LODGE MEETINGS

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 107, 7 May 1923, Page 5

LODGE MEETINGS

The 104 th anniversary of the foundation of-their Order was celebrated by local members of the Independent Order of Oddfellows at a ceremonial service held in the Southern Cross Lodgeroom, Courtenay place, on ,29th April. All the local 1.0i0.F. male, Rebekah, and juvenile lodges were represented. The. prescribed ritual was delivered by the D.D.G.M. and D.M. designate (Bros: F. N. Lee, P.G., and H. A. P Watson, P.G.). Bro. Rev. D. Catchpole officiated as chaplain, and made an appropriate 1 address on the objects and scops of Oddfellowship. The Order was established in 1819 at Baltimore, U.S.A., by five Englishmen, under charter from the Duke of York's Lodge, Preston, England. In 1821, connection with the parent society, tne M.U.0.0.F., was severed. In the interim the Independent Order has greatly outgrown the parent society, and' now hag some two and' a half million members, its ritual being worded in no less than fourteen different- languages. The original New Zealand branches were established in Otago under jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Victoria, Pioneer Lodge No. 1, and Leith Lodge No. 4, Dunedin, dating from 1862 and 1867 respectively. The oldest branch in Wellington, Southern Cross Lodge, No. 24, was chartered in 1877. In due course a Grand Lodge, with headquarters at Dunedin, was created, subordinate to the Grand Lodge of Australasia, having jurisdiction throughout the Dominion. At 31st December, 1921, Dominiori membership exceeded. 9000, and during 1922 was increased by a thousand. The report of tho Registrar of Friendly Societies for 1922 shows that at 31st December, 1921, the consolidated sick and funeral fund totalled £178,090, while the Order is •assessed as having the highly satisfactory surplus over contingencies of £4 16s per member. .

Cleveland Lodge, No. 18, 1.0.0. F., N.Z., held its' fortnightly meeting on Wednesday evening at Waldie's Hall, Brooklyn, Bro H. A. P. Watson presiding. There was a large attendance of members and visiting brethren. After dealing with accounts, sick pay, correspondence, etc., election and initiation of a member, and nomination of two others, members and visitors engaged in a friendly bout at "500."

Zealandia. Lodge, No. 49, 1.0.0. F., N.Z., met at St., Thomas' Hall, Newtown, on Thursday , evening, Bro. A. Dawkins, N.G., presiding. There was a large attendance of members and visiting brethren. In addition to disposing of quarterly accounts, , correspondence, etc.. two candidates were electee! and initiated, and three others were nominated. Among the visitors was Bro. W. F. Crooke, P.G., Dominion Supervisor of the Order, who had arrived from the North, en route, with other Grand!, Lodge officers, to Sydney to attend the Australasion 1.0.0. F. Conference. ' '