PROTESTANT ALLIANCE

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 76, 31 March 1922, Page 4

PROTESTANT ALLIANCE

NEW ZEALAND GRAND COUNCIL.

The New Zealand Grand Council of the Protestant Alliance Friendly Society of Australia held its animal session at the Oddfellows' Hall, Lnmbton-quay, this week, the Worthy Grand Master (Bro. W. G. Lumley) presiding ovor a good attendance of delegates from the various lodges throughout the Dominion. . The Mayor (Mr. R. A. Wrijjht. M.P.), in a brief address extended tho delegates a cordiali, welcome to the city. . The Grand Master stated" that the feeling which had oppressed him since the previous meeting was the smallness of their numbers as a society, and the inadequacy of their efforts, so far, to increase their membership. After over 40 years of activity in a Protestant country, they, aa a Protestant society, could not yet boast of one thousand members. This must make them feel that something was lacking in themselves or in their organisation, and he feared it showed a sad want of ens thusiasm on the park of the bulk of their mombers. Ho urged them to endeavour to fire the zoal of all members of their different lodges, remarking that if oath member would only introduce one caiuli-' date a year, it would give a great lift to the society. Ho congratulated them on the fact that the work of tho Order was still being pushed forward throughout thu Australian States. One noteworthy foature was that (heir Order, which had never previously been able to gain a footing in South Australia, had now some seven lodgoa there, as the result of organising work during the previous year, and the next Federal Council meeting would b aV e . the pleasure of erecting South Australia into a Grand Council. In conclusion, ho paid a high tribute to the work dono for the oxecutive and for the society by, the Grand Secretary (Bro. R. C. Proctor). The annual report and statement of funds, which showed the Order to be in a good financial position, were adopted. The balance to the credit of the funeral fund had increased from £11,899 to £12,----289 during the year, after paying £550 in funeral donations.

On the motion of the/ Grand Treasurer (Bro. J. B. Falconer), it was resolved that the funeral levy remain at Is 6d per quarter, but the incidental levy be raised from Is 3d to Is 4d per- quarter. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year:—Grand Master, Bro, W. Cr. Lumlsy; Deputy-Grand Master, Bro. H. D. Austin; Grand Secretary, Bro. R. C. Proctor; Grand Treasurer, Bro. J. B. Falconer; Grand Chaplain, Bro. R. Main; Grand Trustees. Bros. J. Harvey, F. Faatier, and J. M'lntyre. The scheme submitted by the Grand Executive, and approved by tho Registrar of Friendly Societies, was adopted after a. lengthy discussion.