ODDFELLOWS

Evening Star, Issue 17319, 6 April 1920, Page 6

ODDFELLOWS

MANCHESTER UNITY DISTRICT . MEETING. The annual meeting of the District Committee, M.U.1.0.0.F., was held in the Town Hall, Palmerston, to-day. The district officers’ report stated, inter alia :—At the invitation of the Loyal Palmerston Lodge, the annual meeting is to be held in their town to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the lodge, which was opened on March 24. 1870. _ The lodge was opened with 18 members, and at the end of the year the fnnds totalled £3l 13s 4d. By the last return the membership showed 97 and the funds £3,685 3s Id. Three of the original members—Bros. John MTvean, Wm. Robertson, and Charles Gillespie—- ! are still on the roll. Your executive tender the lodge hearty congratulations on the result attained during the half-cen-tury, and wish them continued success in the future. From the returns received the following statements were compiled;— Number of mambors, January 1, 1919, 4.s6Bnumber admitted during the year—by initiation and reinstatement 450, by clearance 17; total, 5,015 ; less left—by arrears and resignation 78, clearance 26, death 49; total remaining December 31, 1919, 4,862. Increase for the, year, 294, —Receipts.— To value of lodge funds, January 1, 1919 £184,097 Entrance fees, sick and funeral funds 226 Contributions sick and funeral funds 8,060 Funeral claims from district ... 2.150 Interest and rents, sick and funeral funds 9,429 Sundry receipts, sick and funeral fluids 1741 Contributions and levies, man- 1 agement fund 7,250 j Interest and rents, management j fund ... _ ' 347 Sundry receipts. management j fund _ ... 4.661 ! Increase in value of other funds 540 £226.919 —Expenditure.— Sick Benefits £7,645 Funeral claims 2.120 District funeral levies ... ... 1,454 Sundry payments, sick and funeral funds 4,744 Medical attendance and' medi- ' 5,172 Salaries and allowances 1,577 Sundrv payments, management £25.854 \ nine of lodge funds, December 51. 1919 ‘ £201.064 The sickness experienced was a? follows : —First six months, 4,433 weeks 5 days; second six months. 885 weeks 5 days; after 12 months, 5,812 weeks 5 days. This shows an increase of 216 weeks 1 day for the first period, a decrease of 7 weeks 1 dnv in the second period, and a decrease of'lS4 weeks 1 dav for the after 12 months from that of tlieprevious year. The average sickness experienced per member ranged from 1 dav 19 hours m the Maniototo Lodge to 12 weeks 4 days 2 hours in th« Bins Spur Lodge. The amount paid for’ sick pa.v per member for the year ranged from 6s in the Maniototo Lodge to £7 15s Id in the Blue Spur Lodge. Tire average rate of interest realised on the investment of sick and funeral funds of lodges for the year, taking the district as a whole, was £5 8s Id. Among the deaths recorded Is that of P.G. C. D. M dkins (Dunedin) and Past Per. Sec. E. A arcoe (Blue Spur). The former was initiated on August 20, 1863, and the latter joined ;n the year of the establishment of tho lodge, 1867. Both were true Odfellows, and materially assisted in carrying out the tenets of the Order. Bro. Yarcoe died in harness, he bring treasurer during the last 13 years, after vacating the office of Per. * Sec., which he held for 36 years. P.G. G. w! Williams aiso passed away. He was originally a member of the' Out ram Lodge, and joined the Hand and Heart by clearance in August. 1880. On'-t-lie formation of the Talley Lodge in 1883 he occupied the N.G.’s chair for the first- two terms. Official visits are being well attended by the brethren, and on evorv occasion your executive also have boon well represented. The only visit- postponed was that to Roxburgh, 'the reason being that owing to an outbreak of influenza it- was deemed inadvisable to travel and increase the risk of infection. Brethren are urged to make these special occasions even more successful, so that the individual, the lodge, mid the Order may benefit. On January 24 last the executive and P-P-GM. Bro. A. Sligo travelled to Lawrence and met. in conference in the lodge room 0! the Loyal Tuapeka Pioneer representatives of that lodge, Loyal W’aitahuna, Loyal Waipori, and Loyal Bine SpinLodges to consider the amalgamation of these four lodges. The tone of the meeting was most harmonious, and after full and free discussion it- wag unanimously decided to have the matter placed before the members of the lodges concerned bv the representatives with the view to bringing about amalgamation with the Loyal Tuapeka Pioneer. Your executive desire to place -on recc’d the very fine fraternal spirit shown at this conference, and anticipate that the desired result will soon eventuate, to the benefit of all concerned. The annual initiation banner and lodge shield competitions which have been suspended during the war period have been revived. 'Flic initiation competition had not been held at the time of compiling this report, but. judging from the number of entries received, tho object for which this competition was inaugurated—namely, that of improving the carrying nnt of the initiation ceremony—appears to have born achieved. Several mem’>evs of both town and country lodges are rapidly qualifying for the memlxTslup medal for having introduced 25 new members into the Order. Medals of a new design, as suggested at the last district meeting, are being procured for the initiation of 25, 50, and 160 new members. Up to the present time the Otago Friendly Pocietles’ Gonneil ian bardlv claim to have fulfilled the purpose for which it was inaugurated. Giving to the war and for other reasons the work- of the council has been to some extent hampered. However, we aro pleased to report that the meetings aro now being held regularly, and quite a number of matters of vital importance to friendly societi"? are being dealt with. That there- is ample work for this organisation there can be no question, and wo sincerely hope that- in future this conned will prove a valuable adjunct to the friendly society movement in Otago. The visit of the Prince of "Wales to onr Dominion will be acclaimed bv the Oddfellows of the Manchester Unity throughout New Zealand. During the" long and interesting history of Oddfallow«Mp, unswerving loyalty in the throne ha? ever been in the forefront of our expre??“fi sentiments. The present visit of the Prince no doubt reflects the thank? of the inhabitants of Grant Britain for the part plaved. by the Dominions of onr Empire in tho Gnat War. Our share in this mighty struggle was' niffy borne bv the brethren of the Manchester Unity. Therefore with heart and hand we welcome onr soldier Prince of Wales, and trust • that he will hear with him back to the Homo folks the most pleasant memories of this corner of the British Empire. Your district officers have joined with the executive officers of kindred societies to prorent His Royal Highness with an address of welcome and lovalty. * On or about Mav 19 the members of this district will offi-iallv welcome home and entertain tho?e of their brethren who took part in the late war. This function lias been hold over until such time a.? all New Zealand troops had be.m demobilised. so .that even - soldier brother who could conveniently attend might be given the opportunity. A committee renresentafive of the City and suburban lodges have been set up to make arrangements.

GRAND PIASTER’S ADDRESS Ir ] , th J e t co^ &e oi tes address to the assembled brethren P.G.M. Bro. W Fleming said:—

During the war period our •membership fnTIT - v F^- 1919 otir numerical increase is 294, which is slightly oyer the aggregate decrease experienced 'during the three years of tfie war, and I confif, that °, ur decrease will be wiped but before the next half-yearly fiA tha 4,.we wm then be' past the 5 COO nfcirk. Five brothers hare quali|h«l for membership medals, having secured the necessary number of new members. As tl lo deigns have been decided on and the medals are now being made, the brothers will soon be in possession of their well-earned and coveted recognition. Uui jinemle membership is increasing, and within the near future a new . lodge wnl be formed in the district. The financial statement shows that we now have lodge funds worth ever £200,000. Ims shows a satisfactory annual increase, i Since the beginning of the war our funds i have grown by over £33,000. I wish to emphasise the importance of investing tnnds to the best advantage. The sickness experie ice during last year shows an increase for the first and decrease for the second and third periods. ’ This is accounted for by a recurrence of the influenza epidemic. The health of our returned soldier brethren is also partly rcspomible The quinquennial valuation of , disclosed that the district was in a solvent condition. The next valuation ia for the period ended 3lst December, 1919, and is eagerly looked for. The first results of the Great War will then be shown and bo available, for making any adjust' ments that may be thought desirable. Our prospects are bright in regard to decrease in sickness experience and increases in financial and numerical strength. Though unable to visit every lodge jurisdiction, I have been 'able to rrieot most during my term ns Grand Master. The fraternal spirit Is very good,’ and during official visits excellent musters have been the rule. Lodges are busy initiating new members, and the general standard of efficiency is well maintained. At iTie Auckland conference of the M.U. the balance-sheet, which was approved, showed that the funeral fund amounted to £48,208, compared with £47,735Ha5t year; the riuvagoment fund to £1,082, compared with £113; the new deficiency lodge relief fund to £1,577, and other funds to £409, making a total of £51.076. The amount of funeral claims met during the past year was £10,089, while soldier members’ sick pay totalled £9,489. The society also paid to subordinate lodges for soldier members contributions amounting to £9,715.