M.U.I.O.O.F.

Evening Star, Issue 17926, 23 March 1922, Page 9

M.U.1.0.0.F.

ANNUAL MEETING OF OTAGO DISTRICT. Dalton Lodge, Balclutha, was ths'aimual meeting place to-day of the delegates representing the order in Otago. P.G.M. Bro. Mid'dlemass presided. The delegates wero welcomed' by the Mayor of. Balclutha, Mr Sira&on.

Two representatives from the Southland district—P.P.C.S. Bro. Edmonds and

P.P.G.M. Bro. Hope—were present. Tho meeting passed a resolution, to bo telegraphed to the Early Settlors’ Association, in reference to the anniversary ol the province. DISTRICT OFFICERS’ REPORT. Tho report of tho District Officers— Prov. G.M. T. Middlcmass, Prov* D.G.M. J. Will, Prov. C.S. J. A. Hopcrait, Prov. Trees. A. Sligo, and P.P.G.M. C. 11. Russell—states, inter alia :

Tho annual meeting to bo held on March 23 at Balclutha will bo the seventh occasion of the assembling of tho delegates in that town since it was decided, in 1878, to hold meetings outside of Dunedin. Tho Dalton Lodge is tho third oldest in tho district, its membership is steady, and it is one of the surplus lodges. From tho returns received tho following statements havo been compiled : —Number of members, Ist .January, 1921, 6,123; number admitted during the year (by initiation and reinstatement 326, clearance 19), 345; loss loft (by arrears and resignation 170, clearance 29, death 40), 239; total remaining 51st December, 1921, 5.234, being an increase for the year of' 106. Tho financial statement shows the receipts to have been £241,222, Tho principal items of expenditure wero funeral claims £1,340, district* funeral levies £1,055, sundry payments, sick and funeral funds £3.433, medical attendance and medicine £5,877.

Tho sickness experienced was as follows :—First six months, 4,021 week’s 3 days; second six months, 984 weeks 5 days: after twelve months, 5,107 weeks 5 days. This shows a decrease, from last year in each period—sß4 weeks for tho first period, 84 weeks 5 flays for tho second, and 582 weeks 2 days after twelve months. The average sickness experienced per member throughout tho district was two weeks three hours, ranging from four days five hours in tho Waikaka Lodge to five weeks thirteen hours in tho Prince Alfred Lodge. The average amount paid for sick pay per member over nil tho lodges was £1 10s. ranging from 14s Id in the Waikaka Lodge to £3 l-5s lid in the Tuapeka, Pioneer Lodge. Tho average rate, of interest realised on the investment of tho sick and funeral funds of lodges for tho year, talcing the district ns a whole, was £5 9s 9d per cent. (Tho above are incomplete, owing to Outram Lodge returns not being to hand.) ■

The Harrop Scholarship will bo conducted by the Otago Education Board under the junior scholarship regulations. Where candidates enter whose parents arc members of a lodge in the Otago district, M.U.L0.0.F.. and the school the candidate attends is not under tho control of the Otago Education Board, they will bo permitted to attend tho centre nearest their residence and he examined for tho scholarship. The scholarship shall be hold subject to the condition that the holder thereof attends during the tenure of tho respective scholarship one of tho board’s district high schools, one of the Otngn High Schools, or one of tho Wahabi High Schools. The examination in connection with the scholarship will be held during November, 1922. The names of the intending competitors, together with certificates of ages, and a notification signed by tho Per. Sec. that their father is a financial member’ of the lodge io which he belongs, must be lodged with the Prov. C.S., J.' A. Hopcraft, A2 Octagon, Dunedin, on a date to be fixed in September. Competitors must not bo over fourteen years of ago on Ist December nearest the date of tho examination.

Among the deaths recorded was that of P.P.G.M. C. W. Smith, who served during the years 1914-17 in tho district chairs, and was an enthusiastic and loyal supporter of the Loyal Albion Lodge for over forty-three years. P.G. W. N. Shepherd, attached to” Loyal Dunedin Lodge, also crossed tho Great Divide. Be had a goodly record of service,* and a. wonderful capacity for bringing in members. P.G. Peter Chisholm, a member of Loyal Dunedin and a diligent -worker for Loyal Outram, is also listed among those “ Gone West.” During the visit of P.P.G.M. Hamel to England he had a conversation with P.G.M. G. L. Lingsirmn, Prov. C.8.,i0f tho North London district, who offered him, on behalf of this district, a nearly complete set of bound volumes of the ‘ Oddfellows’ Magazine ’ since its inception. Bro. Hamel reported to the District Executive, and the offer was gratefully accepted, and will shortly be received 1 .

Trustees when making investments should see 'that they arc in accordance with the provisions of the Friendly Societies’ Act, as a case, has come under our notice of an investment outside section 49 of the. Friendly Societies’ Act. The registrar advises there were a. number of these investments made, and! validating legislation will be necessary, so that steps must he taken to have such passed.

Five lodges returned their cards in connection with the competition for the District Shield, and the committee awarded the, 'shield to Centenary Lodge. The following arc the points gained by the lodges that sent in returns:—Centenary, 592; Tapanui, 592; Out-rani, 574; Hand and Heart, 511 J,; Albion, 483. Tho result hinged on secessions, ami as Centenary had no lapses, while Tapanui had 1 two, the scales were turned thus in favor of tho winners. Tho showing of the two loading lodges was particularly good.

Taken on the whole, the official visits within the city area during the period under review have not been quite up to tho standard of former years. One misses the faces of many brethren who for years wore regular attenders at those functions. Some havo joined tho great majority, others have removed to different parts cf the country, and many who worked strenuously during the war time are taking a spell. The cry of “ fill the gaps ” made during the 1914-19 period l is still applicable. Our reconstruction is by no means complete. The very root of our organisation, “social fraternity,” is what wc strive to engender at these functions, and lodge officers who are alive to their duties will see to it (hat nothing is left undone to ensure a fully representative attendance of their members at official visits to sister lodges, apart altogether from the fraternal visits they should l fee! in' duty bpund to make from time to time.

The question of altering the date of making up the annual returns from December 31 in each year to November 30 has been suggested by one of our 'permanent secretaries. The Friendly Societies’ Act provides for December 51, and if any alteration was made it must bo done through the Act. The matter is noted so that it "can be considered by lodges, and if thquglit necessary the lodge can put it on the business paper for next mooting. The function of unveiling a roll of honor to Those brethren of Loyal Middle march Lodge who participated in the Great War was held in the A. and P. Society’s Hall, Middlemarch, on February 16. The scroll was in the form of a heavy brass tablet, on which was recorded thirty-three names, representing 60 per cent, of the lodge membership. The tablet was mounted in massive oak, ,a very fine effect being produced thereby.

The Juvenile lodges movement continues to flourish, and enthusiasm is being well maintained. Another lodge has been added) to the list, in “Loyal United,” which was opened) with fourteen members on November 2. ami the roll now stands at thirty-four members.