DRUIDS’ CONFERENCE

Evening Star, Issue 20117, 6 March 1929, Page 3

DRUIDS’ CONFERENCE

MEETING OF GRAND LODGE The thirty-first animal meeting oi the Grand Lodge of Druids —Otago and Southland—-was held in the Returned Soldiers’ Clubroom, Moray place, yesterday. Those present were the executive officers :—G.P., Bro. A. Walker; G.AEP., Bro. A. AVatson; G.S., Bro. AA . B. Steel; G.T., Bro. E. L. Birt; G.G., Bro. G. Thompson; 1.P.G.P., Bro. A. Sherboime, and the following delegates representing lodges:'—Otago Lodge— Bro. J. W. Dove. P.G.P.; Bro. A. M. Kilgour, P.A. Enterprise Lodge—Bro. S. A. Workman, P.D.P.; Bro. R. S. AVebb, secretary. Royal Oak Lodge — Bro. A. E. Churchill, P.G.P.; Bro. H. R. Hunt. P.A. Acorn Lodge—Bro. A. A. Low,' P.D.P.; Bro. J. D. Gregg, P.D.P. Linden Lodge—Bro. E. H. M’Farlane, P.D.P.; Bro, J. Stewart, P.A. West Harbour Lodge—Bro. George Thompson, G.G. Endeavour Lodge, Bro. J. Gorrie, P.D.P.; Bro. W. G. Harris, P.D.P. Good Intent Lodge—Bro. T. AValsh, P.G.P.; Bro. 'J'. Smeaton. P.D.P. Rose of Palmerston Lodge, Bro. W. H. Hopkins, P.D.P. Gore Lodge—Bro. J. P. Eraser, P.D.P.; Bro. T. J. Sherborne, P.D.P. Lily of the Valley Lodge. Bro. J. Freeman, P.D.P. St. Patrick’s Lodge, Bro. P. Toomey, D.P. Pride of Mornington Lodge, Bro. A. AV. Horwood, P.A. Star of Tuapeka Lodge, Bro. F. Robertson, P.S. Star of Duntroon Lodge, Bro. M. Francis, secretary. Ivanhoe Lodge, Bro. H. Brockic, P.D.P.; Bro. J. U. Sinclair. P.A. Bay Lodge, Bro. AY B. Ruston, P.D.P. Hampden Lodge, Bro. Cl. D. Carter, P.A. All Nations Lodge. Bro. H. C. Reeves, P.D.P.: Bro. AV. AVards. P.A. Alexandra Lodge. Oak of AVaikiwi Lodge. Bro. R. Tinker, secretary. Star of Thornbury Lodge, Bro. C. L. AVehb, P.D.P. Mistletoe Lodge, Bro. D. Reid, P.D.P. Pride of Mafanra Lodge, Bro. AV. M‘Leod. D.P. Visitors:—Bro. T. H. AA'ilson, G.P.G.L., North Island, and Bro. John Jowsey, G.T., Grand Lodge of Canterbury. The following motions, notice of which had previously been given, were dealt with;— By Bro. H. 11. Hunt—‘‘That this Grand Lodge grant £'2s to the Juvenile Council for entertaining the whole of the juveniles during 1929.”—Carried, payment to be made by quarterly instalments. By Bro. A. Sherborne, P.G.P.— “That it be an instruction to the Board of Management to investigate the condition of Alexandra Lodge No. 21, and take such action as may he deemed best in tho interests of the order. ’ ’ —Ca r ried. Correspondence was read and received from Bro. Francis Askey, J.P.,

p p., asking for particulars of the order’s statistics for 1923; from Bro. J. K. Macfie, grand secretary, conveying fraternal greetings from the Ancient Order of Foresters; from Bro. I'. AVilkinson, grand secretary of the Independent Order of Oddieliows, conveying fraternal greetings; from Mr W. B. MfEwan, city librarain, extending a cordial invitation to the delegates to” visit the Dunedin Public Library during the session. That Nos. 1 and 2 Districts, as at present constituted, he eliminated, and the installation of dodge officers within the combined area bo undertaken by the Board of Management, was a notice of motion that was lost. In speaking to this motion, Bro. Dove, P.G.P. (Otago Lodge), argued that the members of the Board of Management could fulfill the functions of the district presidents in the metropolitan area by installing officers of the lodges, etc., if the motion is carried, and lodges would he in a position to estimate tho abilities of them as aspirants for the Grand Lodge. Bros. Sherborne, P.D.P. (Gore Lodge), and Webb (Enterprise) opposed the motion, the latter explaining that there was nothing to prevent members of the Board of Management and Grand Lodge officers from attending lodge meetings and showing their abilities. Bros. Huston, P.D.P. (Bay Lodge), Bro. B. Reid, P.G.G. (Lily of tho Valiev), Bro. AValsh, P.G.P. (Good Intent), Bro. K. H. MTarlam*, P.D.P. (Linden Lodge), Bro. Fraser P.D.P. (Gore Lodge), Bro. AATirkman, P.D.P. (Enterprise Lodge), Bro. Reeves, P.D.P. (All Nations), also opposed the motion. The election of officers, Board of Management, Judicial Appeal Committee, and auditors resulted as follows: —Grand Lodge president, Bro. A. AVatson; Grand Lodge vice-president, Bro. G. Thomson; Grand Lodge treasurer, Bro. E. L. Birt; grand guardian, .Bro. W. AI/Leod. Board of Management—Bro. Dove, Bro. AA . 11. Hunt, Bro. J. D. Gregg, Bro. 1). Reid, and Bro. E. 11. APFarlane. Judicial Appeal Committee Bro. AValsh, Bro. Churchill, Bro. Reid, Bro, Reeves, and Bro. Hopkins. Auditors —Bro. A. Mitchell, Bro. H. P. Harvov, Bro. A. J. Cannon. H was resolved that the place of next meeting ho Dunedin. The visiting brothers, the grand president of North Island and Bro. AA’ilson, grand treasurer of Canterbury, presented the newly-elected grand president, Bro. A. AVatson, lor installation, and he was duly installed by the retiring G.P., Bro. AValker. All other officers, etc., were duly presented and installed by the new grand president. \ r otcs of thanks were passed to old members—Bros. Hopkins, Jack, and B. Reid —for their long and useful services to the order; to Bro. Faulds for his work in connection witli the juvenile lodges; and to the visiting brethren from the. North Island and Canterhruy. The brothers referred to suitably responded. Tho grand president, Bro. Wilson, addressed the meeting at sonic length respecting the progress and procedure of the North Island Grand Lodge. Bro. Jowsey, grand treasurer Grand Lodge of Canterbury, in returning thanks, spoke in similar terms, specially stressing the fact that they had considerably increased their membership. A reception to the visiting delegates to the meeting was held in the Embassy Salon last evening, the chair being occupied by Bro. A. AA r atson, G.P, A lengthy toast list was honoured. During the evening the following rendered musical items:—Bros. P. S. Ramage, A. A. Paterson, Mr A AV. Romerill, and Bro. A. J. Meggett. Bro. A. R. Rankin acted as accompanist.

It often happens that a man is not suspected of being dumb until he begins to talk.