MANCHESTER UNITY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 58, 9 March 1935, Page 14

MANCHESTER UNITY.

ODDFELLOWS' CONFERENCE.

IN AUCKLAND NEXT WEEK.

The Manchester Unity Oddfellows of the Auckland District will hold its annual conference in Auckla'd next week. It is to open on Wednesday at 9.30 a.m., when the. Mayor, Mr. G. W. Hutchison, will accord a civic welcome to the 76 delegates who come from various parts of the provincial district, from Kaitaia in the north to Gisborne and Taumarunui in the south. The district is comprised of 68 lodges with a membership of 7811, and a capital value approximating £260,000. Three new lodges were opened during the year, at Whakatane, Kaitaia and Otakiri, in Bay of Plenty. There was a membership increase of 267. Benefits were paid during the year as follows: —In sick pay, £13,468 15/11; medical attendance and medicine, £9257 4/11; hospital fees, £4699 12/8; and , funeral allowances, £1817; total, £29,242 13/6. It may be mentioned that the foregoing payments recur annually in increasing amount. The Manchester Unity. Oddfellows has the distinction of being first in the field in New Zealand, the first lodge of the Order having been opened in Nelson in 1842, with a membership of eight. The Order now has 256 branches throughout the Dominion, with a membership of 33,870, and accumulated funds amounting to £1,693,962.