MANCHESTER UNITY ODDFELLOWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13114, 1 March 1906, Page 3

MANCHESTER UNITY ODDFELLOWS.

ANNUAL DISTRICT MEETING. 1 ; The annual meeting of the district brand! of tin* Manchester Unity Order oi Oddfellows as held in the Oddfellows" Hali, CVokstreet, yesterday. Provincial Gaud Master Win. Thomas occupied the chair. Deputy Grand Master I hos. Aitken being in. the vice-chair. ' Provincial Corrcspondiug ,;• Secretary John M-cLcod (Fast Grand Master), P. G. Tyke (Warden), and the. following doppties. were also present:—Fountain of . Friendship Lodac, P.P.G.M.'s Edward L©>- Z,.\don, John Clark; Past Grands A. 11. Chappell. 11. A. A. Lo.lloux, E- HeaJey, and Ale*. . J.owrie; Good ]i:teut lAxige, i'.l'.G.M. . ,J. Whoark-y 'and. U. ."Rugo, P.G. I/, Solo« lnon and W. -V. Parker: Parnell lio-dgo, ,'T,v i'.G.'s W. Perry, E. \V. Twiname, and C. R. Tapper; Charles- Bruce Lodge iTiiallies}, ■ Past Urn ml 'I ln>.. Kerr and Per., sec. Fred. y-" Shaw; Wnikaio Lodge (Tliames), Past Granos \Y. ,i. .Johnston, .1. Johnstou, and tZ:? John Roue: Li.tke of bridge Lodge, •; P.P.G.M. Samuel Fletcher: Gis born© Lodge, • •'<>! Past Grand C. 11. Ainbridge", and Noble Grand Andrew .3lorg;tn; llof.vick Lodge.. P.P.G.M. Samuel 11. Wl.ito; Ilauraki ;• Lodge (Comniancjcl). Past Grand E. L. Marshall; Whangarel Lodge, Past Grand \\'al- > . ter R. Ramsay; .Franklin Lodge (Otahuhu), Past Grand S. :A. Fearnlev: arkworth '« ( - Pioneer' Lodge, past Grand 11. Sauthgato;; Hokianga Lodge,' Past Grand A. J. Anderson; Karangaitalio Ijodge, Per. Sec. F. !»-'■ i-.' Davis; .lolm J.eydon Lotlge (Wailii), Past. Grands 1). G. Saunders and C. K. Clews; Jubilee, Lodgo (l-'aeroa), Past. Grand Doug--;; .' las; Manukau Lvxlgc (Onehunga), Past Grand W. 11. Morten, jun.: •. Wjiitekauri, and Golden Crass Lodge, • P.P.G.M. Win. Siminonds- and Past Grand P. Grace; Waipu ■>;• Lodge, Permanent Secretary Angus Mclen- ™ nan; Hot Springs Lodge (To Aroha), Past Grand R. H. Mo';se; Matigouui Lodge, P.G. > Sydney. WrathaU; llaittillon L«/iige, Past Grand J. 11. Hanimond; iiikuraugi l.odge, >- > Past Grand T. Januan: Te Awamutu J;'; Noblo Grand R. F. Laud. Brothers Lo.vrio V and Clark were appointed rep«ners for tile meeting.": . *; •; GRAND MASTER'S ADDRESS. ~ , i , '. - ' "VThe Grand Master (Brother Win. Thomas)'. i-vj delivered an instructive address, which was ordered to be printed with the report of tho meeting. Ho said he missed many of those brethren who," since his attendance at these district meetings: had done noble work lot* "*,f tho Order. Still, die: spirit of brotherhood and unity wits as strong and powerful as in the good old days. During 'tho year it had been his pleasure and privilege to visit mosfc of the lodges, the only exceptions being Gisborne, W ark worth, Ilauraki, Hokianga, andiiMf Majigonui. He regretted hie inability to >:;? have included these lodges in his itinerary. He had 'x'eii plo.tsod indeed to note the enthusiasm -generally.': shown, and the quiet' progress that had been made. A recommendation from the Committee of Manage- <t v : • rnent upon the (Question of lodge visitation * would be submitted for consideration, which . he trusted would meet, with approval. He 'Si: was firmly eonvi,need that great .good, could v be d>no by - sending officers among ; the ' . lodges. To his . many enthusiastic country..« ? '''• | brethren be offered sincere thanks for their 1 many acts of kindness and endeavours to make their visits pleasant and profitable. , - He did not think ho would act fairly if he did not place oil record their apprecia.tioi* of the great labours of P.G. Brother Lowri<v"/ i under the special circumstances to make thfe picnic a success. •' During the year the mom- , : ; bership had increased by about 300, and not- : withstanding the fact that they ; had paid »' - sum of £758 in funeral pay, that fund stood t ;■ at nearly £1100 more than it did at Decem- > : ber, 1904." His; figures .were, however,•; only s v approximate . as, regarded the ' numerical. ( gain. ,1 If at tho endof the present year, i ;J., which concludes the quinquennium, a nioroX prompt delivery of annual returns . waa nob--*j-4 made to the C.S., they would again*be detained with'-' the' valuationf- to unnecessarily £■'. \ long limits.. The official handboolk had again, y. been issued. . The editors,' P.G.M. Brother v-' / John McLeod ! and P.P.G.M. Brother John Clark, with the financial manager, P.P.G.M,: Brother 0. West had succeeded, in turn- 'y., ing out .a' neat and " serviceable' work. A matter which must have attention was the conferring, of the .purple: degree. Bv the : ; - present system this degree could only :bei';,V:'«Jconferred by the district officers. Now, from fp'. experience, ho jfthe speaker) '. found . that j.' many country brethren ".never had an oppor- v . tunity of receiving this degree. Two Pa«t ; Grands, should, - bv warrant ;of the Pro. ; -.'Grand'Master, be. deputed from .time, to time y. : , in various districts- to confer this degree. ] Another question was the alteration of the day of J; \ meeting. He was quite tisfied that much ■oo r "the» valuable time v of- some of the deputies ' ; could vbe .saved bv reverting to Friday, in- ; stead' of Wednesday. Since .they last met - the valuations of the ■; district had come to hand, and some ; of the lodges were shown in not- too enviable a position. However,'as the -valuer had adopted v the New' Zealand . experience instead of the English experi- St ence, as his basi«, it was ..only fair that the matter should be -well considered before any < action vis.-i taken. To his: colleagues .v' the Deputy Grand Master and tire worthy C.B. he tendered his warmest thanks -for their o:*.. hearty and loyal' support. . To many of 'hi»-'"vf,? old and highly-esteemed predecessors in the : chair he .was, indebted for .much advice..'<??'v ' OTHSR" BUSINESS. The balance-sheet, showed, a . very healthy state of the fund:-!. - Th» total funds ■ invested now amount to .814,952 • 10s. an increase- ofo|*VS £1302 8s 6iJ for the 12 months.' The sum of '' I £758 was paid in; funeral claims for the pastj -year. ; •:» It was resolved that- the name of P.P.G.Mji" '- |,Clark,l«? sent 'Home to the' board of direc-', .' 'tors' in Manchester, ! with a view to the in- • : : Isertion of his portrait., and biography •in the..-';'-;.;.) . Oddfellows'.' Magazine, -published .in London*. ■ ,-It was decided- "oil* the application of' the r Rotorua Lodge, to refer, the question of fa-. cilitating clearances,of members to the fa- . vourable consideration'of the- Grand Master s ► and board of - directors.' at their meeting t<?" '.t» be held in* Nelson at Easter. : The fact, that''ithe Wanganui district had *- t joined the New land, branch of the Manchester Unity Oddfellows was received by ". the deputies- with applause. - ,-: It" was decide^vi li , to decline the application of the; Wellington . United Friendly .'Societies' Conference to send A : a"; delegate to a' meeting to vbe held in .May .'J Jin- Wellington, as'■ the Auckland district thought it advisable to t>e represented iit a conference to be- called by the Premier dur- : ing the 'next session of. Parliament. ' ". The balance-sheet and accounts, as printed and laid on the table, were unanimously,," adopted, as were also the auditors' and > special auditors' reports. Deputy Grand Master Thorn Ait ken (Waikato Lodge! was unanimously elected. - Grand Master; -. Past Grand W,. A. Parker (Good latent Lodge) was unanimously elected Deputy: v Brother John .McLeod (Past K <- Grand Master) was uuaninKWsly.olecteO I rovincial Corresponding Secretary ; -Past Grcnii C (i Tyke was ' elected, Warden: .l.ass firand A. H. Chappell the retiring trustee., . . . was re-ejected: P.P.G.M.', John .^-i k « re-electec! auditor, without opposition. .ro» 1907-3 this following were nominated , ioC . Provincial i Grand - Master. 'Deputy l Master W. A. Parker; for Deputy Grants „ Master Permanent Secretary Angus McLennan (Waipu); Permanent Sccrctnry. ' Chas. H. Am bridge (ftislxirnej, 1 as. Grand., D (; Saunders (John Liydon Lodge), Past - Grand W. R. Ramsay (Whangarei). Pr.3t: Grand Fred. Shaw (Charles 'Bruce Lodge).'y- -f Past Grand Master John McLcod was noxni-; naked as corresponding, secretary. The fob lowing deputies- v.-ere..elected to go- to Nelsoil: 'Provincial Grand Master.:' Aitken, Disi trier. Secretary McLeod, P.P.GIM.'s Clark.' ' '■ Win.". Thomas. Edward Leydon, and " Past .', Grand Ambridge. " .' , '. It, was decided vto increase. tlie number ofii'umembers of the committee from six to nine,, .. exclusive of the district officers and last Provincial Grand Master, '.seven.?- to form i & quorum. The committee is ■as follows' Provincial Grand Master Aitken,' P.P.G.M; i' William' Thomas, Deputy Grand Master W. A. Parker. Corresponding,. Secretary . :{ .Iqltn McLeod.i 1 District Warden (-. 5 -(*. Tyke; '■& P.P.G.M.'s Huge. Wheatle.v, Clark; 1 ; MeGo'n* nell, Weiitphal. Past Grands Solomon, Lowtrie, Chap pell,'and Morton. The now" officers Were duly installed, and a handsome . jewel' was presented ■ to the retiring Grand Master (Brother W. Thomas). - km • k '. •; ' • *