FRIENDLY SOCIETIES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVIII, Issue XLVIII, 14 February 1913, Page 3

FRIENDLY SOCIETIES

NELSOX DISTRICT. A.O.F. The annual district meeting of the Nelson District A.0.F.. was held in the Foresters' Hall yesterday, Bro. 0. H. Allan. D.C.R.. presiding." Officers and delegates were present as follows : D.S.C.R.. Bro. L. Frank; D.T., Bro. A. Dodson ; D.S., Bro. R. Hunter; D. Beadle, Bro. P. Martin. Court Robin Hood : Bros. AY. T. Bond, P.D.C.R., H. \V. Bethwaite, P.D.C.R., and J. H. Finney, treasurer. Pride of the Forest: Bro. G. Dodson, P.D.C.R. Sherwood Forest : Bro. J. Ching. P.D.C.R. Perseverance: Bro. W. J. Moffatt, P.D.C.R. Aorere: Bros. F. Stallard. P.C.R.. and H. J. J. Skilton, P.C.R. Charleston : Bro. R. Wocdger. P.C.R. Unity: Bros. R. T. Crispin, P.C.R. Royal Oak: Bro. D. T. Gibbard, P.D.C.R. Inangahua : Bro. E. J. Scantlebury, P.D.C.R. Concord : Bro. G. E. Perkins, P.D.C.R., and J. Evans, P.C.R. Court Karamea was unrepresented, and their delegate was excused from attendance. After the minutes had been read, Bro. E. J. Scantlebury made feeling reference to the loss the nation had suffered by the death of Captain Scott and his gallant band of explorers on their return from the South Pole, and moved that the meeting adjourn for fifteen minutes as a mark of sympathy and respect with the bereaved relatives. Bro. W. T. Bond seconded the motion, and read Dr. Nansen's reference to Captain Scott, which he said was a noble tribute from a brother explorer. The motion was carried in silence, the imembers standing, and it was resolved that the motion be forwarded to the Prime Minister. On resuming, the auditors' report was read by Bro.' J. H. Finney, and the statement of accounts by Bro. R. Hunter, district secretary. The latter showed that the funeral fund now stood at £1426 16s 7d, a decrease of £5 lis 6d for the half-vear; and the management fund at£62"lßs 3d, an increase of £2O 16s for the same period. The. decrease in the funeral fund was caused by the deaths of four members, which absorbed £l3O, and one member's wife £lO, as against £2O paid away on account of the deaths of two members' wives during the previous half-year. The total worth of the district was shown to be as follows : _Funeral fund, £1426 16s 7d ; management fund, £62 18s 3d ; value of goods in stock, £64 11s'8d; total, £1554 6s 6d. The D.C.R. (Bro. G. H. Allan) presented his report as follows : "Brethren, —It is pleasing to note that during the year both the financial and numerical strength of the district have materially increased. The worth of the district fund as at 31st December last is £1554 16s 6d. and that of all the courts in the district £26.489 7s Bd, making a grand total of £28,043 14s 2d, being an increase of £1585 15s 6d for the year, all the courts contributing to the general advancement. The number of financial members in the district is at present 977, an addition of 20 on our last year's return, and thus making a distinct step towards the 1000 minimum limit so much desired by all. Of the increased membership six courts show an addition : Pride of the Forest (10), Royal Oak and Karamea (9 each), being responsible for the greatest number. During the year 55 new members were initiated, and 35 left by clearances. "Sick "pay disbursed amounted to £IOO3 12s Bd, an average of £1 2s 8d per member. This is les3 than that of the previous year by £278 0s lOd. Courts Karamea, Sherwood Forest, Unity, Concord, and Pride of the Forest have been fortunate in having a low rate of sick pay, but Court Royal Oak has again the high average of £2 9s Bd/ per member. YVith the exertion of the latter court. I all the figures are lower than those of the previous year, and the district has to be congratulated on the advancement in the direction of financial and 'numerical stability. "The mortality for the year comprises the deaths of four members, and three members' wives, Jhe funeral benefits paid being the same as those of last year, namely, £l6O. "During the year every court in the district, with the exception of Karamea. has been officially visited. Personally, I' visited Courts ,TJnity, Robin Hood, Royal Oak, Charleston, Inangahua, Concord, and Aorere, and other district officers assisted me by their personal attendance at Courts Pride of'the Forest, Sherwood Forest, and Perseverance. I wish, to express my high appreciation of the cordiality of my reception as the district representative at the .hands of Court Unity and all the West Coast courts. I am satisfied that annual visits from the principal officer o'f the ' district to all courts under his jurisdic tion cannot fail to be. productive of much good to the order generally by in fusing interest and enthusiasm, and fostering the spirit of Forestry in the various centres, and any reasonable cost incurred by the district in this connection would, in my opinion, be money weir spent. I examined the books and securities of all the courts visited, • and found them generally satisfactory. The courta throughout are fortunate in hav-, iiig capable secretaries, who; take an interest in their work and the welfare of the respective courts. Court Royal Oak is also to be congratulated on the acquis!- \ tion of an interest in the Friendly Societies' Hall in Westport, which, I am informed, was returning a nine per cent, interest on the funds invested. "I have to thank all officials of the yario'us courts for favours received during my official visitß, and also several old and valued members of the Order" who accompanied me to outside courts. I Generally speaking, I found the working of the courts satisfactory, all the officers being well up to their ritual work, and imbued with the desire to keep up the best traditions of our Order. "Duping my year of office two matters of interest and importance in the wider sphere pf Forestry have occurred which Si'e deserving, pf'special mention. These are the distribution of the valuation report of the Government Actuary for the quinquenniftl peripd ending 31s*; : December, 1910, 4nd the further steps taken in reference to* the Subsidiary High Court movement- In regard to the former, our district seems to still fall short of the standard of financial stability required by the Actuary, although our progress toward thai important goal for the quinquennial period has been substantial, apd described by thff departmental officer as "satisfactory," Hardly any of the courts, in the* dictum of the Actuary, reach the minimum of requirements pf the law garding financial standing, and the ever recurrent cry of inadequate contributions and excessive benefits Is again strqngly pressed upon ua. This, however, Appears to be a matter more for individual courts' than for the district. "Jn April of last year a conference at which all the districts in the Dominion were represented, excepting South Canterbury, was held in Wellington to consider the advisability of establishing a . Subsidiary High Cpurt fpr ssev? Ssca-' lfl»(I. the proceedings, lasted. tw« days, and copies of the minutes have been disj tributed among the various courts, from I which it will have been seen that the desirability of the s,uch a ' court was affirmed, and the Wellington executive was appointed tQ take more

definite steps to further the movement with an advisory committee consisting of Auckland, Hawke's Bay, and Nelson delegates. Although no official intimation has yet been received from the Wellington -executive, which- met lastNovember, it has become public property through press reports that that executive has reported adversely on the movement;, and make the pronouncement that owing to the want of unanimity and other territorial reasons, the time is not ripe for the establishment of a Subsidiary High Court in the Dominion. Under these circumstances, it is fairly safe to say that the last has | been heard of the movement for some I years, or at least until a more opportune time to renew the agitation—a matter or deep regret to thinking Foresters, who ho'ld that such an institution is essential to the general progress of the Order ■throughout the Dominion. "I cannot conclude without expressing my thanks to my colleagues for valuable received during my term of office, particularly to P.D.C.RBro. Easdale, and D.S.C.R. Bro. Frank. Bros. Hunter, D.S., and Dodson, D.T., are also entitled to a meed of praise for efficiency and attention t<s the duties of their respective offices." On the motion of Bro. Moffatt, seconded by Bro. Bethwaite, it was resply.ed that the report be adopted and printed in the minutes. Bro - . Gibbard referred to the progress Court Royal Oak was now making, and expressed his appreciation of the services rendered the Court by the late i 'secretary, Bro. T. Dodson. Bro. Frank moved that the sum of £lO 10s be voted to the D.C.R. towards his travelling expenses in visiting outlying courts. This was seconded by Bro. Crispin. The D.C.R. declined to make any remuneration for visiting courts in the district. Several members spoke of the valuable information supplied by the D.C.R. as the result of his visit to courts. On the motion of Bro. W. T. Bond ssconded by Bro. J. Ching, a very hearty vote of thanks was accorded the D.C.R. for his services and' report on distant courts, and expressing the wisn that- the annual meeting of the A.O.F would be most happy and profitable' to the Order. ' ' On the motion of Bro. Moffatt, second ed by Bro. Ching, it was resohvd to thank the Oddfellows for their fraternal greetings, which were heartily reciprocated. On the motion of Bro. Moffatt, seconded by Bro. Stallard, the aciion of the district officers in granting/ Court Pride of the Forest permission to erect a hall at Wakapua-ka "vy_as approved. Accounts amounting to £;59 17s 6d were passed for payment. The valuation report on the Ne'.son district A.O.F. for the * quinquennial period ended December 31st, 1910, was discussed at considerable length. On the motion of Bro. J. H. Finney Bro. Scantlebury was empowered to interview the Registrar of Friendly Societies in regard to - the registration of Court Keramea, and repcrt to the "district, the district officers to have power to act. A notice of motion by Court Concord to suspend district rule 4, to enable the annual meeting for the year 1914 to be held at Greymouth, was ruled out of order by the D.C.R. In his valuation report, Mr A. T, Traversi, the Government Actuary, stated that the membership of the district dad increased since the last valuation; the sickness experience of the. last five years was favourable to the extent of £412, or six per cent; the mortality of the Society was on the- whole very close to the Ne\v Zea.land Friendly Societies' table j an excellent rate of interest was j earned over the Society as a whole, and no branch earned leas than four per cent, j the valuation showed a deficiency of £B7IO, or about £530 less than at 1905 j while the district had made a considerable gain from favoui-able sickness and high interest rates, which was DQN'T BE' WITHOUT A PIANO. I To make and k.eep home happy, you l use 3 piano, in it-. Thanks to the Dresden Co.'s honest and reasonable system of deferred payments, there are pianos in thousands of New Zealand homes, and the number increases daily. The four best pianos are — The Broad-wood ! The Roniseh ! Th,e Ljipp { and the Steinway ! New shipments of these famous and delightful instruments aro constantly arriving. If you aye thinking of a piano, write or call now. The Dresden Piano Co. carries very large "tocks, so that there i« not the a'ightest difficulty in suiting all tastes and requirements. If you want a good reliable piano at a reasonable price ,go to, THE DRESDEN PIANO CO., LTD., WELLINGTON. M. Jf- North Island Manager. Local Hepr-esentative, Mr Alt- Robinson, B.o.oJ{seller and Stationer, Hardy-stj.*

largely offsst by the admittance of newmembers at adequate rates of contributions, and the most urgent requirement of the Society was the revision of the scale of contributions. In conclusion, the Actuary stated that the district occupied a distinctly creditable' position in comparison with other friendly societies of New Zealand ns to the interest earned. He .said if its contribution scale was increased financial soundness would bo very much nearer. Bro. W. J. Moffatt gave notice to move that rule 48 be amended in the direction of altering the scale of contributions to provide an increase of one penny per -week' per - member to the sick fund. On the motion of Bro. Perkins, seconded by Bro. Scantlebury, it- was resolved that the levies to the funeral fund be 2s 6d for the first half-year, and for the second half-year such sum as the district officers may deem necessary, not to exceed 5s per member. On the motion of Bros. Perkins and Crispin, the levies of the management fund was fixed at 2s per member, payable half-vearlv. Brcs. W. H. Albcrough and J. H. Finney were re-elected auditors. It- was resolved on the motion, of Bro. Crispin, seconded by Br,o. Skilton, that the following members comprise the district Arbitration Committee for 1 the year, namely, Bros. W. H. Alborough, H. W. Bethwaite, W. T. Bond, James Ching, G. Dodson, A., Dodson, W. B.Condell, E. B. Fleming, E. Gill, C. J. Harley, W. V. Salter, and R. C. Withers. On the motion of Bro. Perkins, seconded by Bro. Moffatt, it was resolved that having considered the valuation report, this meeting that all courts- in the district readjust their finances in accordance with the Actuary's recommendations. Bro. L. J. Frank was elected D.C.R., and Bro: R. F. Crispin D.S.C.R. On the motion of Bro. H. Bethwaite, seconded by Bro. Perkins, it was resolved that the retiring D.CiR. be { accorded a hearty vote of thanks, and that his name be placed on the merit board. Bro. Allaii suitably replied. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded the district officers on the motion of Bro. G. Dodson, seconded by Bro. Crispin. The newly-elected o'fficei's were then duly installed, and the meeting closed in the usual r-; "inner.