Canterbury Foresters To Mark Centenary

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30230, 7 September 1963, Page 4

Canterbury Foresters To Mark Centenary

On September 7, 1863, a meeting of delegates in the Foresters' Hall. Christchurch, decided to establish the Canterbury United District Ancient Order of Foresters. The first district officers, all members of Court Star of Canterbury, were elected on November 9, 1863. They were P. C. R. Bro Allison, district chief ranger; C. R. Bro. Foley, district secretary; S. C. R. Bro Ranger, district treasurer, and Bro. Lucas, district sub-chief ranger. The centenary will be marked by a ball on September 20. a banquet on September 21, and a church parade on September 22.

There are now 12 courts and three juvenile courts in the united district Eleven years before the district was established. Court Star of Canterbury had been founded by Bro. Richard Woodford, past chief ranger of Court Island Foresters, Newport. Isle of Wight, and Bro. William Stokes. This was the first Foresters' court to be formed in New Zealand. The date was January 1, 1852. On June 6. 1859, Court Star of Canterbury held its meeting in the New Courthouse at the Foresters' Hall. Oxford terrace, for the first time,

Court Star of Canterbury on June 4. 1860. applied to the New South Wales district court of the order for power to establish a district court in Canterbury. It was three years before the district court was established. Hotels seemed popular places in which to open new courts of the order in the 1880's. On May 6. 1862. a new court was opened at the Papanui Hotel arid it was named Court Forresters’ Retreat.

On May 28 1863, a new court was opened at the house of Mr David Everest, the Exchange Hotel Kaiapoi. This court, named Court Albion, was founded by Richard Woodford and Joseph Fearaley Nettleton. In 1870 its members transferred to Court Star of Canterbury.

Band Formed Court Stair of Canterbury decided on February 16. 1863. that a Foresters’ Band be formed.

“The Press” of July 18, 1865. gave the membership in the districts as: Canterbury 262. Otago 236, Nelson 150, Wellington 57, Auckland 44.

The Provincial Council invited Foresters by letter to take part in the unveiling of the Godley statute in August 6, 1867. Foresters’ courts contributed when a subscription list was opened after a large fire at Lyttelton on November 7, 1870.

The New Zealand Foresters' Guarantee Association was instituted in 1886. The first U.F.S. dispensary in Christchurch was opened in Lichfield street in 1904. Govemors-general have been members of the order in New Zealand. Lord Islington

was initiated at Court Northlands, Wellington, in October, 1911. Viscount Jellicoe was initiated in Auckland on June I, 1921.

On February 14, 1917, the district was registered as an approved friendly society. Sister I. M. Pratt was elected district Beadle. She was the first sister to attain this office in Canterbury. Oldest Member

! The oldest Forester in th* Canterbury district is Mr G C. Jowers. He was 99 m June.

| Mr Jowers was bom on June 121, 1864, in Essex, at Little I Bentley. near Colchester, England. He went to school I for two years and left when jhe was seven to take a job scaring crows from crops. On | December 15. 1882, he left England on the clipper ship i Crusader for New Zealand I The trip took 94 days and I neither land nor another I «hip was seen until New | Zealand was sighted. The ship carried about 300 pas- ' sengers. Th* fare was £ 16. and for an assisted immigrant it was £5. Mr Jowers who arrived at Lyttelton on March 19, 1883. began work as a farmhand and later worked at the I Kaiapoi fellmongery. In 1913 he bought a farm ait West Melton. He stayed there until 1940, when he sold out and retired. He is in good health, hut his eyesight is failing. ' Mr Jowers was chief ranger of Court Woodford in I 1895. Member for 71 years Mr A. Hann, of Halswell, who is 91, joined Court Pride of Courtenay on January 5. 1892. He was bom in Dorset, England, and came to New Zealand with his parents in the sailing ship Rakaia. They Landed at Akaro* in December, 1875. Mr Hann attended the Greendale School and spent his early life in that district. He has lived st Halawell since 1899. District Officers

The present district officers are:—

District chief ranger, V. orlhy Brother J. L. Stead, dietniot sub-chtef ranger. W. Bro. A. H. Arthur; immediate past-district chief ranger. W. Bro. R. E. Cunninghame; district woodward, W. Bro. C. W. Trusaott; district Beadle. W. Bro. G. Glassy; district ritual supervisor, W Bro. J. R. Hide; district Treasurer, W. Bro. P. D. Haines; district secretary; W. Bro. A. V. Baker (1952-1963) Bro. I. M. Clothier (1963); district trustees, W. Bro. E. A. Fleetwood, W. Bro L. Neilson and W. Bro A. B. P. Large; district auditors. W. Bro. O. E. A Fairbrass. W. Bro. M. J. Anderson and W Bro. M. D. Gillespie.

Future of Bridge.—-Speak-ers at a Melbourne Trades Hall meeting last night said the city’s £4,000.000 King's bridge should be pulled down and rebuilt insteed of being repaired. Melbourne, September 6.