ORDER OF DRUIDS

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 152, 24 March 1925, Page 7

ORDER OF DRUIDS

GRAND LODGE IN CONFERENCE. By Telegraph-—Press Association Te Kuiti, March 23. The conference of the Grand Lodge (North Island) of the United Ancient Order of Druids opened here this afternoon, Grand President Brother E. Tudehope (Napier) presiding. The annual report stated that membership of the Order was 14,387, a substantial advance upon the number indicated by the previous report two years ago. The sick and funeral. fund showed an increase of £24,335, and the special insurance fund an increase of £10,442. The main features of the balance-sheet, over assets, embody investments. Properties and mortgages totalled £346,571, including £291,817 to the credit of the sick and funeral fund, and £50,207 to the credit of the special insurance fund. The expenditure of the sick and funeial fund was £2449, and the special insurance benefit £2775. The Grand Lodge Supervisors of the Juvenile Lodges reported that the movement was making excellent progress. It was an innovation which time alone could prove,-but the experience gained since the opening of the first juvenile lodges in 1922 proved beyond doubt that the movement had justified its existence. There were 18 lodges, having 554 financial members.

The officers so far elected are as follow:— Grand President, Bro. L. Price (Petone) ; Grand Vice-President, Bro. T. H. Wilson (Auckland) ; Grand Treasurer, Bro. J. Laughton (Wellington) .