ODDFELLOWSHIP

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 151, 23 March 1925, Page 8

ODDFELLOWSHIP

CONFERENCE CONCLUDES By Telegraph—Special Ooekbspondent. Whangarel, March 21. The Grand I # odge of the 1.0.0. F., K.Z., concluded its sessions to-day. A long discussion tooK place on a motion to adopt a Dominion medical scheme, under which a member would consult his own doctor and pay half the cost himself, as is done in a number of lodge’s at present. The proposal was finally withdrawn in order to allow further information to be obtained. The Grand Trustees were instructed to report on the possibility of devising a scheme to finance the purchase of homes by members, the order lending on mortgage repayable on easy terms. . Several Wellington district remits were carried during conference, aiifi the senior Wellington representative was appointed Grand Lodge Herald.

It was resolved that Clutha district be named East Otago, and the Dunedin district retain the name of South Otago. Past Grand Master Talbot (South Canterbury) gave notice of motion .for the conference of 1927 to make the Grand Secretary’s office permanent, instead of re-elective as at present. It was resolved that the salary of the Grand Secretary be increased to £5OO per annum. '

Among the re'eomniendations from a special finance committee which were approved were to increase the standard of the sick benefit to new members to £1 per week immediately on joining for fifty-two weeks, and ten shillings per week for the remainder of sickness period; to retain the extended funeral benefit of £250 and extended sick benefit of £2 per week; to increase the assessment to the Grand Lodge Management Fund from subordinate badges to niuepence up to fifty members, and fifteen pence for all over fifty members; that the Dominion Executive be recommended to submit an estimate of the proposed receipts and expenditure to each biennial conference in order to keep down the expenses to income; that the registrar and actuary be asked to submit the quinquetiial valuation within three months, and that any increase in the sick benefits allowable for present members from the surplus be permitted to operate immediately; and that Grand Masters’ expenses be not fixed to a definite amount.

The legislation passed was stated to be the most progressive since the Consolidation carried at Oaniaru twenty rears ago. Grand Officers were installed by Grand Master Hooper as follow : —Grand Master, Bro. D. R. Cooper (Auckland) ; Deputy-Grand Master, Bro. W. Simmons (Christchurch) ; Grand Warden, Bro. D. F. Smillie (Palmerston North) ; Grand Secretary, Bro. I' - . Wilkinson (Dunedin) ; Gnthd Treasurer, Bro. L. D. Ritchie (Dunedin Past) ; Grand Chaplain, J. McCullough (Christchurch) ; Grand Marshall, A. Guy (Auckland) ; Grand Conductor, J. Skinner (Dunedin) ; Grand 'Guardian, H. R. Neal {Southland) ; Grand Herald, G. F. Rudkin (Wellington) ; Dominion Supervisor, Bro. W. F. Booke (Auckland) was reappointed for a further term of two ■wuxfc.