M. U. I. O. O. F.

Clutha Leader, Volume XX, Issue 1026, 23 March 1894, Page 6

M. U. I. O. O. F.

The annual meeting of the Otago District M.U.1.0.0.F. was held in the Loyal Dalton Lodg«. room, Balclutha on Saturday last. The Prov. G.M. Bro. F. Calvert presided, and there was a good attendance of delegates from all the lodges in the district," the following being represented by members of the Loyal Dalton :— Tuapeka Pioneer (Bro J. Taylor), Waitahuna (Bro. J. Turnbull), Waipori (Bro. J. Hogg), Dunback (Bro. P. Mason.) Th« Alexandra Lodge*, Port Molyneux, was represented by Bro. J. Stevens, and Pride of Kaitangata, Bro. W. Pool and tylor Bro. Finn.

The Pro v. G.M. Bro. Cal vert before entering into the formal business in his opening address, in the name of the Loyal Dalton Lodge, said he would extend to them all a hearty welcome to Balclutha. Ifc was now five years since a district meeting was held in Balclutha and to the members of the Dalton Lodge he would say that those who had the pleasure of being present on that and previous occasions were very pleased indeed to be there again ; and those who were there for the first time would go away, he was sure, with many pleasant recollections of the visit, and with a hope that at no very distant date they would have an opportunity of renewing it- It afforded him much pleasure to note the flourishing condition o£ the Loyal Dal ton Lodge, in whose lodge room they were "then assembled. The number of members initiated in the Dalton Lodge during the past year— namely, 35 — spoke volumes for the zeal and influence and energy of its officers and mptfibers. It? present membership was 137, as against 74 on the occasion of their last visit. The lodge funds at that date amounted to slightly over LI2OO, while they now total overL2ooo. This lodge was undoubtedly a source of strength to the district, and he could only express the hope that it would continue to flourish in the future as it had in the past-. • There was another rising place in that district in which a branch of their order ought certainly to be established, and that was at Owaka. He ha i hoped to be able to report to that meeting that .this was an accomplished fact. Some, few months ago in company with Bros. Mason and Hogg, of the Dalton Lodge, he visited that place with object in view, and they disseminated as much information as they could with reference, to their order. It would be found, he believed, that their visit had done good, and he was not without hopes that before long they will have a branch of the Manchester Unity established there. "With regard

to the progress of the district as a whole they had made a net gain of 78 members. The receipts for the* year were L 10,558, while they dad disbursed for sick pay L 2461, and medical and medicine L 2,244. The total accumulated funds were L 63.417, an increase of L 3137 on the- previous year. On mortgage there was invested L 37.496, in the Post office Savings Bank L 3,388, and on fixed deposit in the various banks L 9227 7s 4d. Only L 958 was lying at current accounts, but in land and buildings they had the somewhat large sum of L 9,966, a form of investment he did not at all favor. He thought it would be "wise to undertake a valuation of the lodge securities. He was opposed to any distribution of surplus funds by. the various lodges, save on the basis of the surplus of the district as a whole. A question of very great importance to friendly societies had been brought somewhat prominently before the public during the last year, and that was as to the compulsory adoption of adequate scales of contribution by every registered friendly society. The desire to place friendly societies on a footing which it was supposed would ensure their solvency was of course a laudable one. Still it seemed to him that it was open to question whether vary much would be gained towards the desired end by the adoption of the schemp, while a fictitious value would be placed on the mere fact of registration. No scale of contributions would counterbalance imprudent and negligent management of lodge funds, and to the lay mind there did • not appear to be much force in objections to scales under which lodges had been enabled to build up splendid surplus funds. To permit interference in the management of their own affairs would be to strike a death-blow at friendly societies. They must at all hazai'ds maintain their independence. Ample provision was made In the. laws of the Manchester Unity, to compel lodges to make themselves financial. He would again draw their attention to the fact that they were now prepared to admit mpmbers of thaJiair sex to the benefits 1 of their order, and he hoped that they would not be the last in the field^n securing members.

The report was adopted

Bro. Milne moved — " That a conference of the valuers be held in Wellington to consider the preparation of tables of clearance surrender values and uniform contributions for the colony ; that this meeting recommends that if in any way practicable one table of clearance surrender values be prepared for the colony, and that if necessary this district bear the cost of the visit of P.O.S. Black, one of the valuers.'

.Bro. Brundell seconded the motion, which was carried.

Bro. Sligo moved — • That the district officers take steps to have prepared a table of surrender values applicable to this district, with the view of having the same embodied in our district rules ; and that the district secretary bo instructed to prepare such table, with or without other assistance.' Bro. Geddfs seconded the motion, which was agreed to. It was resolved — 'That the next purple lecture and past officers' degree meeting be held in the Loyal Valley Lodge I'oom.' I

A motion affirming the desirability of revising the district laws was agreed to, and a committee appointed, consisting of the district officers and P.P.G.M's Sligo and Milne, and P.G.s Munro, Cronin, Brundell, and Gow.

P.G. Cronin moved to the effect that the annual payment of 6d per member to the relief fund be discontinued, and that it be left to the discretion of each annual district meeting to decide what sum (if any) should be levied. — Lost.

P.G. Smith moved—' That the name of P.P.G.M. Oalvert be placed on the district merit board, and he receive a certificate to enable him to take the degree of P.P.G.M.'—Seconded by P G. Allan and carried.

A motion that the district should undertake the fidelity guarantee of all district and lodge officers required' to find security was referred to the district officers, if they consider it advisable, to prepare a scheme and rules in connection with such a fund and sub mifc same to next district meeting A motion by P.G. Hogg that all P.P.G.M.'s receive a medal was negatived on the score of expense" and the adoption of the report agreed to. The annual balance sheet in connection with the Friendly Societies' Gai'dens was read by the treasurer, Bro. Sligo. Tt showed a balance to credit of L 282.

Treasurer Bro. Robin moved that the levies to the district funeral and incidental funds be at the rate of Is per member for each fund. — Agreed to. It was resolved to hold the next district meeting in September next at Mosgiel.

The election of district officers resulted as follows :— Prov. G.M., Bro. J . H. Ch apm an ; Depu ty-Pro v. G. M, , Bro. J. A. Hopcraft ; Prov. 0.5., Bro. P. Black (re-elected); treasurer, Bro. J. Robin (re-elected) ; auditor, Bro. W. Ibbotson (re-elected). P.P.G.M. Sligo moved a vote to the officers and members of the Loyal Dalton Lodge, Bal,clutha, and spoke in eulogistic terms of the progress made during the past few years, and the energy and . efficiency displayed by its officers in making the lodge what it now was, *-•--.

The various officers were "obligated and installed into their several chairs, and having returned thanks for the honor conferred upon them, the meeting closed.