ODDFELLOW CONFERENCE

Evening Post, Volume XCV, Issue 51, 28 February 1918, Page 2

ODDFELLOW CONFERENCE

The District Conference was resumed this morning, all delegates beii;.^ present. The business transacted l.vas as follows: — The following remit from Rose >f Valley Lodge was lost: "That a <listri ct conference of secretaries be held to die-cues matters in connection with !odg< bookkeeping." It was resolved: "That this district conference strongly advises membii:6 not to accept membership under the annuity scheme until the Biennial Movabh Committee decides the question." The following remit from Loyal Unity Lodge was carried unanimously: "That in the event of the .B.M.C. passing a rule to discontinue the advance uf sick pay to soldiers on active service, he district establish a special' fund, independent of the sick and funeral finds of lodges, to meet the obligation." It was further resolved : "Th; t this conference, having confirmed the {- inciple of providing- a fund to pay 6oldier members sick pay, a committee be set up to draw up the necessary rules to govern the special conditions so created. These rules to be given effect to by the District Management Committee, if .the stoppage of ■ soldier members' sick pay at the Biennial Movable Committee is carried." Bros. Loaeby, J. Smith, M. B. Tait, C. P. Brocklebank, A. J. Ibbotson were appointed a committee to draft rules and report to the meeting. The rules were adopted as follow: — (-1) A fund shall be established termed the Soldier Members' Sick Benefit Fund, by the payment of a contribution (which shall not be paid from the sick and funeral fund) by lodges at the rate of Is per quarter per member (excepting soldier members), for the purpose of paying the sick benefit of soldier members on active service. (2) Should the contribution of Is per quarter per member be found to be insufficient to meet the sick benefit claims, the, district management committees are empowered to make such further calls as may be deemed necessary to meet claims for sick pay. (3) The rules governing the payment of sick benefit shall also apply to thjsfund. Claims for sick benefit from thie fund shall be first made to' the lodge, and if in order and on the production of a medical certificate from the Defence Records Office, shall be paid by the lodge, and an application accompanied by the certificates shall bp made to the Provincial C.S. of the society for a refund of the amount, and on his being satisfied that the application is in, order shall be empowered to pay the claim. A refund of levies paid on membei's who have left the lodge shall be refunded to lodges. The agenda paper-for the B.M.C. to be held at Wellington in April was fully discussed, and delegates in most instances were given a free hand in the deliberation of the business to be brought forward. ' . .' ' Election of Arbitration Committee resulted :—Bros. A. J. Ibbotson, A. Per/ rin, W. I. Clark, A. C. Holms, J. F. O'Sullivan, P. S. Powell, W. H. Madeley, C. J. Burnett, A. Zambra, o>Daley, and J, H. Kraft. A bonus of £10 10s was granted to the C.E. of the Wellington District, Bro. Godber, for the extra work done during the war period. The election of officers resulted:—Provincial Grand Master, Brq. W. I. Clark; Deputy-Grand Master, Bro. C. J. De Ldcey; treasurer, Bro. T. S. Powell, P.P.G.M.; examining and relieving officer, Bro. W. H. Madeley, P.P.G.M.; auditors, Bro. E- C. Ludwig. P.P.G.M., and Bro. A. Perrin, P.P.G.M.; book examiner, Bro. A Perrin, P.P.G.M.; management committee, Bros. A. Zambra,. T. Palmer, W. H. Madeley, A. J. Ibbotson, A. Guise, and J. S. Wiley; B.M.C. delegates, Bros. G-. E. Godber, A. C. Holmes, A. J. Ibbotson, D. P. Loasby, and L. Smith. A vote of thanks was accorded Loyal Britannia Lodge for the manner, in which it had entertained delegates. It was resolved that the usual grant of £5 be voted to the Britannia Lodge. Ai hearty vote of thanks was accorded the press' for its co-operation in assisting Gddfellowship in publishing reports of their annual conferences. The Conference concluded with the singing of the National Anthem and "Auld Lang Syne."