INDEPENDENT ORDER OF RECHABITES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3112, 10 February 1909, Page 5

INDEPENDENT ORDER OF RECHABITES.

81-EN&IAL CONFERENCE. The thirty-seventh meeting of representatives of the New Zealand Central District of the Independent Order of Rechabites, Salford Unity, opened in the Foresters' Hall, yesterday morning. The Chief Ruler of the District, Bro. J.. M. Calder, Nelson, presided. The following officers were present:—Bro. J. Wesny, Inyercargill District, Deputy Ruler; Bro. S. F. Sherwood, Dunedin. District Past Chief Ruler; Bro, F. H. Fraser, Wellington, District Secretary; Bro. T. W. Leslie, Wellington, District Treasurer; Bro. T. Fathers, District Superintendent of Juvenile Branches.

The following delegates were m attendance .—No 1. Tent, Wellington,. Bro?. A. J. Bennet, J. Goer and T. J. Ward; No. 2, Napier, Bro. E. A. Israel; No. 6, Wellington, Bro. W. Johnson; No. 17, Nelson. Bros. J. Cass and W. W. Snodsrrass; No. 18. New Plymouth, Bros. E. Chatterton, J. Grayson, and J. Buttimore; No. 19, Wellington, Bros. W. J. GaudinandT. W. Ward; No. 20, Dunedin, Bros. R. Fleming, F. E. Davis and R. Farrant; No. 26, Christchurch, Bros. R. B. Bunt, F. Kobson and R. H. Taylor; No. 27, Invercargill, Bros. R. McCuatts, H. Cooper and P. J. Frederic; No. 28, Norsewood, Bro. Olsen; No. 31, Ormondvilla, Bro. R. C. Groom; No. 32, Woodville, Bro. R. Fennel), No. 38, Masterton, Bros. J. F. Heyhoe and F. W. Temple; No. 42, Carterton, Bro. Foster; No. 45, Wakefield, Bros. J. G. Wilkins, F. L. Fairhall; No. 46, Johnsonville, Bro. Mildenhall; No. 52, Palmerston North, Bro. J. S. Munro; No. 54, Gishorne, Bro. M. G. Nusmith; No. 56, Pahiatua, Bro. W. C. Sayers; No. 57, Brightwater, Bro. A. H. Andrews; No. 58, Stratford, Bro. W. Henry; No. 59, Jnglewood, Bro. A. J. Hops3n; No. 60, Levin, Bro. W. J, Boulton; No. 61, Cardiff, Bro. C. MeGechie; No. 62, Petone, Bro. C. Bell; No. 65, Hastings, Bro. J. Larritt. Female Tents — No. 1, Wellington, Bro. T. J. Ras'n; No. 4, Nelson, Sister 0. Calder; No. 5) Invercargill, Sister E. M. Smith.

Bro. M. G. Nasmitb, Gislorne, was appointed Press reporter. Bro. S. F. Sherwood, Dunedin, was elected to act an minute secretary.

The Dish ic£ Chief Ruler moved a resolution in regard to the carrying of No-License'in Masterton, making a few remarks' thereon, chiefly congratulatory tb'tfhe work of the local Tent iri the'-carrying of No-License. He stated' thWitSvas the first Recbabite'Conference'held in a*No-Licenbe town. The resolution read as follows: —"That it is with great pleasure thij meeting of delegates representative of the New Zealand Central District of the 1.0. R. congratulafes mort heartily this electorate upon the result of the recent licensing poll; and furthermore congratulates the Masterton Tent upon being now situatad within a No-License area, and also wishes to express the gratification of the delegates at thus enabled to hold their bi-ennial meeting in a district that has taken such a decided step on behalf of the Temperance cause."— This was seconded by Bro. Wesney (Deputy Ruler), and carried with great enthusiasm.

A motion of sympathy was carried with thi relatives of brethren who hid died of recent years, all members standing. j he District Chief Ruler, in a short spee'h, welcomed the delegates to the meeting. It was resolved that the huurs of session be from 9.30 to 12.30 and trim 2 D.m. to 5.30 p.m. The District Visitors' reports were pr-.'sentei and adopted.

• It was resolved that Bros. Gaudin, Snodgrass, Cooper and Grayson, be the Finance and Levies Committee. The District Officers' report was read and adopted. AFTERNOON SITTING.

The Council resumed at 2 p.m. The District Superintendent of Juvenile Branches presented his report, which stated inter alia:—"That the returns from the various branches with the exception of Christchurch and Wellington show decreases in membership. Nelson had done solid work. Our membership at the last returns were 36G. new members admitted 114, total 480; transferred to adult tents b'G, members suspended l£o, present membership 274. Reference was made to the decrease in juvenile members."

Bro. McCuatts-, Inverear'ill, moved the adoption of the report. He regretted the loss the juveniles had sustained during the last two years, for it was o ly through the juvenile branch that the Oi'der would increase.

Bro. Farrant, seconded the motion.

Bro. Wesney, Deputy Ruler, considered the matter a serious one for the Order. Ha hoped the Conference would not disperse until some scheme had been devised to assist the juveniles.

Other delegates spoke on the subject, and regretted that the report was so unfavourable. The motion was then put and carried unanimously. The following motion was proposed by Bro. Frederic, and seconded bv Bi'o. Cooper and carried without discussion:—"That the delegates present at this meeting pledge themselves to bring before their respective Tents the claims of juvenile members, and in those places where Juvenile Tents exist endeavour to increase the membership, and in those places where no Tents exist endeavour to have Juvenile Tents formed." The District Deputy Ruler (Bro. Wesney) brought up the question ot the membership of the Order. He stated that Christchurch Tent had increased by over 100 members. He considered the few members the Order had was disgraceful, considering the great temperance sentiment in New Zealand.

Bro. Sussex, Petone, spoke strongly on the matter, and urged all to do their utmost to advance the Order. The proposed amendments to rules were next considered. The Christchurch Tent moved to delete clause 2 of Rule 16, and to insert —"Each Tent numbering 100 or less than 100 benefit members good on the books at last quarterly return to have ; one vote, and one vote

for every complete 100 benefit iiiettl* bers afterward. Tenta may sentf one representative for each vote. Representatives shall attend either

I personally or by proxy." The present representation allowed for one delegate for the first and every fifty, but no Tent to have more than three delegates. The Christchurch Tent further wished the clause as to the limitation of delegates to be struck out. Bro. Budnt moved the resolution, which Bro. Robinson seconded.

Bro. Parrant, Dunedin, moved, and Bro. Davis seconded, the following amendment:—Any tent not exceeding 75. 1 representative; any tent containing over 75, and not exceeding 150, two representatives; any tent containing over 150, and not exceeding 225. 3 representatives; any tent containing over 225, 4 representatives. The amendment was then put and lost.

Bro. Sussex then moved the following amendment, which was seconded by Bro. Munro:—"That any tent, numbering 150 or under, be entitled to one representative at the General District meeting; tents having over 150 members shall be entitled to two representatives." This amendment was put and also lost.

The original motion from Christchurch tent was then put and lost on the voices. The second clause of the motion re limitation of delegates was then after a short discussion put and lost. Tent No. 18, New Plymouth, moved —"That the District Council shall at its first session appoint a committee to consider a scheme for the division of the district into subdistricts, and report at a later session on its advisability, with rules for its adoption, if approved of." Bro. Chatterton, of New Plymouth, introduced the matter. Bro. Buttimore seconded the motion.

The motion was then put and carried unanimously. The Excelsior Tent, Wellington, moved to shorten the time from two to one year's membership when a member is entitled to claim funeral allowance on behalf of his wife. The same tent also moved to alter the amount so payable from one-third of the total sum to £lO.

Bro. Gaudin, Wellington, proposed the first clause, which was seconded by Bro. Nasmith, Gisborne, pro forma. The m?tion was then put and lost on the voices.

The second clause was then put and also lost. The District Officers asked tnat the following addendum be added to the duties of district visitors: —"To examine the secretary's and treasurer's books, and all other tent books and also securities."

The District Secretary moved the motion, which was seconded by Bro. Rash end carried on the voices. The Christchurch Tent moved an alteration to the rule relating to the opening of new tents, that the D.C.R. may take three officers from the nearept tent to assist him in the opening." instead of t l, e present rule requiring the D.C R. to take an officer from any ten: io assist him. Bro. Robinson moved the motion, which was seconded by Bro. Bunt.

tiro. Farrat moved an amendment to alter tht word "nearest" to "any." Bro Gaudin seconded. The Christchurch Tent announced its willingness to accept the amendment, which was then include! in the motion and carried on the voices. A matter in regard to sick pay was brought up by the Christenurjn Tent, which moved that "the sick shall be paid for the days of declaring on and off, providing the mem-

ber shall declare that he has nut worked on any portion of those days." The proposer wad Bro. IJueir. After some discussion the motion was put, and on division was lost by 30 to 16.

Bro. Taylor. Christhnrch, moved that a new member be allowed 01 the night of his initiation to vote, and to alter the present rule to that effect.

Bro. Bunt, Christchurch, seconded the motion, which was then put and carried bv 29 to 17.

A motion from the Invereargill Tent was that "no tent shali compel a member to contribute to or attend funeral or other processions, anniversaries or dinners, or inflict any fine for non-payment to, or nonattendance at the same." Broj. Cooper and McCuatts were the movers and seconders, respactively, of the motion, which was eventually thrown out on the voices. The Christchurch Tent moved: "That the District Officers shall consider the question of the formation of a fund to pay the contributions of members who have been in the Order for not less than thirty years, and have attained the age of 05 years."

Bro. Bunt considered the lime had come when the matter should be taken up.

An amendment to strike out the last m'oviso was lost on the voices.

The motion was then put and carried. The matter of the District Secretarial duties was touched upon by three tents, as shown by the following motions:—Proposed by Napier Tent: "An assistant secretary should be appointed whose duty would be to assist the District Secretary, and also visit the various tents of the District for the purpose of inspecting the books and generally stirring up interest in the affairs of the Order." Christchurch Tent:

"That an assistant secretary be appointed, such officer to act as organiser under instructions of the District Officers." Invercargill Tent: "That a young and capable man should be appointed to the position of District Secretary." Bro. Taylor suggested that the whole matter be referred to a committee, and moved to that effect.

The motion was agreed to, and the various propositions from the different tents were held over till the next session.

The Council then adjourned till 9.30 next morning.