OTAGO DISTRICT M.U.I.0.0.F.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 298, 16 October 1873, Page 6

OTAGO DISTRICT M.U.1.0.0.F.

The annual meeting of the District Committee, for the election of officers, was held in the Oddfellows' Hall on the Bth. There was a large muster of delegates representing the various Lodges in .the Province. P.G.M. Bro. Beissel presided, and D P Gr. M. Bro. Stuart filled the vice-chair. The P.G.M. then read his annual report, as follows : — Worthy Deputy Grand Master, Delegates, and Brothers : In meeting- yon to-night I have much pleasure in congratulating you on the steady progress of the Society to which, I am sure, we all feel it an honor to belong. It is now twelve months since my colleagues and myself were honored by being appointed the executive officers of the Otago District, and during that time we know, from the reports sent from England, from the returns of our own Lodges, and from our own personal knowledge of what has taken place amongst the Lodges in our City, that there has been prosperity and progress throughout the Order in general within our own District and in our City Lodges. During the time referred to there has been a very decided advance both numerically and financially, and I have no doubt this advance will be maintained and improved upon in the future. As the report of the Annual Moveable Committee is accessible to all of you, I need not do more than rehearse shortly the figures, giving an idea of the numbers and financial position of the Unity in Great Britain. The numbers in January X 873 vrere 470,043, the admissions during the year 1872 having been 34,699. The capital amounted in January 1873 to over L 3,326,520. In the five years 1868 to 1872, the admissions amoanted to 158,728, the nett increase, after deducting loss by death, withdrawals and removals having been near 45,000 members. The increase of capital in the same period of five yearsjwas over L 872.000. In our own district we numbered at the end of June last 1,305 members, belonging to twenty-one Lodges, possessing an accumulated capital of L 12,242 in cash and real estaiej and valiiing tHeix- total assets a,t 1*12,855. From June 1872 to June 1873 the admissions were, in round numbers, 200, or, deducting loss by death, removals and withdrawals a .nett increase of 124 members. The deaths since-our last meeting (six months ago) have been two members, and three members' wives; during the twelve months, six members and seven members' wives. That is the number on account of which [ the funeral allowance has been claimed and paid, The total income during the half-year January to June, 1873, was L2,G83 ISs Bd, the expenditure for the same period being L1,628^17s Bd, leaving a gain on the six months' transactions of L 1.055. lam glad to have it in my power to gay that the_ aggregate amount paid to sick members during the six months, viz., L2SI Is 6d, will compare favorably with any like period of late years. The amount paid for medical attendance and medicines during the six months was L 677 4s 6d. While the sick expenditure was, as I have -said," comparatively speaking, light, we have had more demands upon our purely charitable fund— the District Relief Fund— -than usual, the greater part of this expenditure being, however, for the relief of members, or of the widows and families of members-belonging to other districts. In some of these cases the necessity for assistance being given was great, and I need not say how pleased the District Officers, therefore, were to have such a fund at their disposal. In this connection it gives me much pleasure to inform you that we lately received a donation in aid of this fund from the Loyal Alexandra Lodge, Port Molyneux. Honorable mention has been made on more than one occasion by my predecessors in office of the kindness of the members of the Alexandra Lodge in this respect. You will agree with me that it redounds to their credit that it is so. Duiing the late session of the Provincial Council efforts were made to obtain the oft-spoken of Friendly Societies' Garden. Sis Honor the Superintendent, ihe [Executive Government, Sand the Councillors generally showed a sincere desire to assist the societies in obtaining thjs boon. We believe that nothing but the difficulty of decidingupon ground of a suitable description has' prevented the consummation of ' our wishes in this respect. I gladly acknowledge, and so, I am sure, will the' 'representatives' of the other societies, "th£ great services rendered in this cause by our worthy Bfq. 8.8. G.M. G'eddes, to whom the "lion's share 1 ' of the work has undoubtedly fallen. lam gratified in being able to say that all the lodges have sent in their returns in good time ; in only one instance have the District Officers been obliged to find fault and fine a lodge for non-payment of the levies. Gentlemen, on behalf of my colleagues and for myself, I have to thank you for the courtesy and kindness extended to us during our term of office. To-nigßt we' resign our trust, and we hope that our successors (whoaVer they may be) will prove themselves "good" men and true," and that the interests of our branch of the great Manchester Unity of Oddfellows will be carefuljy fostered and watched over by them. The levy for the incidental expense fund was fixed at 6d per member, and that for the funeraj fund at la per member. Some other formal business haying been transacted, the election of officebearers for the ensuing twelve months took place, and resulted as follows : — P.G.M. Bro. F. Palmer; D. P.G.M. Bro. J. Hopcraft : Bro. Sligo (re-elected) P.C.S. The meeting then adjourned.