PROTESTANT ALLIANCE

Evening Star, Issue 17320, 7 April 1920, Page 6

PROTESTANT ALLIANCE

NEW ZEALAND GRAND COUNCIL. THIRTY-NINTH ANNIVERSARY. The thirty-ninth session of the New Zealand Grand Council of the Protestant Alliance Friendly Society of Australasia was commenced this morning in the of Friendly Societies' Hall, Kensington, to W.CJ.M*. Brb. James Stevens presided, and th with the Grand Chaplain (Bro. H. Berry), on opened the lodge in due form. Previously si) the delegates had been welcomed to tho H City by the Mayor (Mr Win. Begg). hr There were present 21 delegates from w: lodges in all parts of New Zealand. th The Worshipful Grand Master, in his opening remarks, said that when they last or. met—at Oamaru—all their thoughts were to taken up -with tho Great War; but now, m he was thankful tr> say, thoy were again th at peace, and their sons and brothers were II back, to pursue their peaceful callings. H Without going into the details of the struggle or its outcome, thoy, as a Pro-. g; testant society, should express thanksgiv-, Q ir.g that the emblems on which their t\ Order was founded, the Protestant Crown ci of the Empire and the open Bible, were 2' again secure. At a suitable time before I the meeting closed he would like them to j place on record their thanks to" the nation's soldiers and sailors. Dunns: tne a 'war period their society had made no w progress numerically. "He hoped ' that, L since they had passed to peace, they lr would bestir themselves, and place the w Order more in the position their high aims and traditions deserved. With the competition of other lodges and the State f Provident Fund, they-would have to work b hard to achieve results. The society bad T obtained provisional approval under the s , Finance Actp securing to their members lthe right to become contributors to the -' Provident "Fund on favored terms «nd the right to the maternity bonus. Last November, at the request of the Federal ; Executive, the- Grand Secretary attended j tho Federal Council at Hobart. . What was to be the outcome of the excursion i. of the State into competition with friendly 1' societies was a matter of concern, but ho j. thought there was still great and good work to be done by friendiy societies. In , conclusion, ho wished to refer to the n arduous work performed by the Grand ' a Secretary. \ The secretary (Bro. S. G. Bums) ex- \ plained that owing to the lateness of re- c turns sent in by secretaries of lodges he s was unable to have the report of the Grand Executive to place before them, c He would, however, give it to them ver- \ bally as best lie could. Soldiefs' dues had ' t been paid up in 1918 to tho amount of j - £636 IPs lOd. but tho figures for 1919 j " had still to be recorded. They were still | j keeping up one or two soldiers" payments, j < Maternity claims during the past year had j amounted to £BO, of which £76 had teen received from the Government. There was thus a debit of £4. which had been , caused by one claim being delayed. This i claim had been for £B. as there had been,.-, twins, but the Government v. ill not pay ' more than £4. One hundred and thirtytwo members had enlisted in New Z=a- ' land, and 17 had made the supreme sacri- i fi>e. The total amount of credit to locker? | ■ for 1919 was- £16.063 14s 9d, giving "an I increase for the year of ■ Death bad taken 24 of their members, and claims had been paid in 20 cases. 1 The other four claims—-two of which were ■ soldiers'—did not come in till after 1919. ; They had been affected by four cases under the widows and wives.' registered ' funeral fund Forty-four new members ■ had been admitted and 23 had gone out 1 by clearance and arrears. For 1919 there was an increase of one in their inember- ' ship. Owing to the war thoy had had a slight decreasi in membership, and It was now pleasing to be able to record a J slight increase. This was chieflv due to the efforts of Lodire No. 11. Vallev True ' Blues. Dur,edin. In sick pay £1,468 Cs 6d " had been paid out. Tho total membership _ of tha lodge- of Australasia was 39.030, ' and accumulated funds amounted to £485,461. Bro. W. Frith said ho did not think ' they could consider a verbal report. He i moved that they more on to the next j business.—This was carried. The secretary then rend the report of | the Grand Trustees for the year ended j December 51. Interest collected amounted to £713 18s 3d funeral fund and £3 lodge i belief fund, making a grand total of £716 18s Bd. an increase of £142 6s lOd for the year. They had now invested in funeral fund tho sum of £655 at sit per • cent., £9,642 at 6 per cent., £2OO aV&i - per cent.. £l5O at 7 per cent, £464 2s - lid at 4| per cent., Auckland Ravines - Bank. Grand total, £ll.lll 2s lid, an i increaso of £765. Mortgage; No. 65 a (£200), No. 68 (£200), No." 69 (£300), and No. 95 (£500) had been paid off and - the money reinvested. During the year I a thev. negotiated throe now mortgage?—i viz.'. No. 98. £6OO. at 6 per cent. TNo. '<• 99. £550, at 6 per cent. : :in <] No. 100. e £SOO, at 6 per cent. Outstanding intere est amounted to £27 7s 5d funeral fund and £3 2s 6d lotrge relief fund;' total, •- £35 9s lid. a decrease of £9B 19s 4d. e Since closing the books the sum of £ll f -l 9s as interest had been paid, leaving a e balance of £24 0s lid owing. The indem- >- nity insurance again showed a profit for -- the year. In concluding, the trustees o were satisfied that all money was invested e on the best of securities and bearing inr terest. e Mr Frith asked if in lending money >- they had tmy fixod rate, of business, if The secretary said they lent out the 0 money on the moat favorable terms. It o was a matter of business. Mr Frith contended that this should if not bo so. They should have a fixed rate y of interest. i- The report of tho trustees was adopted. Ie A notice of motion from the Queen's I 3, Own Lodiie (Christohurch) —'-That tho )f headquarters of the society be moved to ?. the South Island"—•wr.s carried, and it te was then further decided " That the heaclz- quarters of the Grand Executive be lo- ! ?t cated in Duncdin." i