THE MANCHESTER UNITY.

Evening Star, Issue 14997, 3 October 1912, Page 2

THE MANCHESTER UNITY.

On Tuesday evening the Hand and Heart Lodge met in the Stuart Street lla.ll, but owing to its being the eve of the district meeting the attendance was only fair, and there were no visitors. N.G. Bro. Alex. Wood presided. The evening was meetly taken up with a debate on ' Is the Handbook of Benefit to Lodges?' and after discussion, mostly complimentary, the opinion of the lodge, was shown in their resolve to forward a congratulatory letter to the Handbook Committee. P.O. Bro. Johnston provided the evening's entertainment, at Tuesday'** meeting of the Loyal Prince of Wales Lodge (Port Chalmers), and it took the form o? a progressive euchre, tournament. In this P.G. Bro. Woltersdorf a,nd Bro. M - Donald secured first ami second prizes, while at the other end of the list was Bro. Briggs. N.G. Bro. Wilson conveyed to Bro. .Johnston the thanks of the lodge for the. enjoyment he had afforded. One candidate was initiated, the major portions of the ceremony being given by P.G.s Bros. Wilson, Johnston, and Emerson. The attendance was only moderate at the meeting last night of the Loyal Cavcr--6 ham Lodge, and one or two of the officers were absent. P.G. Bro. Wilson and E.S. Bro. Bond gave reports of the proceedings of the recent half-yearly meeting, laying stress on the two most important features —the raising of the scale of contributions to actuarial adequacy, and the alteration of the method of apportioning the funeral levy. Bros. List and Broadfoot. who represented the lodge at the unveiling of a memorial in the Triumph Lodge, P.A., to their lato secretary (Bro. P. Koberts), mentioned the sad fact that the chairman on that occasion (Bro. Fox) had since met his death by accident. The lodge decided to forward a letter of sympathy to their brethren of the Triumph Lodge. The lodge meeting propeT was held in the upstairs hall. N.G. Bro. A. Selby presiding, and thereafter they joined "with other members and lady friends in an enjoyable little dance in. the main hall. Bro. F. Smith, who met with such a shocking accident at Inveroargill last week, wbs a meniber of the Loyal Valley Lodge, and at their meeting on' Monday"night"it was decided to send a letter of'sympathy to his widow-. The three delegates of the lodge _to the Balclutha meeting", P.G. Bro. A. W. Palmer being spokesman, gave a resume of the business transacted, and thanked the lodge for their appointment. The meeting was mostly taken' up with a discussion On lodge matters, and the syllabus item (to be provided by P.G. Bro". F. Mill.ior) had perforco to'be postponed. Two candidatci> were, initiated, and" X.G. Bro. 11. Smyth presided over a. good attendance, including two representatives of the District Executive iu Bros. Colo and Lawry. The married members proved too good at cards for the single ones at Tuesday's meeting of the Loyal Centenarv Lodge, held in the Masonic Hall, St. Kildn. and won someAvhat easily. The a.tlendanee which greeted N.G. Bro. Bishop was excellent, and included the P.G.M. and representatives of every citv and suburban lodge. P.P.G.M. Bro. A. 'M'Dougall. who was the lodge's delegate at Balclutha. spoke of the. half-yearly meeting, and expressed his regret that he had not been successful in his mission of securing a induction in the initiation fees. l/e ta:d that the reform, however, was onh- delayed, and counselled the lodge to "again place the remit on the business paper. Bro. M'Dongai! was heartily thanked for It's report and his services. One candidate war, initiated. A strong committee was set-up to make arrangements for the official visit of ciftcr lodges next lodge right. All the competing lodges in the recent I initiation competition have received from the judge (P.P.G.M. Bro. J. Calvert) V detailed criticism of their performances. Therein he congratulates the" winners (the Hand and Heart Lodge) on their splendid exhibition, and says that the various renderings, taken all' through, were an improvement on past contests. The lodges '■ have decided to forward Bro. Calvert a i letter thanking him in hearty terms for I his labors.