MANCHESTER UNITY

Evening Star, Issue 25928, 21 October 1946, Page 4

MANCHESTER UNITY

Six lodges in the district showed their interest by making entries in the annual competitions for juveniles on a recent Saturday, They were held under the auspices of the Juvenile Council, lodges represented being Loyal Caversham, City of Dunedin, Albion, Taieri,. Oamaru and Port Chalmers Juvenile branches, skill in the .rendition of ritual, general knowledge, quoits, and shooting being features of interest, Keen competition ensued. , Loyal Taieri won the quoits contest, Bro. Hucklebridge of this lodge being adjudged the champion of. champions. Winners in the shooting were Bro/ R. Flynn, of Port Chalmers, C- Henderson, of Oamaru, and J. Irving, of Taieri. In the general knowledge test Bros. K. Daldorf, City of Dunedin, Bro. W. McLean, Albion, and Bro. K. Paterson, of Oamaru, were successful. The principal test, the rendition of the initiation ritual, was won by Loyal Oamaru, with Loyal Taieri a close second. Each team gave an excellent rendering. The members of Loyal Princess Mary Lodge made an excellent job of the social functions connected with the halfyearly meeting of district committee. The dance in the Crawford Lounge on the Friday evening was splendidly attended by local and visiting delegates and enjoyed to the full. The ladies dispensed morniug tea during the course of the district meeting, and provided fruit during the afternoon - session .1 Their handling of the social function in the evening was an occasion to be remembered, N.G. Sister Park presided, supported by P.G. Sister S. Riddell as toast mistress, with the Prov. G.M. and district officers in attendance. The toast of the district executive, the visiting delegates, and Loyal Caversham Lodge were, capably handled by lady members. The occasion being the twenty-first birthday of Loyal Princess Mary Lodge, during the evening the Prov. G.M., Bro. F. Austin, presented the N.G. with the usual comuig-of-age symbol, a key beautifully burnished and engraved. This was followed by the cutting of the birthday cake by two original members, Sisters Kiddell, sen., ana Wright. Among the toasts honoured were those of the newlyappointed Prov. C.S., Bro. W. H. Masters, and the retiring Prov. C.S., Bro. A. Sligo. Sister Riddell made an excellent toast mistress. Proceedings were enhanced by the rendering of items by a sister of Loyal Sister Pearce Lodge, Christchurch, Sisters Wright, Thomson, and Masters, and Bro. Park. At the termination of business at the district meeting on Saturday, Per. Sec. Bro. J. Johnstone and Per. Sec. Bro. A. G. Monk, on behalf of the secretaries of lodges throughout the district, presented the retiring Prov. C.S., Bro. A. Sligo, with a tallboy and fountain pen to mark their appreciation of what he had done for them during his term of office. The speakers voiced the affection and esteem in which Bro. Sligo is held not only by secretaries, but by every member in the district. Immediately following this a little function was held in the board room adjoining, where 22 past provincial grand masters had met to say au revoir to Mr Sligo as a district officer. P.P.G.M. Bro. J. A. Hopcraft. the oldest past officer in the Otago district M.U., presided; and, after usual formalities had been complied with, called upon Bro. P. W. Stabb to make a presentation to Bro. Sligo Tins took the form of a dressing gown for himself and an evening bag for Miss Sligo, every one of the 31 surviving past district officers having contributed. A pleasant hour was spent socially, all paying verbal tribute to the recipient of their favours. Bro. Sligo was deeply touched on each occasion by tfie thought that he was held in such affection and esteem by his fellow-Oddfellows, and words failed to adequately express his own personal feelings.