MANCHESTER UNITY.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 10415, 30 March 1910, Page 4

MANCHESTER UNITY.

(Per. Press Association.) Napier, March 29. A meeting of the Moveable Committee of the New Zealand branch of the ■ Manchester .Unity Oddfellows was continued to-day. The executive were requested to draft a suitable reply to Bro. Sir Joseph Ward's greetings received the previous evening. Bro. M'Leod said tiiat the Prime Minister took a keen interest in the welfare of friendly societies, and he (the speaker) knew personally it was against Sir Joseph's wisli that clause 15 had been' left out of the Consolidated Friendly Societies Act. A proposal. from the Auckland district to rescjnd rule 71a, providing for the medical aid fund being kept separate from the management fund, was rejected by 21 votes to 11. With reference to the rule dealing with clearances at New Plymouth, the conference's amendment was- made, which provided that a member clearing from " one lodge to another connected with the New Zealand branch should be charged the same rate of contributions he had paid to his provious lodge. The Auckland district now proposed' a further amendment providing tliSt a member shall be charged the rate of contributions in force in the lodge receiving the clearance at the age he joined the previous lodge, and shall be exempt from paying entrance money. The proposal evoked a long discussion, the chief argument in favor of the amendment lifting that it would he equitable in view of sick benefits not being uniform in several districts. Deputy Loasby moved,- on behalf of the directors, "That it be a recommendation to the .Moveable Committee to centralise the funeral funds on a system providing for the establishing of a ceniral society funeral fund by contributions, payable through districton an equitable graduated scale, to be provided by an acl nary, suitable for benefits in each district." Deputy Thomas moved as an amendment. '"That this mooting, whilst affirming the principle of establishing a eoi.tral. funeral fund, considers that the importance of the subject warrants further consideration of the matter being deferred-for two years." After a debate ' lasting over two -hours, ilm amendment \yas..lost_ by .19