HIBERNIAN AUSTRALASIAN CATHOLIC BENEFIT SOCIETY, DUNEDIN BRANCH, No. 73.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume IV, Issue 181, 15 September 1876, Page 12

HIBERNIAN AUSTRALASIAN CATHOLIC BENEFIT SOCIETY, DUNEDIN BRANCH, No. 73.

The following resolutions were agreed to by a Committee of the Dunedin Branch on September Ist, and finally adopted by the Branch at an extraordinary meeting held on Monday, September 11th, 1876 :— Resolved 1. That in the opinion of this Branch it is deemed desirable to form a District, to be denominated the Otago and Canterbury District, and to consist of the following Branches : Invercargill, Lawrence, Dunedin, Naseby, Oamaru, Akaroa, Lyttelton, and Christchtirch. Resolved 2. That in order to overcome any legal objections a District be at once formed under the present laws, and that immediately after formation the laws be so amended as to suit the convenience of the Branches forming said District. Resolved 3. That in the event of the aforesaid Branches agreeing to the foregoing resolutions, an application be at once forwarded to the E. D requesting it to grant a Dispensation, and also to depute an Officer to open the District. The first meeting of Delegates to be held in Dunedin ; the place of future meetings to be decided upon at the first District Meeting. Report of Committee appointed by the Dunedin Branch to revise the present District Board La-ns : — Your Committee beg to report having carefully considered the working of the District Laws, and recommend the following amendments, but considering this is a matter which the other Branches should have a voice in, your Committee refrains from finally adopting them until such time as the proposed District is formed according to the present Laws, and the Delegates from the respective Branches have had an opportunity of perusing the proposed amendments :—: — 1. That the July meeting be abolished, and in lieu thereof one General Meeting be held in each year, in the month of January. 2. That it be compulsory on Branches to send Delegates according to a scale to be agreed upon by the Delegates at the first District meeting. 3. That in order to secure thorough representation, and in order that each Branch in the District may bear a proportionate share of the expenses, Law 46 be amended, and the quarterage to Incidental Fund increased from nine-pence to fifteen-pence per quarter. That all the expenses of the District be paid out of the Incidental Fund, including Delegates' expenses. The Committee is of opinion that the above is the only method by which thorough representation can be obtained. The amount of quarterage from three hundred and fifty members being considered ample to vnise a sufficient sum at once to defray expenses, while it is anticipated with confidence that an annual reduction in the quarterage will be made. The remainder of the amendments being only of minor importance it is not thought desirable to enumerate them here.