advancement. He would have to attend a meeting of that Lodge on Tuesday next when he hoped he should see it carried on as well as he did previously. The Chairman next proposed ‘ The health of the past N.G. Bro., Gobble. Drank with musical honors.

Bro. Dobbie, in responding, remarked he had been a long while in the Order and hoped he should continue in and stick to it. According to the statement made by their Chairman the Lodge was doing well, and he hoped they would all put their shoulders to the wheel and get many others to ioin them. He had just vacated the N.G. chair for the second time, and perhaps had been rather hard in fining members. But if they possessed Bye-laws they should carry them out without fear or favor. He had, of course, relaxed his severity in regard to fining brethren who were ia the country, but ha considered that all the town members should regularly attend. (Applause.) Bro. Ward proposed * The health of the Secretary, Bro J. W. Pye/ who had ably filled his office for the past twelve

months. _ , Bro. Pye said he had, whilst in office, ( tried to do his beat for the good of the Lodge, and was pleased to think he had i done his duty. He would do all he could < for the Order in the future. During the j past half year fonr members had left ] the Lodge by clearance. The Chairman next proposed ‘The > Visiting Brethren/ coupled with the name of Bro. Eamann. _ i The toast was drank with musical honors. I Bro, Hamann, in briefly responding, J said he was glad to see that Oddfellowship was flourishing in South Canterbury as well as in Otago. The next toast proposed was that of * Kindred Societies/ coupled with the name of Bro. Williams. Bro. Williams, in reply, said he had visited the Lodge at Fairlie Creek, and was surprised to see the numerical strength of the brethren there. There was one thing he noticed in regard to his own Lodge, and that was that the older brethren were invariably put into office, and there was Scarcely a teimbut what he filled one of them, and whilst he waj most willing to do all he could for the good and welfare of the Order, he felt that it was nothing but right that the younger members should be put forward to fill the chairs. In conclusion he wished success to the Lodge, one and all. The Chairman next gave, ‘Health and prosperity to our wives and families/ coupled with the name of Bro. Patrick. The toast was drank with musical honors. ,

Bro. Patrick briefly responded. The next toast was that of * Success and prosperity to the Loyal Victoria Lodge, coupled with the name of Bro Coltman. Bro. Coltman, i« responding, reiterated the sentiments previously given by him when answering for the toast of the N.G. Bro. Williams proposed’the “Poor and distressed brethren of the Order of Oddfellows,’ which was duly drank. The Chairman proposed ‘ The Past V.G., Bro Owles, and the other retiring officers, . , , . ~ Bro. Owles remarked that during his term of office he had done his best to further the interests of the Order, and would still strive to increase its numbers. The ‘Health of absent Brethren’having been honored, the health of ‘ The Present V.6.’ was proposed by the Chairman. Bro. Hammond, in responding, said that he hoped he should go out of office with as little blemish as when he came into it. He had been a member ever since the Lodge was started in Geraldine, and had been in office several times. He pledged himself to be present every Lodge night except when h« might ba unavoidably detained through rain or causes over which lie had no control. Bro. Williams proposed the ‘Health of our host,’ and in so doing passed a high enconium of praise on the admirable manner in which Bro. Stonehouso had provided for their creature comforts tha? evening. . , . „ Bro. Stonehouse having briefly responded, the night’s proceedings terminated by the company singing ‘God £ave the Queen,’ Bro. Hamann accompanying on the piano. During the evening several songs were capitally rendered by the brethren.