MISTLETOE LODGE OF DRUIDS.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 20902, 19 May 1887, Page 2

MISTLETOE LODGE OF DRUIDS.

PUBLIC DINNER. The third anniversary of the Blenheim Mistletoe Lodge, U.A. O,L>. was celebrated by a public dinner at the Criterion Hotel. His Worship the Mayor presided and was supported by Mr 11. S. Simmons, Secretary of the Lodge. The vice chair was occupied by Mr T. Newman, P A. Ann ng the representative s of other friendly societies present were Messrs F. Adams, jun, and J MTxen/.ie [O Idfellovvs] Messrs Sheridan. Norg’ove and Poster Foresters and Messrs O’Neill arm P Mahon, ill bernians : The dinner was provided by Mr

Carter of the Criterion Hotel and excellently served. The patriotic toasts were proposed by the Chairman.

Mr F Adams briefly proposed the toast of prosperity to the Blenheim Mistletoe Lodge of Druids, coupling with it the name of Mr II S Simmons, the Secretary. Mr Simmons desired to thank the gentlemen present for the hearty manner in which they had responded to the toast. The order of Druids was a venerable and ancient one. It was the oldest in existence in the world, dating back to a very early period in history. The Order had had a hard struggle to establish itself in the Colonies. In 1805 a member of it left England and landed in Victoria with a dispensation to open a branch in the Australian Colonies. lie tried to form a lodge in Melbourne and got a few members together, and the society jiist lingered until 1807. In that year in the whole of Australasia there were only eleven lodges with a total of 500 members. They then had a surplus of LIII 19s 9d. But the Druids still hung on and at last annual meeting of the Grand Lodge of Australasia it was stated that the Grand Lodge fund amounted to L 15,170 9s 6d, in addition to separate lodge funds, amounting to LOO,OBO 18s 7d. Thus in twenty years the total funds had grown from till to over L 54,800. Their own Lodge in Marlborough had been in existence for three years. It started unde

many disadvantages, as many mein-

bers left after its establishment, and there were few of the original members left. Now, however, they had a good round number of members —nearly forty. They had a good surplus--money at interest, and a substantial balance in the bank. Ho hoped that all the friendly societies would continue to work well together, and hoped it would not be the last time they would meet together for celebrations like the present. Mr Sheridan proposed the Army, Navy, and Volunteers, which was responded to by Mr iteove. Mr Winter proposed the Town and Trade of .Blenheim, coupling with the toast the name of His Worship the Mayor. Ho said that Blenheim, in common with the whole world, suffered at present from depressed trade. This was well known to members of friendly societies, who found that fewer members were enrolled than in more prosperous times, not from any want of appreciation of their benefits, but simply because people had as much as they could do to pay their way. It was fortunate that the people of Blenheim were waking up, and he instanced the establishment of a Chamber of Commerce, from which he expected great benefits, as a sign of renewed activity. But on nothing so much did prosperity depend as on the thrift and good behaviour of the individual members o.: the community, and nothing promoted this more than the friendly societies. He gave statistics to show the importance to which these societies had grown in the Colony generally, and in Blenheim in particular, and concluded by proposing the toast coupled with the name of the Mayor, whom he described as one of the best Mayors whom we have had in Blenheim

His Worship the Mayor thanked the company for the manner in which they had received the toast He regretted that lie was not in a position to say something about prosperity and good times, but he hoped that as the night was darkest ;just before dawn, so the present bad times were soon to disappear. He was much impressed -with the necessity of fostering local industries, and gave the ease of leather as one manufacture which, if it were fairly established, would do much to promote prosperity. From Blenheim alone they were sending away about LIOOO for cheese. The completion of the railway to the Awatere was another matter of .the greatest importance to the town. Why this work had been so long retarded was unexplained. He knew the country well and some of the land was of the best quality. The district was to bo congratulated on the confidence shown by the Union Steamship Company in the trade of tho port in supplying such a line steamer as the Kanieri. As Mayor be bad had one of the most difficult years of oftice ever known, The Corporation through shortness of funds had had to reduce wages, a most unpopular thing to do, but it had been thought right to exercise the greatest economy and though this might not be satisfactory to individuals be thought it was so to the townspeople generally. lie Concluded by returning thanks for the toast.

Mr Simmons proposed the toast, Kindred Societies which was rev spoi.dcd to by Messrs O'Neill for the Hibernians, Norgrou; lor the Foresters’ and Adams fortho Oddfellows. Several other toasts wore also drunk, .In the course of the evening songs were sting In .Messrs T. ±Newman, B. .Dodson, O'Neiii, Smith, and iSheridan, and a recitation given by Mr S, Nor grove.