Oddfellowship.

Waipukurau Press, Issue 20, 23 February 1906, Page 2

Oddfellowship.

—o — At the annual meeting of the Wellington district, recently held in that city, the committee, in its report, stated that the annual movable conference of the order was opened in Plymouth on Whit Monday, 1905, and in their annual re port the directors stated that at the Manchester A.M.C., they had to report the smallest increase in membership for many years, but in 1905 the increase was still smaller, being somewhat less than 4000 members. While 36,514 members were initiated in Great Britain during 1904, no less than 27,783 at various ages, left the Unity frum one cause or another. Against this leakage the directors urged every lodge to fight to the utmost of its power. Though the small percentage of increase was disappointing, it was not at all discoid certing. Financial soundness,based on promises which could be fulfilled, has been the watchword of the Unity for years past. Other societies, less scrupulous, or having less knowledge of the cost of the liabilities they undertook, might, by specious offers, for a time attract a larger proportionate number of members, but the Manchester Unity would not be turned from the path it had chosen of preferring financial stability to large numbers. The directors hoped that numerical increase would keep pace with the proved financial progress of the society. With all the drawbacks of the small increase in membership, the directors could point with pride to the fact that the Manchester Unity remained the largest, richest, and soundest friendly society in the world.