Foresters' Anniversary.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3105, 30 January 1879, Page 2

Foresters' Anniversary.

The anniversary of the Court Pride of Parnell and Court Pride of the North Lodges of Foresters was celebrated at the Academy of Music last erening by a soiree, concert and dance. There were about 200 present, who did justice to the excellent tea provided by Mr Curtis. The tables were then cleared away, and His Worship the Mayor took the chair. On the platform were a number of delegates from other Lodges.

The Chairman said—Ladies and gentlemen, the duties of the Chairman should be very light upon such an occasion as the present, and with the very long 'eon" cert programme before me, and the prospect of a dance to end the evening with, I am sure if I make my remarks very brief they will probably be the better received [by you. It is with pleasure I occupy the position I do this evening, and it must be gratifying to the members of Court Pride of Parnell and Court Pride of the North, whose anniversary celebration this is, to see so many fair friends present. Forestry at the Thames had been most successful, and so numerous was the membership of the Court Pride of Parnell becoming that it was thought advisable to institute another — the Court Pride of the North. The capital to the credit of the two Courts now amounts to £2,100, and a share in the funeral fund of the district with the other six Courts in the province of Auckland. From such a statement it would be seen that the Courts were in a most enviable position; it spoke of solvency, and, the solvency of such societies was one of the first questions which all persons joining a benefit society should give their attention to. In England from several causes many Friendly or benefit societies had become bankrupt, and when the time of need arrived, and sickness and distress Visited the houses of their members, they were unable to pay the benefits promised under their constitution.... The principal cause for such calamities was that the subscriptions asked were insufficient to pay the benefits promised, the subscriptions being made low in order to induce a large membership. The Government considered it necessary to legislate upon the subject, and now grants to air societies fulfilling the requirements of the Friendly Societies Act a certificate of registration, a guarantee, as it were, that such a sooiety was established upon a proper basis, and, unless from great mismanagement, able to pay the claims of its members. In Auckland at the present time tbe district meeting of Foresters was being held and measures were to be taken to enable all the Courts in Auckland to become registered under the Act passed in the last session of the New Zealand Parliament. In England there was no less than 540,000 persons members of Foresters' Courts, with capital to their credit of £2,500,000. The Colonies, especially New Zealand, Australia, and Canada, were not behind hand, for there were 33,000 Foresters, with funds at their disposal of £170,000 outside Great Britain. It was the duty of every man to, in some measure, make provision against a rainy day—the time sickness and distress might visit his house —and that could not be better done than by joining a benefit society. There are many other benefit societies on the Thames which are equally deserving of support with the Foresters, and I have the greatest confidence in advising all persons who are not members of a Friendly Society to at once join one. Mr Brown then sang a very pretty cavatina " Eemember." Mr Scott, W.M. of the Protestant Alliance, congratulated the Foresters on their satisfactory financial condition. The society he represented was also in good financial circumstances. He strongly advised all young men and those not too far advanced in life to join some Friendly Society. Miss Cleave was heard to great advantage in the song " Chatting at the Door." An encore was demanded, to which the lady responded by giving the last verse of the song again. Mr Fisher, representative of the Loyal Waikato Lodge, said he had been 20 years a member of a benefit society, and had not met one who regretted belonging to a society, though he had come across many who had regretted not belonging to one. fie endorsed the remarks of Mr Scott. He advised all persons thinking

of joining a society to see that it wai solvent. Mr May sang the song "For Ere*/* in his usual good voice. Mr Byrne thanked the Foresters for the invitation sent to the Hibernian Society for a representative to be present at the soiree. Mrs John Gribble sang "Time may Steal the Hoses, darling." An encore being demanded, Mrs Gribble exceeded her former effort in the aong " We parted by the river side." ; „ , KSI Mr T. G. Comes, Superintendent of the Juvenile Foreßters, said that the Juvenile Court numbered 100 members, and had only been three years in existence. It had accumulated a fund of £110, thai showing it was one of the molt bona fide societies on the Thames. He impressed on parents the advisability of letting their children to join the juvenile lodges. Mr Catran sang " Wrecked and Saved " in a splendid style, and being encored gave " The Flying Dutchman." Mr Berry, representative of thepfyai Charles Bruce Lodge, thanked the Foresters for the invitation sent to his Lodge. After another piece had been sung by Mrs Gribble and Messrs Catran and May, The Chairman, on behalf of the Fores* tors' Lodges, returned thanks to the ladies who had graced the anniversary with their presence, to those who had sung, and to the delegates for their aUendance. ' ' . ■ ■ This portion of the evening's entertain* ment was concluded by the singing of "God Save the Queen." . . The seats were then cleared, away, and dancing was kept up with vigor till the small houni of the morning/ .