BENEFIT SOCIETY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 74, 30 March 1910, Page 2

BENEFIT SOCIETY.

HIBERNIANS IN CONFERENCE. TRIENNIAL MOVABLE MEETING. A PROSPEROUS YEAR. Members of the local branches of the HA.C.B.S. extended a welcome to the delegates attending the triennial movable meeting of the society in the GuildforHt«rrace Schoolroom laet night. Mr. J. W. Callaghan, president of the St. Patrick's branch, and chairman of the Reception Committee, occupied the chair, and a very pleasant and sociable evening was jtpent. The conference opened this morning in St. Patrick's Hall, Mr. P. J. Nerheny, D.P., presiding. About sixty delegates were present. In addressing the delegateß, the president said it was his prido and pleasure to welcome Ruch a large number of representatives, and to preside at su:h a distinguished gathering. The society, numerically and financially, was improving by leaps and bounds. Ho hoped the advance would be more rapid in the next six months than it had been in the past. He also spoke of tho good work which tho clergy were doing in connection with the society. It should be the endeavour to get all Catholic young men to join the society. The society stood not for the mutual benefit of ono another, but | for the spiritual benefit of one another. Twelve months hence he hoped thero would not be a Catholic parish in tho Dominion that had not its fcociety. (Applause.) Ho outlined the advantages which membership of the society conferred, and went on to give details of the membership. Tho membership at 30th Juno, 1909, totalled 2275 (2071 benefit members, and 204 honorary members). At 31st December the membership had increased to 2632 (2364 benefit and 268 honorary). The financial return showed that at the end of December last tho amount of sick fund in branches totalled £12,588, incidental fund £1699, benevolent fund £306, and funeral fund £7795. Last half year tho funeral claims paid amounted to £260, while the interest from tho investment of the funeral fund totalled £235. This was a very gratifying result. (Applause.) Tho guarantee fund stood at £306 ss. In conclusion he expressed the Rope that tho delegates' deliberations would be for tho benefit of the society. LOYALTY TO THE FAITH. On the motion of Mr. M. J. Shcahan it was decided to send the following message to the P"ope, through the Pannl Secretary of State :— "The Hibernian Catholic Benefit Society of New Zealand, District Board, assembled triennial meeting, Wellington, respectfully begs to tender to your Holiness its deepest sentiments of love, loyalty and devotion, at the same time earnestly and humbly invoking your apostolic benediction.— P. J. Nerheny, president." DISTRICT OFFICERS' REPORT. The district officers' report traversed some of the ground covered by the president. It was mentioned that the increase in tho funeral fund last year amounted to £356 11s 4d. The whole of the funeral fund hnd been lent, and a further sum of £144 I/a lOd borrowed from the general fund to make up the amount required for a loan. Up to last audit the amount lent was £7610. und of this sum £200 had since been paid otf. During the last half-year a further sum of £630 had been lent. The general fund maintained a strong position. The district officers desired to express their appreciation of tho assistance given by the Redemptorist and Mariftt orders towards increasing the membership of the society and otherwise recommending it. The report was adopted. The balance-sheet was also adopted after various members had congratulated the executive on the healthy state of the. finances. Bro. Flynn (Auckland) remarked that the total funds of the society stood at over £23,000. The Hibernian Society, he said, was moro cheaply managed than any other benefit society in the country. Bro. Beehan said that phenomenal progress had been made in the last six years, hut the membership was not as | largo as it should be. The society should have 12,000 members. (Applause.) Fathers Creagh and O'Coniiell briefly addressed the delegates, and stated they would do their best to forward the interests of tho society. The latter said that in working for Hibcrninnism the priests were also working for Catholicity. (Applause.) 1 Father Creagh particularly thanked tho Hibernians for the presentation of a stained-glass window for Mount St. Gerard Church. • ■ At this stage the Conference adjourned until 2.30 p.m.