U.A.O.D.

Evening Star, Issue 14004, 10 March 1909, Page 2

U.A.O.D.

The twelfth annual mcctingr'«f tyfi District Grind Txidge of Druids of Otago and Southland will bo held at I/tvwTenco on Friday. The following report by the Board of Management will lie presented : The Board of Management respectfully l>eg to report having held eleven ordinary and three special meetings, besides several | committee- meetings, during the year just! closed. The attendance of officer and members was as follows:—D.G.P. Bro. Havmes. 12; D.G.V.P. Hro. Shelton, 15; D.G.S. Bro. Liruaeh, 15: D.G.T. llro. Kellott. 14; I).(J.U. Bro. Sunderland, 14; LP.D.G.P. Bro. Mik-he.ll, 4; P.D.P. Bro. Moss. 8; r.D.P. Bro. Mitchell, 2; P.ILP. Bm. Gibb, 6: I'.A. Bro. Harvey, 1; P.A. . Bro. Stock 12: r.D.P. Bro. Connor, 12. The Star of Tnapcka liOtlge wrote to the Board in reference to a clearance being presented to them without having the MX motrths' guaranty for sick pay inserted therein,, and asking for instructions. The Board instructed them to send back tho. clearance to tho lodge granting came, to inseTt the guarantee- in accordance with Law 30. Tho Board during the year found it necessary to obtain new funeral regalia, as the old ones were getting dilapidated ; they also obtained live collats lor tho Board "members, as it was considered necessary in the case of visiting lodges. Delegates from the different friendly societies mot mcmlicrs of the British Medical

Asis<x-iation in conference, to consider the • increase of fees and other matters, but so far nothing definite has eventuated. I'.A Bro. Harvey resigned his position on the Board at the May meeting, when P.D.P. Bro. Cormor was elected in his stead. Be Friendly Societies' Consolidation Bill : 'Hie Board appointed Bro. F. Jennings, of Wellington, parliamentary agent, to watch over ,£ our interest in reference to the Bill, he being associated with representatives of other societies, from whom later on he -severed his connection, not agreeing with them in reference to sections 15 and 16. Later on Parliament appointed a Select Committee to take evidence, D.G. Secretin- Bro. Lamacln attending on behalf of the District. Copies of evidence then taken ktve since been circulated amongst the lodges by tho Registrar. Tho. Hoard consider that the evidence disclcfies the neces-

sity for keen investigation. ;uul recommend that a special meeting of the (irand Ixwlgo be hclil in Duncdin in May to consider and discuss the evidence iriven he fore the Friendly Societies' Consolidation ttiii Committee, and to det'ide upon the t'utme course of action. 'The Hoard an- now pleased to staff that lodge chai;>'is and P.O. P. diplomas have been obtained. Tho amendment of laws was tinaliy leu'ioti-rcd in January, after a good deal of correspondence in reference to Law | 65. which the Hoard ""ill resubmit to the I in the form in which it appears | in the previous law bcok. During the year. : owing to changes ot secietaries, etc., tli- j D.l!. Secretary has had to do a good deal; of visiting to some of the lodges. For the y- >i just closed the Kxecutive and .Hoard ] of Management have paid visits to a major- j iiy the lodges, and have always been re•eived in a truly fraternal Druidie spirit. The circulars, n.s proposed by P.D.P. Hro. Pearson, re brothers removing from one district to anotiioi. have been obtained and sent out to the lodges. 'The Hoard received an invitation from the North Island : Irand ix:dg>>. and. in order to enccuTage ;he closest relations between the two governing bodico. it was resolved that the D.C.P.. Pro. H aymes, be appointed to represent this. .District at their biennial meeting, to be lield at Palmcrston North on the Bth. 3th, and 10th February. In accordance with instructions given at tho

last annual meeting, the Superannuation Committee have prepared a, separate report, which will come before you under thy heading of "Aged .Members' Contribution Fund." The Coininittee have had several schemes be tore them, two very interesting ones coming from the Oamarn brethren. Tho scheme the Committee finally decided to submit has their unanimous approval. In recognition of the great necessity for improved audits of lodge balance-sheets, which the- Registrar of Friendly Societies lias drawn attention to hi liis annual :e----iH>rts and otherwise, the Hoard recommend that 6teps be taken to obtain from lodges the names of all their qualified auditors, and after investigation of their qualifications by a special auditors* committee of three members, to le set up by the Hoard of Management at their first monthly meeting, a list of qualified auditors shall be prewired and forwarded to every lodge; the Itoard to have power to appoint any past officer to act on the Committee, and names of auditors to be added to the list when passed by the Committee. It is desirable that the first list, containing the names and the lodges to which they belong, be for-

wankvl to the ledges in time to permit of election'on the June quarterly niglits. The I'.oaid are of opinion that more active methods should be undertaken to add to the lodges in the Order. There are a ntimlier of places where lodges can suitably be established if the District Grand Led go directs the incoming Hoard to pursue a policy of progress, and by moderate expenditure extend our operations where it can safely be done. Tlie !).(!. Secretaty states:—The financial members now number 2.514, an increase of 132 for the year. This is a fallingoif of 113 as compared with the previous year, several lodges having gone hack considerably : 337 new members were initiated, and yet there is only an increase of 132. This should not be. The sick pay for the year arwounts. to £1,908. being equivalent to about 15s 2d per financial member. This its. a decrease on the previous year. The funeral claims are £360, an increase o f £4O; special levy, £650; total for deatn claims. £I,OOO. I may here state that there

are two deaths to levy for. which would increase the funds by about £l2O. Thirteen ! members and nine inembeis' wives died tiiiri 11 lc the year, l>emg an increase of three members and a, decrease of two wives. The interest of investments of Uiand I/odge for the year is £202, ;ui increase of £37. iAxlge funds now amount to £22,946, being an increase, of £2.291. Grand Lodge funds. £4.677 ; increase, £612. The accumulated fluids of District and lodges arc £27,625, as against £24,719. an increase of £2,903. Special lew to be collected, £l2O. The- IVoard, in concluding, are. gratified to be able to put forward ko .satisfactory a report of the steady progress being made \ by the lodges, and sincerely hope that j Ftrenuour. efforts will be. nnide to do better | than the year'just closed. The Hoard ha-ve appointed the following T)i.-7triet Presidents tor the ensuing term -viz.. Xo. 1 district, P. A. Bro. J. Robertson, Otago Lodge; No. 2 district. I'.A. Bro. Hudson, Royal Oak Lodge; Xo. ,3 district, I'.A. Bro. Newman, Gore Uidgo : Xo. 4 district, I'.A. Bio. H. (irocott, Endeavor Lodge; Xo. 5 dis-trict, P.A. P.ro. F. Robertson, .-tar of Tuapeka Lodce : Xo. 6 district. P.A. Kim. ,f. Moodir, "Rose of Palmerstou Lo4lge. Contributions.— It was revived at the last annual mect:ng that the Board of Management, draft resolutions dealing with the payments of members, etc., and they herewith submit alternative proposals considered bv the Board. 1. That the. sc.ile of contribution:? in Law 89 be out, and the following substituted :-—l6 and under 20, Is Id por wfiek : 20 and under 25. Is 2d per week ; 25 and under 30, la 3d pe.r week ; , 7 0 anil n-ndcr 35, Is 5d per week ; 35 and under 40. Is 8d pe>- week. 2. That members joining ihe order under 20 years of age be charged a weekly contribution of 1« per week until attaining the age of 20 years, when the contribution shall ho chargeable at Is 2d per week. Balance of scale a* above. Law 69 altered accordingly.

o. That in the event of either motion being carried, that it become retrospective for members under 20 years.

Ajjed Members' Contributions Fund.—

We. have the honor to submit, to the District Grand Lodge a scheme by which a fund can be established to provide for the payment of contributions of members over sixty-five years of age. Returns have been examined containing the present ages of our members, and tables consulted assisting us to ascertain the probable nmnbor of claimants upon such u fund, and the probable amount required to meet the cost. The approximate requirements for .the next ensuing ten have been cai-

culated. and in our judgment a. really good scheme of a very simple,_ direct, and easily^worked ■ nature is contained in the proposals. We had before us.the Canterbury District Grand Lodge' registered scheme, which provides for members over seventy years of age, and ha* been in force for over two years, with satisfactory results to date. * In our opinion it will be necessary to provide more revenue than the Canterbury scheme doc*, because of our giving benefits rive years sooner. We propose that a new fund shall'be created bv the District Grand Lodge, to he called the " Aged Members' Contributions Fund.'' ! and that every member shall contribute to j the fund according to a graduated reole commencing at 3d per quarter for member* under twenty-live years of ape. 4d per quarter for members under thirty years of age. and increasing in a similar tri,inner bv Id per quarter for every five additional years of age up to sixty-live. In order to properly embody in the rules the above provisions, it will be necessary to alter and add to certain laws.

Tho alterations required will be as follow : -Law 146 to be struck out and the following substituted: "On a member attaining the age of sixty-live years he shall be entitled to apply "to the secretary of his lodge to bo placed upon the Aged Members' Contributions Fund of tho District Grand and his payments into the Order shall cease. Ho shall be privileged to full membership and entitled to full benefits according to the rules." Law 39. first line, strike out "three" and insert

" four." Third line, after the word "fund." strike out "and a," and after the words "Funeral Fund" insert "and Aged Members' Contributions Fund." Law 33. page 19, lirst line, strike out the word "and." Second line, after the word

"levy." insert "and the Aged Members' Contributions Fund shall be for the purpose of paying to each lodge contributions for sick and funeral and medical benefits for members over sixty-live years of age." Law 39, page, 19, fourth last, line, after the word "quarter," insert "each lodge shall contribute from its Incidental Fund a further sum per quarter to the Aged Members' Contributions Fund, according to the scale contained in Law 89a." Law 39. third hist line, after word '-remitted,"! inseit "in addition io the foregoing contribution:; each financial member shall oay a levy per quarter to the Incidental Fund of his lodge to provide payment i f ac.;ed members' contributions, according I.- Law 89a." Law 92. second line, strike out the word "two," and insert "throe." Third line, strike out the word " and." Page 49, first line, after the word " fund." add the wotds "and Aged Members' Contributions Fund." Page 49, second line, strike out the word "two" and insert the word "three." Law 92. insert paragraph 6: " All moneys received on account of levies for the Aged .Members' Contributions Kvevy financial member shall contribute to this fund according to the following scale:—L'c.djr twenty-live years of age. 3d per quarter; twenty-five and under thirty, id: thirty and tinder thirty-tivc, | 5d ; thirty-rive and uuder forty, 6d : forty | and under forty-live, -7d ; forty-five and j under titty. 8;1 : fifty and under fifty-five. 9d : fifty-five and under sixty, lOd : sixtv | and under sixty-five. lid. In the event of the levies being insufficient in any year, the deficiency io he provided from the Lodge Incident:;! Fund, I pro rata, according to the number o; r.-.ein- ! bcrs.