ODDFELLOWS MEET

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21123, 26 March 1934, Page 6

ODDFELLOWS MEET

CONFERENCE OF ASHBL'RTON | • DISTRICT LODGES j The iifty-nintii annual conference of tho Ashburton District Manchester Unity, Independent Order of Oddfellows, was held on Saturday evening,; when the District Grand Master «Bro. : C. M. Innes) presided. In addition j to 22 delegates representing lhe eight lodges m the district, there were present: Deputy-District Grand Master Ih-o .1. England, I.P.D.G.M. Bro. H. D. Gunn, District Secretary Bro. A. C. Hardv. District Treasurer Bro. F. ; W. Watt, Trustees Bros. F. Prilchar-1 j and W. T. Soal. Between 40 and 50 j visitors were present, including dis- <. trict grand master of North Canter- , bury i Bro. F. Coles> and three mem-j beis of the Loyal Volunteer Lodge I iChristcliurch i. | Bro. Coles was received with the i honours of the order. In welcoming ' him, Bro. Innes remarked that it was the first time they had been honoured] by the presence of the head of the i North Canterbury district. In his address to the con feu:-nee. ; Bro. Lines said that the more experienced members of lodges sliou! I assist \ the younger officers with advice and i constructive criticism. He referred to : the death of Fust Provincial Grand j Muster (Bro. T. Morgan), whose work for the institution, he said, was in-1 spired and was a pattern for all. j The report of the district manage- ' : nient conimittee said that in view of! the economic conditions during tiie! year it was giatdying that despite a, severe purging ot the rolls, th.? inembeislnp of ihe district had increased! by eight, being 1091 males and 92 1 females. The satisfactory result was] uue to additions to lhe Methven Lodge, members of which were to be congratulated. The financial position j of the district continued to improve.! The consolidated sick and funeral ! fund wa x.li.a-tO. an increase ,if : AHV.!. Sick pay amounted to £127.' I..si yeai eon,pared with .Cllll.i UK previous \ear. During the year two, purple degree lectures were given, i With the object of stimulating interest '. throughout the district it had been' decided to hoid one of the lectures; each year m a country lodge This 1 year Methven was the sclecte 1 centre' ami the fact thai no fewer than 12 ; candidates took the degree proved that ■ the alteration was justified. Eleven! candidates also took the degree at Tin- ; wald. | The balunce-shcet .showed that the various funds were in credit as follows:—Consolidated sick and funeral, £2:U4I); management, £2l; distress, £183; Rakaia trust, £104; management trust. £1420; distress No. 2 £504. The assets totalled £25,584, of which £16,075 was invested on first mortgage on freehold and £B4OO in lucal body debentures, Election of Oilicers i Oilicers were elected as follows-—j district grand master, Bro. J. A England; deputy-district grand master Bro. J. D. Hector Donaldson; district I secretary, Bro. A. C. Hardy; district j treasurer, Bro. F. W. Watt; management committee. Bros. F. A. Anderson j 'Methven), G. !•',. B!ee iWatcrtoin, W. I S. Brady iTitiwaldi. E. H. Cliikis j i Ashburutii), W. B. Frampton (Hinds) D. S. Glassc.v (Mavfieldh H C Pat-1 terson (W'aterton), E. F. Perrin (Pion-i eer), auditors and book examiners ! Bros G. Currie, S. Culvcrhouse, and' H. D. Gunn: relieving officer. Bro C I R. Johnston. Considerable discussion took place! on a remit by the Rakaia Lodge i •J hat in the opinion of this confer-! ence, lodges may have the option of! asking sister lodges to visit on the 1 occasion of the official visit of the' district oilicers." i Tiie principle involved was whether I lhe best interests of the district could i be served by holding large gatherings' representative of several lodges or iu-j dividual lodges having the opportunity' oi free and open discussions on mat'- '■■ lei's ot purely domestic concern : An amendment uas carried that m the opinion of the conference dele-! gates had full cenlidenre in the action! ' f the district officers m carrving out ' their visit and were prepared tu !ca '-, Hie arrangements u, the hands of 'lh" district oi/icers. U was agreed that the holding of the next conference, which would ]„■ in th« diamond jubilee vear u, tin nlternooi, with celebrations in the evening, to be left to the management I commiuee after consulting the lodges I lhe installation of lhe newiy-electe i I officers was carried out by Past Mas- f tei Bro. t. V. watt assisted bv Pa.-t Master Bro. F. Pritchard and Past i District Grand Master Bro. \V. T Soil ; Bro. _ Watt presented retiring 1)1-..' triei Grand Masler Bro. Innes with the past district grand master's jewel