PROTESTANT ALLIANCE

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 467, 27 March 1909, Page 7

PROTESTANT ALLIANCE

■' « <> . ANNUAL MEETING IN. WELLINGTON. The Grand Council of New Zealand of the Protestant Allianco Friendly Society of Australasia concluded yesterday in tlio Y.M.C.-V. Kooins a most successful two-days' session, forming tho twenty-eighth annual' meeting of the. society. W.G.M. Bro. 11. A. Scnbrouk presided, and there wcro present representatives irom the Iliumes, Auckland, Mount Eden, Napier, Hastings; Wellington, Christchurch, Oamaru, North-East Valley, Dunedin, and Green Island.

■ 'J. ho financial report for the past year indicated a satisfactory 'advance on previous records, both in.the' Grand Council and subordinate lodgo funds. Tho funeral fund account has been drawn on lo the amount .of .£375 to which was added J2240 from a special fund, waking a total disbursement for funeral donations of iCGIS. At the present timo tho funeral funds, invested in freehold security, amount to and they have yielded in interest from 18s. Id. This fund has been increased from other sources by ,£351 17s. 9d., making a total income for the year of ,£630 15s. lud., which brings the credit balance up to .£7IBB 9s. Gd. Tho subordinate lodges havo paid in . «iefc .allowance .411133 os. 7d., and at tho samo timo increased their funds by .£399 2s: ' Cd. Tho lodges'have-'secured J2351 17s. sd. from invested funds, which shows moro careful investment by the officers. Tho lodges now havo to their credit JJ8193 18s. 5d., which, added to the credit balance of the other funds under tho Grand Council, gives the societv in this Dominion a total credit balance of .£16,292 19s. Bd. Tho society's operations are, restricted'to the Australian States and New Zealand, and ia has a membership of 23,250, with accumulated funds amounting to £217.234 7s. 9d.

A largo, amount of business was transacted during the session, including various amendments to tho rules. Tho question of amalgamating the sick funds was considered, with tho result that tho principle was confirmed, and a representative committeo from all lodges was set up to framo rules governing tho amalgamation. These rules will be placed before tho next' session of tho Grand Council,'to bo held at'Christchureh in 191). With regard to tho society's special fund to augment the usual funeral donation by .£2O, it was decided to permit of this amount being paid to the friends of a deceased member, without the usual condition that. 12.months must havo passed since his initiation. There will be no timo restriction so far as (his fund is concerned.

.' Fraternal greetings and best wishes for a successful session were received from tho Wellington district, New Zealand Banner, 1.0.0.1'., M.U., and a suitablo reply was ordered to bo sent. Tho election of officers resulted as follow:—J. Stevens, W.G.M.; n. H. Seabrook, P.W.G.M.; J. Middleton, D.G.M.; J. M. Tregaskis, G.S.; R. O. Burns. G.T.; —. Arnold. Chaplain; —. Frith, —. Hill, and l>. Kobert, P.Jl.'s Kxcc. C's.; J. C. lladeley and J, Allen, auditors; G. Dutton, W. May, and L. Bailey, G. Trustees.