MANCHESTER ORDER OF ODDFELLOWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume III, Issue 872, 30 August 1866, Page 4

MANCHESTER ORDER OF ODDFELLOWS.

SIEETmG OF .TH.fi A.M JQ. . ATiBiTBTON-ON-TEENT ■ ■ iTkE-.(ff.';M's.....&i^GUE^^ ' : - ; - The Grand '^Master-yrdse,- to .deliyer.' ~tHe -v.-in , - augural: .addressV, aid was;, received; .with.loud and. protracted. cKeerihg. ; ;;-lle)said'-^^ermit"m^ , i ' , totender':'ypu.my heartfelt; I hayie/ received. at«ths .hands'of the'members.6f : the Unity by. of your Grand blaster.'''■'■■■ln. my jp.erson^o ; ujpay.a;yery' flattering compliments to your. by electing, for. the time./a .Welshman, t<o: occupy this important position.";■-;at. :: : .the. same time you haye paid a mark, of respecfc'tp religten in the person 6f your Grand Master by ejecting, fbr thfe first time* ,a : minister of th : eg6spel. fcp.preside, over the largest, friendly.' society 'in. the world than this :youcould : hot dp-tp /the most worthy of ,ypur. members. I.trust I sh&ii. deserve your confidence to .the last; Theresas a time when the press and.pulpit, were arrayed . against, our Society/,' bjit;' now we', 'hare in the press a true and faithfulyViehd, who, when criticising our proceedings.dpes.so.with faithfulness, honesty,, and Atith a diie.regard to truth, while it is ready upou : all proper occasions'toLgiye us a helping hand in disseminating'the great: principles of an institution destined.' so largely tp benefit the people, of this country , ; while-the ministers pf religiort in this countiry'haye ceased to look with distrust, upon oui: order—and at this iaonient we number in pur, ranks'some of the finest spirits ainpngst the. public tekchers of our land; should there still remain.any doubt : upon the .minds of dny in this iniportaiit body,; we would respectfully and earnestly .'"iiivite them to enrol themselves as inembei-s of ovLt society, and so by their presence and. counsel assist us in our mission of teaching the: industrial population of the world to become better subjects to the rightful powers, that be, bettermeni:bers in the social circle; better sons,'better husbands, and better fathers.; this is. the great business pf our institution* and we; gladly hail the assistance pf all. in, the ..glorioiis work. (Cheers.) gentlemen, it is iny pleasing duty to congratulate you upon our. meeting Pf to-day, when our order, never occupied a higher position, than, it does at this moment. Whether we view our institution as to its. numbers, fund's, dr. influence on humanity, we shall,'not only find that it takes the first rank, arribngst the Friendly Societies, of the world, but; taking ail things into consideration, that it has now reached a ; position, numerically and .£nancialiy, never attained before either by this or any kindred society in the world. (Loud cheers.) We had. the privilego pf receiving into our order during the last year-the year 1865-alarger nuinr her of new members than ever was receivedin anyone year before, (Renewedcheers:). Ffdmthe complete returns received for Great Britain and Ireland and the Channel Islands, and. the partial returns come to hand, frorn districts in lands, we find that the society numbered on tile first day of.January,.iS6pi 443 districts, lodges, and 373,549 members in full compliance; and. during the year ending January Ist, i<8.66, we received, into the Society in Great Britain and. Ireland and the Channel Islands 28, 74i newmembers. (Great applause.) Of this large number 10,340, or 35 per cent of the whole* were young men of the ages of IS and 20; and that 12,409, or 41 per cent, of the whole number, were between the ages of 21 and 25-yeafa:; while 2,405, or 8 per cent, of the whole number, were of the age pf 30 years ; 1,767 vary between the a>es of 31 and 36., and of the whole' 29,744 we have only 638 who were 37 and abpve that age. This, gentleman, is a feature , that the best friends of the Society can well, be proud of. "We are novv receiving into Pjir Order the very strength, and manhobd of the country, During the last, year the tJnity lost by death 4,831 of its members, on which funeral money was paid to the amount of £46!,255 :6s; we by death 2,967 members' wives, von. iiiajcingV tetsrsiiS 1 fyifiP j&- : nmetu.r.naiaatk l n3 during the year of £64,433 Bs. This Sum spread over the whole Unity would require a levy upon each of its meni,bers of 3s 7M. to cover the funeral claims alone. Buriiig the year we granted 378 cards to members going in search of employment, on which'..the sum pf£272 I.ls. sd. was paid to brethren on trarel. This indicates a marked improvement in the condition/ of the industrious, classes of this country as compared with former years, In the year 1863 we granted 949 travelling cards, on.'which, we paid to brethren in search of empioylnent the siim of £994 Ss. 3d. In the year 1864, 557 were issue.d, on w ; hibh the Society, paid £415 Is. 3d.; but this year, we hayS ..the pleasure of reporting, an improved state oF things. Our returns for and miscellaneous,expenses.are .nOjt.yet.inade. up, but the sum paid for the year is a large One ;.judging from the returns, of the. previpus year it cannot be .less: than £227ii000 steriing;' ("Loud Cheers.) Hence, the annual, payments of the Society, for the benefit of members in sickness and plii age —to. members seeking the relatives 1 of n v embers-after their -death-, apd other payments, amount to the large sum of \£29iJ2ps 195.. 3d. Grathering frpm. the returns made last .year our probable position.for: this year, we ma,y rest assured that , when we : had paid every current claim f<Jr. the. year;, there remained a balance/in favour of the Society of over. £100,000, while the reserved fund:, ih. possession of the Order in various: branches is pvier £2,000,0QC) sterling. (Loud cheers).; ..Haying.'madd; all dednetions from losses by death: knd other, causes we find the condition. ; pf the tTnity ' on, first. day of this year in advance of the last.. iWenow number .448 distrifctSi 3671 lodges with 387,990 ten short of 380,000 good;; ; mea ■ apd. tyiie. This shows a clear increase' of five districts, 87 lodges, and 14,441 members.i' -Such, . was our position- on. the. first day Of theyeat 18'6'6.. The duties'of: ypur/ Executive for the past year h&y.ei been .light compared with spine .previous years. Nothing of any great importance has. occurred calling for remark here, but will be. brpught before,.you in ; due course, in. the reppr.t of the Sub-committee. During pui- sittings, several.questions, of. great moment to the.future well.being pf .pur institotion be prpught befpre yoii in the 'groppsitions sent in fpr your cprisideratiph:' .1 haye every from my knowledge! of. many pf the deputies ■■pre.se.nt v .thaifc^ese;niatters : -Trilj haye a fair arid a. deliberate cptisideration ;. and that every, .personal'consideratipri shall gire way to the. good of tlie Order,/in;; general. ■ .1 ieet sure, _ gentlemen,'. that your experience,. as well as -mine, must /convince , ypiii'-that the.epurse of legislation: in. pur annual gatherings ;■ for-.the last ■fifteen years' 1 On the first >yfear ; : 18pQ.the whole " Unity npmbered; : i22'4jß7b. ; '-ineinb,!fers;:;' : 'ilQss the ■ menib.ers liadiincreased-t0. 239,783,; in the year 18.60, : the; Society numbered ,3.05,214, .and in . 186 p the members numbered 387,990, thus, shosyihg, -'a steady; sure,' ..palpable,--and h-aalthy progress ; tlio increase: in ,the, : first:peripd*offive years .;bein'g members.;. : but.!;durmg: the .second' period of .fiyfe.vyears 'the' increase; had arisen to the last period, of the';S.oci'ei^-]aad''a' i clear''eain-0f:82i'7?6-inembbf s V(app] Wse)^the; great 1 ;biilk of whom -.ranged from.lß to 26 yeaxs ; pf:age. : : This.|tp my mind ought ip, bevconclusiveras f6 ouriine pf conduct in. the.-'future;:: 7l':will again: say. that we meet :this the most favourable : the easy .people would_ ..'.say' " theri'Vrgsjt but that, is.'not ?QQward : --';^d;on-w;ardj''",-. : -iiet-, : us each and all persevere to extend, and consolidate, more and : /.more/this l great Unity,untili shall -be felt tp be :a;:present "blessing;'to. its■;members,, a ;fu turef :;comfpr t ; t6:M6; :^ general.jbenefit -to., the world ; at..large. (The .Grand Master: resumed.;his.,:seat amidiaremendbus Times*.