ODDFELLOWSHIP.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXV, Issue 9398, 27 April 1891, Page 6

ODDFELLOWSHIP.

ASHLEY DISTRICT. The statement of the position of the Ashley District, 1.0.0. F., M.U., as at Jan. 1, given below, will no doubt prove of interest to the brethren of the different Lodges and to the members of the Order throughout the Colony. The district, formed in 1880, ia composed of nine Lodges, viz., Eangiora, Nil Desperandum (East Oxford), Oxford, Leithfield, Woodend, Cast, Ohoka, Amberley and Wsikari. The total amount of the sick and funeral funds of these Lodges on Jan. 1, 1890, was £7373 9s 3d; received during the year for contributions, £937155; interest and rents, £336 16s Id; initiation fees and clearances, £l2 lls Id; from district funeral fund, £6O; contributions from members of other Lodges, £2O 3s 6d; sick benefits paid on account of other Lodges, £35 0s 7d; total, £877515s 6d. Payments—Sick benefits to own members, £633 Is 9d; levies to district funeral fund, £BO 10s 9d; funeral donations (two members), £6O; contributions from members of other Lodges, £37 6s sd; sick benefits to members of other Lodges, £35 15s 6d; sundries, £l7 10s 8d; total expenditure, £854 5s Id. Credit balance, value of sick and funeral funds on Dec. 31, 1890, £7921 10s sd, an increase for the year of £548 Is 2d. The £336 16s Id interest and rent is the net amount, after deducting all expenses in connection with the repairing of halls and keeping them in order. The management fund receipts were—Amount brought forward £93 14a 7d, contributions £673 12s 6d, total £767 7s Id. The expenditure was £6lB 13a 6d, leaving a credit balance of £lO4 9s Id, besides placing £44 4a 6d towards reducing the management fund debts of some of the Lodges. In addition to the above, the Eangiora Lodge has a surplus fund of £905 4s 6d, from which bonuses are paid to members on their attaining the age of 60. Already five bonuses, varying from £l7 16s 3d to £l9 4s 9d have been paid. Should a member die . before reaching the age named, tho bonus is added to hia funeral money (£3O), and is handed to his widow or other representative. In consequence of this arrangement the funeral money of several of the members at the present time amounts to £45 and over; The district funeral fund is worth £2sß’ 19s Bd, and a distress fund, established three years ago, to which all members contribute 6d each per year, now amounts to nearly £SO. This fund was formed to provide money for the relief of travelling members who may be in want, and also to do away with the custom of sending subscription lists round to the Lodges to raise funds to assist the families of deceased) brethren left in bad circumstances. The number of members in the district on Dec. 31, 1890, was six hundred and fifty. The foregoing figures, which are compiled from the annual returns furnished the Registrar of Friendly Societies, show the district to be in an excellent financial position; and that, in suite of a large increase of sick pay, owing to the influenza epidemic, the year 1890 was a prosperous one.