ODDFELLOWS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 433, 16 February 1909, Page 7

ODDFELLOWS.

Manchester unity, wellington district, • ■■■..; -;■ ,; ANNUAL-MEETING. :- ,v ;' The annual meeting of the Independent Order of-'Oddfellows/ Manchester Unity,. Wellington district, was opened in the Dominion Hall, Masfcerton,-. yesterday. Present—The Prov.'G.M.; Bro. J. IT.: O'Sullivan'; D.P.G.M.', Bro. CD. Robertson; Prov. C.5.,» Bro. J. Ker4 6haw; and'the following-delegates:— '."■ - Britannia Lodge: Bros. G. E. Gbdber, A. Perrin, W. iladeley, T., G.- Osborne,' ThosV Palmer, H. Osborne/ _■ ■; ■".■'■ \ .>. -.-' ■ Antipodean Lodge: Bros. J. Snuth.J. Ayery, E.,C.Ludwig,. A. Gnise, : H. J. Dormer. ■ Ruso of Sharon'Lodge: Bro. A. Palmer. Rose of the .Valley: Lodge: Bros. E; Hobman and A.:H. .Hall.. ' ,; : ' ' .-■-'■■ •J St. Georgo Lodge: Bro. J. Pearce. ■Unity lodge: Bros. P. B. Merlet and C. J. Kent-Johnston, r i / .- ' ' . .'■ - Combination Lodge: Bro. , R. Bould. : '■ - ■ Mastorton Lodge:.Bros; P. Smith, E.-M'Cord, E. Rose, J. B. Campbell; and W.C.iPerry.'. ', Heart of Oak'Lodge:-Bro. T. Sparks.: : Greytowri Lodge:.; Bro. D. P. Loasby. : PetoneJiOdget Bros. H. E. Fleet and' J.- 1. Haigh. !-: ■..' - - . ••; ,-■ -~•' , . ;: ■;. ".'' ' '■ Eketahuna' Lodge: Bro. J.. Carter. - . : . • Martinborough Lodge: Bro. M. M'Lennan. ) jltangatainoka Lodge;.Bro.'F.G. Milne.- ■'■ ! Victoria Diamond Lodge: Bro. G. Astridge. i Newtown Lodge: Bros. C. B. Gaby and A. J.. Ibb6teon:'..-.'- ■'-.■•■. .■■■' ..''■■ ,; -.:, ■ :■■ , ; Sister Wallis Lodge: Bro. L. A. Walker.- : - ; Kilbirnie Lodge': Sir.Kenneth Douglas; f-' ; Bro, C. -Perry, E.C.S. totho Masterton Lodge, welcomed the brothers present, and apologised for.the absence, of : . the .Mayor, who , intended to address a few,.words of welcome/but was called away at the last moment. He expressed regret at the loss of the Penguin.; ",-.'■■ . v : P.P.G.M. Bro. J.- Smitli then' moved that'a vote of sympathy: be aocorded to -the -relatives of those who were lost in the wreck' of the Pcrigriiii. .Hβ hoped the meeting would' do something practical for those who ihad suffered. P.P.G.Af., Biro. .Pearce seconded .'the. motion, wflich was unanimously.carried, withVmembers' standing. •: .1 ,;..''■'' ; ■■'* . -. . :• .■ ■

■■:■. . •■ ';'.,'.: Prov.: G.M.'s Address.; - ; -' :^-.: ; The. Prov. (J.Sl.'s address was then Tead as follows:— ' ■ '. : ■'.■.' ■ ■ ■■■;.-.- . ■ . .-.;.-'.; : .- ,"1 fcelproud of the I am' privileged to preside at. this ■ our annual meetingof the Wellingtondistrict.innd express pleasure of :being -able to; extend to'each of you.;a' hearty and cordial'welcorae, more particularly as I was.unfortunate in f being prevented from attending .the meeting last year,: at which I was elected to the all-important position'of Prov. Grand Master, and for whicli/at this stage I desire to, thank most -sincerely those 1 deputies who were, present, on that' occasion. Eleven years ;have elapsed since a Sistrict meeting was held in tho- Loyal Masterton: Lodge, and it .is rpleasing to ''note the-progress "the lodge has made during tho interyal/despite the: ?i ,™ a ti P«or .to, 1898,' the deputies, (then oalled delegates) were pessimistic; inasmuch as some :deelired <that the llas.tertpn Lodge would not bo in existence to.receiy'e the.distnct;meet■lhg. -1 am afraid, it ;was not . known • what material its members' were made of, iot. from that day the lodge has "been, steadily, -grow,ing, in some years very rapidly,--breaking records, and in-others not ;'quite so good. At the recent quinquennial valuation a surplus : of.' jE'225 was declared, a position might' be proud, of. One matter which is exercising the minds of our-brethreiiin Great .tho.probablo introduction,of a national insurance scheme ;by. : .the Government of that country, which is on. all fours with.-. ■ Annuities..Bill which it ; was proposed;should become law in this Dominions Now this is something ;which-, requires ; to. .-be . carefully watched, and should not' bo' lost sight of' even by this.district,.for jf it interferes'with, or ailects.in any way, our independence; and , to it does ■ not - only. the. Manchester. Imity, but, every other' friendly 'society—then it certainly is "detrimental to the legitimate progress of our, society, and shttuld not'be tolerated, but every .effort should, be , made,;;everyinfluence, and pressure brought to. bear, to "pre-: vent any such' Scheme becoming law.- The reversg cnn.be said,of-,the'proposed new Friendly Societies; Act, and; our aid should: be enlisted in. procuring its inclusion in the; statute-book, of. our Dominion.': In advocating this'l: would, like it placed, qn.;record; thafr our society; does' it, with no; sense of antagonism, to any other I particular society, as 'somb people' are inclined to beheve, for -wo .cannot; do ought else but recognise the good work, idbjno; by ./them. ? At tho same time.'.wo are anxious to safeguard ..the interests -of '.every person' -who wish to join a. friendly society entering iuto something that ,:in-, • after - ; years would prove unsound. ThoProv. Deputy-G.M.-.and myself .have visited-the. majority ;of-lodges in. the district, more particularly, those iii'the Wairara'pa, and. the greatest courtesy-'and--kindness was extended to us'-'wherovor we. had- fortune to ; bo ..prissoht, for which I wish'to express thanks, anl though in some'places there was a lack, of numbers it was compensated by the enthusiasm .-shown. :. The': progress of the: district calls for. more alertness. Though Mt has been slow, and sure, a feature', which-has' been, consistently: conspicuous 'in. tho order for years past, still it :should . boi; better,.:"and.. if behoves ns to bo more .persevering, v .;.'.' ..-- ,- There .is' ono branch- of Oddfellowship. which has boon sadly neglected, and to- which I wish: to call; your serious, attention; with the objeofc of inspiring,' or rather, enlisting, your interest. I look forward.to a great revival.in this direction; that is , our juvenile lodges.. Negligence nand lack of interest have been the causes to a : great extent .for allowing'such :a 'splendid .adjunct to the. various lodges to dwindle away almost to extinction, for we have now'only one juvenile lodge:,to our credit; in this district, and. that-one was in such/a .deplorable statenumerically that at the .beginning, of last yoar serious thought was given to its secession,'"but , tho better; policy p'rovailed, arid a new' lease of life Was given, and it .now shows evdry indication of flourishing.." Now auxiliaries of 'this kind are required, "and .should be established wherever possible, for .they'' would then not •only be grand rcqruitihg grounds for our adiilt: lodges, but would imbue a knowledge and taste for Oddfellowship in the younger generation,' winch is most, desirable.' Among, the matters placed on the order paper for your consideration is that, of; a general insurance: scheme, whereby a member may;' increase his -death benefit .should, he. 1 so;desire'. Something of. this kind has been agitating tho minds of member's within the last two or three years,, but with no .definite result.; However tlij'opportunity has ■now arrived for its adoption if thought by deputies to meet their.requirements. There is an alternativo-I-would,suggest for your consideration: should tho former scheme noti-meet,with your approval—or it. might, be token in conjunotion; that is. the establishing of a superanniidtion fnnd, 4 ;which; would'enable.a member to make provision to insure weekly payments, during lifetime- after having, reabhed: a; certain age. It would.be advisable .to;forward on this matter for. consideration, to the-New Zealand Branch,:.even ifth'is district did not feel disposed to shoulder the burden. matter (which has been .omitted from; the District Management Committee's report) is one of grave importance, ■ and should also: claim your attention, for it •; affect every lodge whose funds are invested on -mortgage. It should be necessary when auditing thoi boots at tho end of the year that the auditors'should be in possession- of an acknowledgement from the .'mortgagor setting out tho amount of his indebtedness, which should correspond with the amount appearing in the book. In: 1906,. when I- ; was ono of tho district auditors, a mortgagor's statement 'form-was introduced in/-connection 'with the district investments, and '.it. was recommended from the D.M.C., at the annual i meeting of 1907, that this form should be-adopted in every, lodge/ Now! hope.the adoption, will be made compulsory, as. a safeguard against the misappropriation-of mortgage investments, for we find in recent'numbers of the, "Oddfellows' Magazine" attention'; has '.be«n drairn to the cases of embezzlement occurring through insufficient precautions being.taken with:; those investments,, and : it., was proposed-! that there should; be further questions added to Hie auditors'. forms, _ as follow—{1) Have you seen the acknowledgments from borrowers of the amount' owing by :thera on. December 31 Inst? ..(2) Have you totalled the amounts of investments appearing in the bnoks and balance-sheet? (3)-If.iiot,. set out in detail on this form-tho difference between the acknowledgments produced, to .you■: and the amount appearing in the b'alsnce-sheet. I would" strongly.recommend that this set of questions (or similar, ones) hs adopted in each of the lodges haring funds invested on mortpriige, and also ttiaf, it bo. a recommendation from this nieetinsr'that..this-'form.should be adopted by the Movable Committee, and the above questions bo included in tho auditors' form in tho General Rules.' I -wish'., to thank the Prov. D.G.M.. and the- Management Committee for their forbearance and assistance during my term of office. It is almost superfluous for me to add my appreciation of the Prpv. C.S. (Bro. J. Kershaw).. He is -relinquishing the office of. Prov. C.S. to this district,, and the expressions of regret' in which.l- jojn are unanimous.', I hope the whole business'as placed.beforo you will be approached and dispussed in a fair and broad-minded manner, and whatever may. be'determined upon will be :in the •bestinterests of: the district and order.'.'■..,_ A committee was sat up to consider: the Prnv. G.M.'s address and: formulate 'a' system for oarrying out his suggestions. '..>.; ■-... ■;■■ . Management Committee's Report. . 'The Management "■ Committee's/ report ;as token was ■ received. - It .referred at the, outset

to tho numerical and financial, position of theorder as a whole as at December 31, 1907. There • - ■ .were admitted 'into the order in Great; Britain' ■ ' aud Ireland 35,628 merabers, the- increase ia • ■:'.■"': membership in the colonial and foreign- 1 dis« .' '":. tridts■' was ;■ 2722, ' there were. 9824 deatljs in -'.'; ':'■ ■ Great: Britain, leaving the. total membership -.-j- '-'.'.'.o' at 1,029,975. The directors in theirreport say :'■•.-. ;"'•■:■-". It is satisfactory to note, that the returns '... show a' decided iuiprovemontj not only is there ; . a substantial increase 'of.-membership'(3727), :: -f: '■: bnt-there'i,is. also a dedreasein secessions,. the/ •'.-.:■ number being 24,799, this is less than any. of . ' '■'■_■ the .last seven ydars, and the percentage, lower.. than, (iny' year since '• 1877.. "The sum of '■■ .'■■"-' JJ838.7C5 was paid as sick-benefits, and iilßs,Sll - - ';■ as.funeral benefits, leaving the total funds at ■-.-':-. '"•;■ wei3.370.2G9.../The. societj' in..the..Dominion :! ha9 . ; ' ' been making.steady progress, as shown by. the. / ; / report of the Registrar of the Friendly.Societies "-;■ "[-:.■ "Department; for.; the'year ended December 31, - A--1807, the total number of members being 21,049, an increase- 0f;782, !the total : funds are J5«,924, ; :; v ,..-' being: an.increase of .£28,640. >;Tlie Biennial .." . Movable Committee was'held in Hew Plymouth, ■>. on , April 29 last, when several-important mat.;' .):; lers were dealt wjth. ;An amendinenf was made '•'. to'the General Rules, providing that in places . : where there is no .female lodge within a dis-\ ~ tance of, three■ miles females may (with- the ■ ': '"■'■- consent of the district) be'admitted and become "■.".' members of the male.lodges. Referring to the "'■ question; of consolidation, we. are of opinion'■■'■■': '■■'■ that the time, is opportune for establishing ■ ■'.- a Central or society benefit-fund, this'doos not' ; ' necessarily mean;central!sing the > funds, or tak- ; . ' ing awaj- from :the lodges and .districts : the ' '-■'■■ control of their funds, but.ifdoes mean spread- : - ■ ing the liabilities •■over. the. whole of the so--: ■'."■■' ciety, and thusdo away with the necessityof =", ■-■:■■'. clearances, as the member would. continue to ; '■' pay .thesame contribution -and receive the same benefitsino matter.which lodge in the KewZea. - : '." land.Branch he may associate himself with.- It- ,V was resolved-to again refer the s"ociety ; iiisnr- r ' ance.:scheme;tb the district; and that- a -table" be prepared-extended to age 65, this,has been ■.'■:■■-}■" done and provision- made for surrender values,"'--' ■ this .table is before-.you 'and. has' been:■ cir- : < ' culated to,all the lodges, and' as it provides an'-'-'' : . wsurance-or extra furieraj -benefit from £2b to;: ■■■■ : : : . iEIOO ata rate of contribution much, more rea-'" sonable,than can be'obtained elsewhere, it is -■ ' hoped that this will be approved and.that' thia ~■'■'■ ■<■" district .will give its suppori- to the scheme ? ! ' ■ The.valuation of the-district has:heen made .-- a n s - at Dcceinber.3l,',l9o6, and shows a.surpln's of :o< : \ ' The .valuer,; is his-report says: "Speak--. " mg. generally -it can .he-said the dfstrjet-is in • ■ an exceptionally fine-position.- It is gratifying '■■ to find, that , so. few lodges are leftamong:the : :' ranks of the partially solvent,.and.a satisfac- ; ~< ■■■' tory feature is the way in...which the interest■'■■"■' .'■ returns are. tending to show an improveinent in : -.-' some. of those- lodges which- had ■ been backward ■ in this respect. ,I,have been impressed- with ■' ' the evidence of careful and wise control in sevo-' ■ -| ral directions on the part of tke district execii-'•'■?: tive. : .-. The . excellent scale which •■ is being ' ; - charged to -new entrants- is an additional * .'■ guarantee of soundness." ' .■•:■...-. '■'■■■• •-"'. ';•':-. ...- ; : . ; ; The guestion : of medical.attendance.baa been - " exercising the minds ; of the executive,: as^well—: J 3 the offlcers.of lodges, not only in this district'.' but _ thrpughoht the large 'centres/ and we are •■■'<'' -- : hoping that result of ths. recent .'confer-.- " : ence of medical njen-and-friendly, society dele--: : >'-' gates some;amicable Arrangement: will be come-■'; ■■?•'' to that.;will be satisfactory, toboth parties. , i>: '- 7 '' : .We notice .by-the report of the movable com--" '- nuttee, in England, reference is ,made: to the ■ '•"•'■■■■: centenary- of Jthe. order, iwhich takes place in-■' -,C: 1910, and. although' it niay 'appear somewhat;. ' early, to refer : tbthis matter, we are'-of opinion that : wo ought to take steps to fittingly ceh>. •'■ teate so important an event... , ■ ■'■'• .-■ ■' "Vv' was'expected that thfi.-Friendly.Societies''' Bill would iave been dealt', with \ during -the ..: Sast. ;sessidn". of '..Parliament. As'you aro'iib ■"■.'■ ■'-'■ oubt aware,- the. provisions 'of the;-'Bill- were very-carefully-considered by tne-Parliamen-'.: - : • tary.:agents"of ; the sevej-al' societies'.who-'mefc : - , in Wellin»ton.••':This.committee considered it to '-.'■.■' be ; their first>duty to see that the resolutions . ■,■'■". of the. 1908 conference had been embodied in the ': ;-.-.:. Bill, and it was found, that in the main "they ,■ v "- had .been- so; there was, .however,xa , very rim-. ;: Vv-' portant alteration, ia Section. 15' relating ,to ' 1., adequate, contribution! .This ■. will; permit,ex-' b'C-' isting/sooieties ■'to-!.continue to' open -■■Tiranches -• J' ■- ?' that, could. admit members at the iijme. rate of ' contributions provided- by the' society," although .■■',:'.. ;:: .. such■ contributions- might not- for'.",;.--.':': ' the , ienefit: offered. :':-::: ;; : ?^ : ; -,"--.:■-'■■.'

. The agents-appeared , before the Parliamentary. Committee -in. support' of theirrrecommendations, . and the ■■ evidence of the Registrar of Friendly Sdoiatiesi and the .-actuary of the. department is. of :such a, character; as should deter'any, sooiety desirous of-doing justice td its, -members; from .adopting ..the.: equal levy, system "for increased-.benefits. ~:■: .- ".- .

.-. With reference , to our' bwnVdistrict the pro-.. gress!has been steady; andalthough the numeri- ■ cal increase has'.not been as great as we could have desired,- the- financial -stability of the 'dis-,'.-trict is such as ,we have great reason to ')ie ■ ttankful.:^'u- : . -;'!■ -. - :':. vV'' : . '■ It. is. -with. sincere Tegret .that we have to 'record therproposed, retirement of our esteemed 'provincial' corresponding secretary, whbhas de--cided 'upon the completion;'of. twenty years'; service; in June to resign the office he has' so '■ long ; and : faithfully held bpthto. the satisfaction!-: qf'the.district and order,; :-.■':■; ■ ; : "' .'■ In view of -the :prbposed.;retirement of Bro. Kershaw. ; from ..th'e ',office.:of /Prov. ■• C.S.; v tha. committee /resolved; to; invite nominations,; and to; recommend, the district committee to provide that, the Prbv.G.S. elect, be installed;,in office in, July,il9o9; V;V\V■';.'.'V' ''■■'.i' ■ .'Numerical.returns:—Number "f meinV ,- *-•'."*>- . ; uaryr; 1;'-1908, ■ 20GS; number of members '.admitted -by initiation, 158; number "of- members' admitted' by clearance! 7;. number of members reinstated, 2; total,-2235..: Left by. arrears;'SS; -. left by clearance, 3; resigned, 7; diedj'lO; total December 31; 1908, 2127.- ;v ■■', V:;,.-: --' .-■ : P.P.6:M. Bro.'vLoasbr" moved that; this dis- , trict call' attention of the movable.committee\ to the anomaly in .the/amendment 'to- General.,, Etale 90rSection. ; Alr as/passed by last movable. committee, m> provisioa being made for varied. benefits in- the respective districts. ■'.';■ . :■,;-.. ■.;'. Bro. P. P.. G., M.\ Pearce seconded the; motion, 1 : which was,carried; ■ •'" ; ■'. ;■;';:'; - ;v ,';

' The consolidation: of the funeral funds was. discussed, -and a resolution -passed recommend'ing the- board I 'of directors .'to consider, .this question.'. .The'.-resolution' is:v'.'Tliat this district" meeting "is" favourable; to' the,'establishf ing of : a'central sick and funeral fund>',and r&commend the': G.'ll/'atd;;board -of- direotors'-td bring in ,i scheme, of a central sick and funeral fund."- :.It: was resolved that the.'question of celebrating, the -centenary of; Oddfellowship be left with;'tho district:;ofEcers. "'.''." :•;,-"■ ■'.:-—.' ■; kit was also resolved that.the committee:_set up to create a .uniform';system;of bookkeeping remain in-office and report.at next meeting. • .