GRAND LODGE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 125, 8 March 1935, Page 8

GRAND LODGE

ANCIENT ORDER OF DRUIDS. FORTY-FIFTH ANNUAL MEETING. (Special to the "Guardian/') CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. , The forty-fifth annual meeting of the Grand Lodge of Canterbury, United Ancient Order of Druids, was held. The Grand President (Bro. L. B. Freeman) presided. Among the representatives w,ere the following:— Star of Ashburton Lodge, Bro. E. Parkin, P.D.P., W. Samuels, P.D.P., R. J ; Latimer, A.D.; Success of Ashburton Lodge, Sister R, J. Crum, p;d.p.

Grand President's Adda-ess. In his address the Grand President said that the affairs of the-Order were in. as satisfactory a state as could be expected, considering the times it was passing through. A matter of deep in- ■ terest was the meeting of the officers of the three Grand Lodges in New Zealand, last March, which afforded an opportunity for discussion of friendly society work. He advocated that such meetings should be arranged more frequently. The matter of establishing one Grand Lodge for the whole of New Zealand was under discussion. Throughout the year the various lodges had conducted their affairs in an excellent manner, but the question of increasing attendances was one to which thought might be given. The juvenile lodges were progressing really well, the boys displaying great enthusiasm. Board of Management Report. The annual report of the board of • management, stated that the total worth of all funds of the Order as at December 31, 1934, was £159,534 2s <&, being an increase of £6094 Us 4d for the year. The total interest earned was £6924 17s Id, an increase of £383 18s 7d over last year. The total amount disbursed in sick pay was £5206 17s Id an..increase of £9O 15s Id compared with last yeaj- and averaging £1 6s 6cl over the whole of the financial membership. Funeral allowances amounted to £I2BO. Two hundred and five maternity claims, amounting to £llß4, were granted. Doctors', and chemists' fees amounted to £745/ 14s &C There were 3898 financial members at the beginning of the year. During the year 241 members were initiated. Fourteen members joined by clearance, and 134 made good. Iwo hundred and seventy members were returned' as unfinancial, 24 resigned, 19 left by clearance, and 43 had died. The total number of financial members at the end of the year was 39331 (36*1 males and 300 female). As the result of the amendment to the rules, passed at the last Grand Lodge meeting, granting the sick and funeral contributions to all members between the ages of 65 and 70 years, it was interesting to note, stated the report, that at the end of the year out of 257 on the fund, 97 were between the ages of 65 and 70. After providing for the increased benefits, the liability on the fund greatly exceeded the contributions received, the expenditure being £6BO a year and the contributions £473. Nevertheless, the increased liability was well provided for as the fund earned £1470 interest during 1934, and the total worth of the fund at the end of that period • was £37,204, an increase of £15,606 since the last valuation, £13,500 of which comprised surpluses transferred by lodges. It was hoped that as a result of the 1935 valuation the fund would, at least be in a position to pay the total contributions of all members of he Order over 65 years of age. { Regarding the Grand Lodge Unemployed Members Contribution Fund, the report stated that owing to the economic conditions it was necessary to continue the adminisration of this fund. During the ydar the special committee considered 159 applications, ot which 147' were approved, the total expenditure amounting to £127 -Us lid It was pleasing that for the last quarter the applications for assistance showed a considerable falling off.

Rules Altered. A resolution changing the dafe of the Grand Lodge meeting from March to May in 'each year was carried. The powers of .the Judical Appeal Committee were amended to provide that all appeals must first be submitted to the Appeal Committee, with the right of either party farther to appeal to Grand Lodge, whose ruling shall be final. The Board of Management wore empowered to veto the election of any secretary or treasurer proving incompetent to undertake his duties. A new rule was aclopUd allowing members to iujue second and subsecuent wives for mi ;.dditijnul fuue/a] benefit of £lO.

The control of juvenile lodges was vested i,n the Board of Management to draw up regulations and rules governing these members. A new aide providing for the admission of junior members between the ages of sixteen and twenty years of age was adopted. The election of officers resulted:— Grand President, Brother R. E. Bigg; Grand Vice-President, Brother G. McKenzie; Grand Secretary, Brother F. E. Talbot; Grand. Treasurer Brother J T. Collins; Grand Guardian, Brother V H. Keay; Board of Management, Brothers H. E. Beckett, J. H. Denison, Y. 1a Herriot, F. W. Hughes, R. J. Roberts, A. Latimer, F. Legge; Judicial Appeal Committee, P.G.P.'s Brothers F. George, D. W. Bart-ram, G. Bates R. H. Parker and C. I. Barnes; Grand Lodge Auditors, Brothers F. W. Hughes, It. A. Morrison and H. Ballan; Grand Lodge Trustee, Brother G. Gvde (re-elected); Senior Grand Lodge Trustee, Brother James Anderson. I.P.G.P. Brother L. B. Freeman was "appointecT "to" represent Canterbury at the biennial Grand Lodge meting of the North Island Grand Lodge ' and Grand President Brother R. E. Bigg at the Grand Lodge at Otago and Southland.