I.O.O.F.

Evening Star, Issue 18051, 19 August 1922, Page 13

1.0.0. F.

THE DIAMOND JUBILEE OF THE SOCIETY. [By Past Grand Secretary Bro. Ww. Reid.] The Independent Order of Oddfellows ia now celebrating its diamond jubilee. On August 18. 1862, tJio Pioneer Lodge, No. 1, was instituted. Of those who took part in the opening of the lodge nono now remain, Bro. the Hon. Hugh Gourley, who was an. active member of tho order until his death, having been the -last survivor*. The order commenced its career in New Zealand as the A.1.0.0.F. Friendly Societies do not date back far into the past, despite the attempt of somo societies fo claim for themselves a hoary antiquity, 'they were mot* established until late in the eighteenth century, and about that time the A.1.0.0.F. was established. Actuarial science was then in its infancy, and the economics that governed friendly societies wore unknown among those who established them. Tho relation between contributions and benefits was of the rule of thumb order, and societies which gave the largest benefits for the smallest contributions seemed the most entrants. Tho result was that at tho end of forty or fifty years, instead of having built up substantial benefit funds, as is the aim of the present-day society, tho lodges l were falling from the ranks through depletion of their funds and inability to moot their engagements with their members. Somo of them, notably the M.U.1.0.0.F. and tho A.0.F., set their houses in order, and established their finances on a more stable footing; others (tho A.1.0.0.F. among the.number) neglected tho warning, and disappeared into tho vortex of unsound finance. It was this decadent society that chartered! lodges in Victoria, Tasmania, and New Zealand Pioneer No. the few lodges that were opened in New Zealand under tho regime of the'A.I.O.O.F.. were chartered from Victoria, and the Provincial Grand Lodge of Otago was authenticated from tho same source. The relations that existed between tho parent body -and its branches in New Zealand do not appear to have been very cordial or very satisfactory; they were characterised by careless indifference on the one hand and by dissatisfaction on the other. This state of matters could not continue, and some six years after the establishment of tho order in, New Zealand overtures were made to the 1.0.0. F., a progressive and up-to-date society, to take over tho few lodges of the A.1.0.0.F., and commence do novo under the banner of tho 1.0.0. F. An emissary (Bro. Meachern) was sent to Australia and New* Zealand, who came aimed with full power, and as tho result of his mission all the lodges of New Zealand excepting one, all those in Victoria, and nearly all in Tasmania throw iu their lot with the 1.0.0. F. What the order would have become under the A.1.0.0.F. I hazard no opinion ; but the struggles of the I.U.U.i. in tho eavlv days of its career were strenuoua and disheartening, and it might be interesting lo tho younger generation, now that success hue been achieved, to recall those struggles and .indicate some of lue disabilities with which the pioneers of tho order h;id to contend. Vc were, m the. first nlace, late in tho, field, the opening of Oddfellows’ lodges m Auckland. Wellington, and Nelson synchronising with the founding of those settlements by the New Zealand Company, and 1 Fountain of Friendship Lodge (Auckland). Britannia Lodao (Wellington), and Trafalgar Lodge (Nelson) still remain as monuments to their thrift and foresight. The pilgrim fathers of the Anglican Church iu Canterbury and those of tho Free Kirk Preshi - terians in Otago in 1848 also nnened Oddfellows’ lodges concurrently with the foundation. of tho settlements, and were therefore well astablifhcdi before the 1.0.0.1. came on the scene; and, starting from so raanv points of vantage, they spread over the land as the tide of settlement flowed 1 inland. The 1.0.0. F. had by slow progress to extend north and south from tho one point, Dunedin. Early in its career (in 1875) the order was the first in Now Zealand—and, indeed, in Australasia —to adopt graduated rales of contributions, adequate to the benefits promised. This handicapped the numerical progress of the societv for many vears, as entrants, until educated up to the importance of joining a society established on a solid financial basis, naturally sought the cheapest. Another disability was that the membership of the 1.0.0. F. had been recruited almost entirely from the natural increase of the population of the dominion. When the jr»at tide of immigration flowed into New' Zealand as tho result of tho public works and immigration policy of Sir Julius Vogel, other societies got hundreds of members by clearance certificates from tho lodges of tho Old Country, and every immigrant ship recruited 1 their ranks. The 1.0.0. F. got none of these. While not posing .as. a class society, and making no claim fo bo other than a working man’s society, tho 1.0.0. F. has exercised a wise conservatism in regard to the members introduced, which lias also tended* to retard its numerical progress. With these disabilities operating against it, the society bad in its earliest days a etrenunurstruggle, and at one time there were “none so poor to do it reverence.” Its innate excellences, however, and the courage and resolution of its founders and early leaders (few of alas! now with ns) prevailed. The order lias now spread over the land fromHokianga. to the. Bluff, and there will soon, at the present rata of progress, not be a town of any importance in tho dominion, which will not have a representative of the “ triple links” fraternity. Wo may also claim to have kept well in the vanguard of friend!]/ society progress, and were actually the first to initiate and carry out many reforms. It was a somewhat bold ■experiment when in 1875. as a poor struggling society, adequate and graduated rates of contributions were adopted by the society. It no doubt handicapped fjie order numerically, but has raised It to tho highest point of financial stability among the friendly societies of New Zealand Ollier friendly societies, after long years of indecision, are beginning to recogniee that sound financial methods are an indispensable equipment, and arc gradually falling into line.

Movable sessions were inaugurated in 1877, the first meeting outside Dunedin being held in Timam. Since then Grand Lodge sessions, have been held in all the principal towns of the dominion, from Auckland to Invercargill, much to Hie benefit of the district in which the meetings are held. The expense of tho annual meetings being more than ihe management fund could stand, biennial sessions were introduced. This reform was opposed as being an innovation fraught with danger; but it has stood tho test of time without any ’apparent disadvantage to the society.’ As tho lodges it was found That with lodgo representation the Gramfl Lodge was getting somewhat unwieldy, and that the results were not commensurate with the expenditure. District representation was Ilian introduced, and has been found to bo a distinct advantage, not only as lessening the expenditure of the Grand; Lodge sessions, but by increasing tho calibre of the representatives. It has also had the effect of stimulating tho districts into greater activity during the elections, educating them in regard to tho legislation! and activities of the order by the speeches of the candidates for Grand Lodge. The funeral fund of the order has been centralised ever since the inauguration of the society, and has done so well under central management that considerable surpluses have at different times been applied* to uses of the order other than mortuary benefits, tho £2O benefit having first been increased to £SO. The centralisation of the sic£ fund was mooted by leading members of the order as far back as the seventies, but was never practically brought, before the Grand! Lodge until about thirty-four years ago, when it was introduced by Bro. H. J. Williams, 8.G.M., and warmly discussed! at the Oamaru session in 1889. It was then thrown aside, and reintroduced at different sessions with varying degrees of success, until it was finally carried by an almost unanimous majority at tho Oamaru session, of 1907.

Although not the first to carry conaoli-

dation of tho sick fund, tho L0.0.F. was the first order to introduce olid discuss it, and its experience has formed the groundwork upon which.pther societies have built their schemes of centralisation. Just here it might 'bo eaidi that centralisation of tho benefit funds slionld bo the goal of every friendly society which desires to do the very host for its own members. So far as tho L0.0.F. is concerned, it has answered every requirement, of its advocates and falsified those of its opponents. It has combined tho lodges of the order into one solid phalanx, and tho small lodge is now ns strong as tho largest as far as its benefit funds aro concerned; tho contributions and interest earnings are more quickly and better invested; and, there 'being now no conflicting interest in regard to contributions, members can move from one lodge to another without any of tho disabilities which attached to clearance when tho ‘lodges- controlled the sick fund. Tho only arguments of the opponents of centralisation which had any weight was that there might not ho such a strict scrutiny of sickness claims, and that malingering would bo encouraged. So far there has been no evidence of this, and it is interesting to noto that tho last valuation return (1917) gives every indication (hat tho sick fund is being administered under centralisation as prudently -as when it was distributed' amongst tho individual lodges. Tho death of Bro. James S. Alexander, who occopied the position of Grand Treasurer for twenty-eight years, occurred in 1911. In a quiet, unassuming way Bro. Alexander did a great deal for the order, and his gonial fraternity, his devoted energy, and his conservatism in dealing with tho funds did much to assist tho society in Its early days of struggle, when its future hung in the balance. His memory should bo cherished among us as ouo who “loved his followmen.”

The Great War, which during four years devastated Europe and brought mourning into many homes, did not leave the order unscathed. Every lodge paid its toll of members who made the supreme sacrifice, and left blanks in the ranks which could'never be, filled. The Grand Lodge decided that nothing should be loft 1 undone to assist tho members who had so gallantly responded to tho call, to arms, and every member’s contributions were paid out of tho surplus funds, so that no levy was required from tho members. The total amount paid for the soldier members’ contributions was £8,263 Os sd, which, less £3,265 Os B<l refunded by the Government, leaves a net payment made by the society of £4,637 19s 6d, all of which was paid out of &e surplus. Tho National Provident Fund, which was expected to injuriously affect the friendly societies, has not done so. The maternity bonus is recognised as a great boon, and lias assisted our lodges in keeping their membership solid. The concession offered by tho Government of an annuity to members of friendly societies, although liberal in its terras, has not been taken advantage of to a large extent by our members. A dominion medical scheme, which was brought forward and carried at lari session, did not find acceptance with the ledges, and was abandoned in favor of a local pooling scheme, which meets the requirements more satisfactorily. 'Clearance values, which have been before the lodges of the Commonwealth of Australia and the dominion of New Zealand for many years, have been finally consummated, and members can now take their clearance value with them and occupy tlm same position as regards duos and benefits as they did in their mother lodge. This is a great boon to members of the State, jurisdictions, and is being taken advantage of by our members. It has enabled them to join any lodge in tho Commonwealth on equal terras, and resume active membership in the order. The valuation report of tho society, as submitted by tho valuer, shows a very satisfactory state of affairs. Tho sick fund discloses .a surplus of £15,591 as at December 51. 1917, the funeral -fund a surplus of £13,869—a total surplus of £27,460.

Tho matter of organising, which has been under discussion for a- number of years, has at last been consummated by the appointment of a dominion organiser. The centenary ot tho older was celebrated on April 26, 191.9, and 1 was made the occasion of informing our members of what the “stupendous fabric of Oddfellowship ’’ stands for. For tho first time in its history the Grand Lodge of Australasia met in New Zealand, and was attended by a large number of -representatives, who expressed themselves delighted with the beauty of our country and tho hospitality dispensed- by tho New Zealand brethren. Tho L0.0.F. was tho first friendly society an New Zealand to establish female j lodges, which, while they have not quite realised- tho expectations of their promoter, have done excellent work, not perhaps so much -as a benefit society as social chibs, where cur women folk can meet together and- find a wholesome relaxation from the harassing duties of domestic and work-room life. They have managed their lodges admirably, and many young women have received an- education and realise tho fuller life in our lodge rooms they could not find under any other auspices. Recently the Rebekah movement has rapidly extended, and during the lastfew years the number of lodges in New Zealand) has doubled. While establishing itself on the solid foundation of sound finance, the L0.0.F. has not been unmindful of the more exalted teachings of its rituals. Tlio order has a social, an, educational, and a fraternal side that, while- not reaching the ideal, has not been quite neglected-. The social feature' is now being exemplified in our jubilee celebrations, and the teaching which a young man .receives in tbo lodge room renders him more adjptablo in the varying conditions of colonial life. Literature is not now quite so much cultivated as it was in tho early days of the society, -and tbo writer remembers tbo pleasure experienced in then listening to addresses given by Bro. Stout (now Chief Justice Sir Robert Stout), Bro. F. R. Chapman (now Mr Justice Chapman), tho late Dr 1). M. Stuart, the late Bio. Geo. 8011, Bro. M, Cohen, (ho late Bro. J. W. Jago, that genial litterateur “Paddy Murphy” (tho lato Bro. Thomas Bracken), whoso presence in the lodge room, garbed in the insignia of the order, was always welcomed, and others of lesser note, who did not think it in any way derogatory to become members of Leith Lodge and assist- in tho intellectual advancement of the members.

After forty-five years' incumbency of that office, the writer has been, owing tobad health, compelled to resign the position of Grand Secretary, and Bro. F. Wilkinson, who has been my able assistant for the past eight and a-half years, has been elected in my stead. The Hast sixty years have been years of struggle, and a- measure jjf success lias been achieved. Struggle is now over, and a new generation has sprang up upon whom tho duty devolves of carrying on the good work so well began by tbo stalwarts of the sixties. Tho L0.0.F. has been foremost in introducing reforms and new methods into friendly societies’ work, but there still remains a great deal that can bo accomplished in that direction. Friendly societies started as sick and burial clubs, and such to a large extent they still remain. To a society with the monetary resources and energetic member, ship it possesses -there are still worlds to conquer, and, looking down the vista of the next sixty years, we can see the L0.0.F. .leading friendly societies into enterpriser, that will tend to raise tbo masses into better conditions of life by tho exercise of the same thrift and combination diverted into other channels.