ANCIENT ORDER OF DRUIDS

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23942, 8 May 1943, Page 4

ANCIENT ORDER OF DRUIDS

CANTERBURY CONFERENCE Claims paid to doctors on behalf of members of the society in Christchurch and surrounding districts in the last year, totalled 9480, stated the annual report of the Grand Lodge of Canterbury, of the United and Ancient Order of Druids. Under a scheme initiated nine months ago, by the combined friendly societies, doctors now forwarded their claims to one representative of each society each month, the societies then receiving refunds on the amount paid out from the Department of Health, Forty-nine new members were admitted to the society during the year, and 80 were lost through deaths, stated the report. The net loss by secession was only 1.57 per cent, of the total membership. It was proposed to extend further the benefits to older members of the society, by providing for the payment of full benefit and management contributions of all members over 80 years of age. One in every six members of the society would benefit by this measure. Bros, H, L, Marker and A. L, Williams, grand president and secretary respectively, of the North Island Grand Lodge, and Bro. E. L. Birt, Grand Treasurer of the Grand Lodge of Otago and Southland, were visitors at the annual conference of the Canterbury Grand Lodge.

Officers elected for the coming year were:—Grand president. Bro. E. A. Lapslie; grand vice-president, Bro. P. H. Cotton; grand secretary, Bro. F. E. Talbot; grand treasurer, Bro. W. G. McKenzie: grand guardian, Bro. C. K, Williams; senior Grand Lodge trustee. Bro. G. A. Gyde; board of management. Bros. A. C. Vincent, H. E. Beckett, E. J. Jury. A. H. Jarvis, H. G. Forster. J. N. Havord, and W, G. Carpinter; judicial appeal committee, past grand presidents, Bros. H. E. Smith, R. J. Roberts, R. H. Parker, past district president. Bro. F. Legge. and past secretary Sister G. A. Donaldson.