FRIENDLY SOCIETIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20422, 26 November 1929, Page 9

FRIENDLY SOCIETIES.

PROGRESS OF RECHABITES.

i . ANNIVERSARY AT HUNTLY.

Official visits have been made by the district officers at tlio quartorly nicotines of tJio Rechabito tents and good work is reported. .The Hope of .Auckland Tent roports steady progress. Quito a large amount was paid out in sickness benefit. The work of tlio juvenile lent is being carried on very successfully under the direction of Bro. A. Jonkin, and it is qxpoctod to renew the jnvenilo work in the Richmond district early in the new year. The officers of tlio tent, under tlio lead of Bro. Les. Jonkin, chief ruler, continuo for another term. Bro. William Pirrett, P.D.C.R., notified tlio tent of his departure for Chrislchurch very shortly. Ho was accordod a vory cordial vote of thanks and goodwill, for work done for tlio order, on tlio motion of tlio tent secretary, Bro. T. W. Marshall, and seconded by the district secretary.

Hope of Eden Tent held its quarterly meeting on November 18. The returns show that tho tent is well on tho way to securing the target membership set by the district for tho biennial period—2so. The transfer of a good number of juvenile members in the past quarter has helped to swell the adult membership. The team of officers chosen for next half-year is:— Chief ruler, Bro. W. Gilliam, jun.; deputyruler, Bro. A. A. Bodloy; P. 0.11., Bro. \j. S. Francis; secretary and treasurer, Bro. W. B. Gilliam; stewards, Bros. F. J. Barnett and E. Ryan; lcvite, Bro. Barnett; guard, Bro. IT. Williams; auditors, Bros. L. S. Francis and F. J. H. Harrison; juvenile superintendent, Bro. W. B. Gilliam. A past chief ruler's regalia was presented to Sister Nora Williams, past chief ruler of the tent, in honour of her service as the first lady chief ruler of Hope of Eden Tent.

The Kingsland Juvenile Tent is doing steady work under capable direction. It was announced that the Eden A team had won the Pascoe Cup in tho 1.0. R. tournament among the various tents. The Eden B team occupied- a place well up on the list. The winning team was Sister Francis and Bros. F. Chester, J. McPherson and L. S. Francis.

Hope of Hamilton Tent received a visit, with other Waikato tents, from tho D.S. There was a fair attendance of members and a general conversation tovk place over matters relating to the. juvenile movement and transfer and clearance members. It was agreed that a move be made to increase the membership to 100. and the, chief ruler of tent, Bro. H. C. Wood, convene a meeting to discuss ways and means of furthering tho interests of tho order in Hamilton.

Star of Cambridge Tent was visited this month, the C.R.. Bro. F. P. Lea. presiding. One juvenile transfer member was received from Pride of Waikato Tent. The new secretary, Bro. F. B. Lea, is settling down into the work, and when the busy season is over it is expected that the tent, will strike out on new lines with a view to a membership campaign. It has been arranged to hold a tent picnic on the first Saturday after the re-opening of the schools in February, 1930. '

The first quarterly meeting of tho Morrinsville Tent was held in the Masonic Hall this month, the chief ruler, Bro. W. fjiiith,. presiding. The, tent has a membership of 15 benefit members and four honorary members. It is proposed to held a social at the next meeting. There ire four propositions on the books and ".lore members will be coming in early in the new year. The game of bowls is also interesting the members of the tent, and later on serious consideration will be given to this matter, and also to the question of juvenile work. The future of the tent appears to be bright.

In connection with Hope of Eden Tent it is proposed to hold a Church parade at the Presbyterian Church, Balmoral Road, Edendale, on Sunday. December 8. The minister of the church, Rev, Gilmour, will preach a special sermon.

Rosebud Tent, No. 13, was established nt Huntly in 1908. and a coming of age social was held tliis month. The attainment of a membership of 100 was also celebrated. There was a very large gathering. The district chief ruler, Bro. E. Simon, of Ardmore, presided, and with him on the platform was a full board of district officers. In his address, the D.C.R. congratulated the tent and advised it to continue in the work of the order. The district secretary appealed to members to support the tent secretary, and urged upon all to work for an increase of membership and to encourage the juvenile tent. The tent secretary, Bro. B. Gardner, D.D.R., who has continuously held that oflico since 1914, said that when he arrived at Huntly ho wore the badge of tho 1.0. R., and was advised to remove, it, but he declined, preferring to stand by tho principles that badge represented.

The secretary of tho Rosebud Tent, in bis report, said that during tho 21 years of tho tent's existence, there had been much of an adverse nature to contend with, and for a time it had been found difficult to carry on. At tho end of the first quartor, thero was a membership of 14. which was raised to 16 at tho end of tho year. In the first five years the tent went through somo hard times. At the cud of 1914 tho membership stood at 40. By the end of 1915, however, it was reduced to 23. In ihfj next five years, which ombracod the war. only two members were admitted, while seven left. By the end of 1920 there were only 18 membors. Hard times had hit tho tent, but a determination to advnnco took hold of tho members, and a forward movement was made. Tho Sunbeam Juvonilo Tent was instituted in 1920. The tent, began to progress, and from that timo both sections, adult and juvenile, had not looked back. For the year ending November 25, 1929, tho membership reached 105.