Hibernian Catholic Benefit Society.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXI, Issue 6204, 26 February 1904, Page 2

Hibernian Catholic Benefit Society.

United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.

■: TiMAßict, Feb. 25 At last night's sitting of the Hibernian Society's Conference the district balance sheets were passed, after some discnssion on the actuarial insufficiency of the funeral fund. The Westport branch's motion, that medical officers should be expected to attend within four hours of a call, instead of within eight hours, was withdrawn, and it was agreed that branches should make their own bargains, A motion that delegates and district officers receive travelling expenses aqd 10s per day was earned, A motion by the secretary, that branches should send to that office original birth certi6cates and other particulars relating to initiations for safe keeping and registration, was passed. A motion that hranches should furnish half yearly instead of quartevly balance sheets was lost by eighteen votes to sixteen. A motion in reference to notice of intention to fine a. branch was ruled out of order. In view of a resolution to pay delegates* and oncers' expenses, a motion to reduce contributions to ihe management fund was withdrawn, and a motion to reduce the funeral fund payments (6s a year) was withdrawn. A proposal to alter the allocation of delegates on a membership basis was lost. Conditions were agreed to under which the executive may invest spare funds for branches. The principal motion on the paper proposed the removal of the District Board Office from Auckland to Wellington. The President ruled this out'of order, as the rules provided that the executive should fix whera the office was to be; but he accepted a substituted motion that in the opinion of the meeting the time had arrived when the office should be removed to Wellington. The. motion provoked a discussion which, w.as adjourned till tomorrow, night. The delegates were banqueted to-night by t^e, loca.l branch. ' TiaiARTJ:, Feb. 26 At the banquet given by the' Hibernian Society last night, a silver tea and coffee service was presented to the Hon. W. Beehan, District President, on behalf of 21 branches, in to,ken of the appreciation of the honour conferred on representative Hibernians by his. appointment to the Legislative Council. Other presentations were made, including a wasch and guard to Bro. Suljivan for*adding 100 members in.o.jie year.