INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODDFELLOWS, MANCHESTER UNITY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXVI, Issue 70, 26 March 1892, Page 2

INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODDFELLOWS, MANCHESTER UNITY.

On the 7th April next the Manchester Unity of Oddfellows in Now Zealand will hold a Conference at Noleon, with the view of celebrating the Jubilee of tho Order in this colony ; and also to ascertain from tho delegates assembled whether it is the wish of all, or of a majority of the Distriots, that a central governing body shall be established. Tho first mooting of Oddfellows was held at Nelson on Thursday, April 7th, 1842, when it was deoided to apply to the Sydney Distriot for a dispensation to open a Lod*e in New Zealand, so that on Thursday, April 7th, 1892, a complete 60 years will bavo elapaed, As there is at presont no central office for tho Order in the oolony, anyone wishing to ascertain what the position of the Sooiety is, hag either to refer to the register issued by tho Board of Directors in England, which of necessity, owing to tho difficulty of getting tue returns home before tho register is printed is, not always complete, or else to the return issued by the Registrar of inendly Sooioties, tho statistical information contained in which is, when issued to tho public, about two years old. The Nolson District haa, therefore, with the view of placing before the publio at Bhe Jubilee meeting in April nest a clear position of the New Zealaud section of the Man.ohepter Unity, aaked the other dietriota to forward to them statistical returns containing the necessary information. At present tha whole of the returns have not beau received, but from a rough estimate it may be taken that at (he 31st December 1891 the total fands amounted to £261,000, with an adult mernberuhip of about 11,100, and with a junior membership of about COO ' There are at present 16 dis&iiota, and 16 of these have already eleoted Dolegatea to represent them (vt the Conference. Prom the figures supplied by iho several Diatriot Seoretarios, tho Ocder in New Zesland will, after 50 years' working, bo in the position to say that on actuarial investigation there ia, taking the districts in tho colony as a wholo, a substantial surplus of several thousands of pounds. In addition to the question of establishing a central office in the oolony there aro several very important quoationa to be dieoussed. One of tho lormosl ia the adoption of the Surreuder Value on granting clearances to enable members to transfer from one Lodge to another without having to pay a higher rato of oontribulionthan their ago requirod when they first joined the Sooiety. Another question of importance will bo that of devising some plan lo enable the members of Lodges, who liava to travel from one looality io another to ob;ain the benefit of medioal attoudanoo ia tho same manner as if they wero within raaoh ol! thor own Lodge aur {jeon. During their stay tho delegates will be entertained at a banquet on tho evening of tho 7'h whilo fadvantaga will be taken or showing them tho oountiy by a drive to Belgrovo and on Sunday it is intended to have a church parade.