ODDFELLOWS' CONFERENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 68, 20 March 1915, Page 10

ODDFELLOWS' CONFERENCE.

GRAND LODGE SESSION ENDED. The session of the Grand Lodge of Oddfellows of New Zealand terminated yesterday, and it was unanimously decided to hold the next sitting in lnvercargill in 191". Votes of thanks were accorded to the outgoing officers for their services and the folio wing were installed for the ensuing two years:— Grand Master. Bro. W. Hunter (Christchurch); deputy grand master, Bro. -R. Robt) (Gieborne); grand warden, Bro. C. J. Talbot; grand secretary, Bro. W. Reid ('Dunedin); grand treasurer, Bro. J. 'H. Hinton (Dunedin). The following officers were appointed and installed by the grand master for tti e ensuing two years: — Grand chaplain, Bro. 'Rogers (Hamilton); grand marshal, Bro. Whitmore (Invercargill); grand conductor, 'Bro. Hooper (Auckland) ; "grand guardian. Bro. Simmons (Christchurch); grand herald. Bro. Bodley (Wellington). The sum of £25 was voted to the Belgian Belief Fund, and an expenditure of £-100 was authorised for the reception and entertainment of the Grand Lodge of Australasia in Dunedin in 1017, It was also agreed that £1.000 be transferred from the funeral fund surplus, to the' Grand Lodge management, and a like sum to the fund for the extension of the Order. The amount of funeral | benefit fund was raised from £30 to £40, and it was agreed that the executive should consider the question of inaugurating a maternity benefit fund. 'Brothers McPeak, Kenmitz. and Miller, all of Dunedin, were elected grand lodge trustees. The dues payable to the Grand Lodge management fund by subordinate lodges •wae fixed at sixpence per quarter for the first 50 received, and 1/ per quarter for over that number in each lodge. The assessment of Rebecca- Lodges was fixed at a penny per quarter per member. * A preliminary valuation report on the state of the Order as at December 31, 1912, -was received from the Registrar of Friendly Societies. The valuation comprises a total of 6.651 members, as against 4,160 in the 1907 valuation, a few lodges whose returns arc not to hand being omitted. The interest earned by the aggregate benefit funds of the society is equal to 4.4 per cent. The valuation showed the present value of the sick and funeral fund to be £297.----270. against' which are sick and death liabilities, £284,654. leaving a surplus of £I*!©2s. The actual increase in the surplus since last valuation of funds is £?,005. At the previous valuation there wae a surplus of £14.»56. of which £0,366 was appropriated, leaving £5,620 "carried on. When a consolidation of the sick fund was effected, there was a deficiency' of £2.923. but this has sini-e been reduced to £675. The funeral fund has increased its surplus by £5.554. or a direct improvement in all the funds of £7.832. Female lodges chow in all a surplus of £774, after making a special reserve of £1,632, against high sicjeness rates rT usually experienced' in female lodges.' ----..*■ ....