M.U.I.O.O.F.-AGO DISTRICT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 6433, 25 September 1882, Page 3

M.U.1.0.0.F.-AGO DISTRICT.

The half-yearly meeting of the District Committee of the Otago District, M. U. I. O, O. F.,

was held at the Lodgeroom of the Loyal Dunedin Lodge, at Carroll's Hotel, George street, on Saturday afternoon. There were present—Grand Master Harrop, the Vicegrand, and representatives from all the lodges in the district except the Naseby Lodge. TIIK GRAND MASTER'S ADDRESS. P.G.M. Hauhop delivered the following address:—

" Worthy Deputy Grand Master and Dele! Kates,—ln opening the proceedings of our meeting to-day 1 trust I will nut be trespassing too much upon your patience Mid the time at our disposal in offering a few remarks regarding the statistics of the District as obtained from the half-yearly returns, and also upon other matters of interest alfecting our general welfare. I find that the number of members who joined the various lodges during the ax months ended June 30th was 52 by initiation, and five by clearance, making a total of 57. During the same period it would seem that the number who left by clearance, arrears, and death was 01, being an excess of four over the entrants. The number of members in the district on the 30th June was 1527. The average amount per member paid for sickness for the half-year was 7s sd, taking the District as a whole, and varied in the case of the lodges from Gd in the Lake Wakatip Lodge to £1 11s Sd in the Band of Friendship. The total receipts for the half-year, amounted to £4073 Ss, made up as follows:—For admissions, £70 11s Gd; contributions, £2193 2s fad ; funeral claims repaid by tke District, £140 Is ; interest, £10S2 12s 3d ; and sundry receipts, £581 Os 9d. Of tlic expenditure, £56S Gs 2d was for sick pay ; £170 for funeral benefits to members and wives: £241 12s for District funeral levy; £940 5s 4d for medical attendance and "medicine ; £231 7s Gd for salaries ; and for miscellaneous items £730 (is lOd— making a total of £2881 17s lOd. The total value of lodges on the 30th June was £32,188 (is 9d, of which £28,313 -Is Sd belonged to Sick raid Funeral Fund, £4170 3s 3d to Management Fund, £17015s Sd to other funds, and £210 3s 7d value of goods and lodge furniture. It affords me pleasure to state in compliment to lodge secretaries that the whole of the returns were furnished punctually, and were generally of a satisfactory character. A pleasing feature of the returns is the continued reduction which seems to be taking place in the indebtedness of Management to Sick and l'uneral Funds, a sum of £.ifi 10s 8d having been cleared oil during the half-year, and although four lodges have daring the same period increased the debt to an aggregate amount of £20 10s 9d, the district officers have received assurance in every case that provision has been made for covering the deficiency. The members of the Loyal Albion Lodge are to be congratulated upon the fact of now being able to show a clean sheet in regard to the Management Fund debt. It will also be in the recollection of some of yon that at our Purple Lecture meeting held in July last we were informed by brethren of the Loyal Prince of Wales Lodge present on the occasion that the long-standing debt of their Management Fund, amounting to £100 according to our last returns, had at length been cleared off. Some idea of the exertions made by the Lodge towards this end may be obtained when 1 mention that they have managed to clear off somewhere about £ISO of debt within the last four years, in addition to providing for ordinary Management Fund expenditure. I am sure you will agree with me, worthy delegates, in saying that too much praise cannot be accorded to the members of the Loyal Albion and Prince of Wales Lodges, and to the members of other Lodges struggling to attain the same object, for what they havo done and are doing. That they will ultimately reap their reward for the sacrifices they havo made through the improved financial' position of their Lodges, I think there can be mi manner of doubt, whilst they have set a worthy example to lodges similarly situated. You will see from the business paper that an application has been received from the Naseby Lodge for permission to dissolve. Since our last District meeting tho District officers, assisted by some of the past officers of the District, have given a great deal of attention to the affairs of tins Lodge, with the view of bringing matters to a more satisfactory issue than that which the members of the Lodge proposed. It seems that liquidators were appointed by the Lodee early in January last to wind up its affairs, since which time no Lodge meetings have been held, and consequently no contributions havo been paid or benefits received by the members. It came to the knowledge of the District officers that, notwithstanding the fact that nearly the whole of the members had signed their names an in favour of a dissolution of the Lodge, there was still a section of them desirous of retaining their connection with the Order. To those we suggested the feasibility of reconstituting the Lodge, and effecting » compromise with such of the members as were desirous of seceding, and it was thought advisable that the U.S. should proceed to Xnseby to attend a meeting of the Lodge called for. the 27th June last to consider the matter. The opposition and predominant party, however, being distrustful as to the outcome" of the proposed reconstruction of the Lodge, took effective measures to prevent a meeting being held on tho evening appointed. On the other hand, the party desirous of continuing the Lodge, having previously compromised themselves by signing U1 favour of dissolution aiid listing in the. appointment of liquidators, were avur.->e to the adoption of any measure* for carrying out their \i«v.K that would tund to further provoke illfeeliii", tho existence of which m their small community would be likely to p'.ove injurious. The attempt at reconstituting the Lodge was therefore a failure. Comment on the moral aspect of the question is needless. Tho application of the. Lodge U before you worthy delegates, ami it remains for you t.'deal with it. The i lisr.rict officers will be happy to nlford you any further information on the subject at their command, if required. Tho Consolidated Friendly Societies Bill having been re-mtro-duo'd into Parliament during the session just passed, copies of the same were obtained and submitted for the consideration of the Committee appointed for 111-, purpose. It was found on examination that the clauses to which exception wa:i taken a year :i<_'o had in the mi.in liirn amended in the direction then sug-Ki-'.tcd. :-■> that then: remained little to be done except lo Mi-g.:.,t a f-w verbal alterations of w. particular moment. A deputation of present ■mil pastorlic'M.i of l.he district, and of retire i-rm'tativL.s from other s-xieliea, also waited on iiro II S. Ki:-h, M.H.K., and Represented the dt-:iVal.ilil.v "'' f?eU'»« v"; bi" "mended so as to admit of ;i portion of the interest derived from B.'iielil, I'liii'l investments being appropriated to the Management Fund. It would -e-ir, however, f.lial Uie (iovernment are opiio^bd to th«. int.rodut;t.i'.:i of sm.-h a principle, and hence the bill lias become law without the desired emotion beinp: obtained. "Tin! J.VKistrarV annual report on friendly societies lias been issued, and contains a vast amount of n-'-iul .information regarding societies Ihroii'.'hout tl,e f.'ol,my. It: is also worthy of-notii;..- t.liat the rep.it, mentions m ciimpliinentniv ie'ins such of the societies as have furm-m-d satisfa-lorv r-turiw for the. past v-o- -nioii"^, wliiel, it. i< pl.vMii" to linil that til- LoYal "Dunwlili l;<..h<e ami the. District ~;,h,in 'a place. I am «lnd to slat.; that our p.J-ii.iMiis v/ii.h the Ku/islnr.' continue to bo nicab!-!. \noi.her circumstance which I feel assur.'.ii

wiu'lii: viewc'l with .-: l !, 1 -t:icu.>n llir.)U B h(.'it, tin-. |>i*t,ri<:l. h tli'i ivc.jiit iippMiiniuiMit <'f .>m-<.-.i-'liv »:i'l u-t.-. eui';ii Hn.Ui'T.s !'. 1.. 1..M. Sli.',', firut i'lt.^t i'cnnainint. Kv:r.'l.iiry l',>ub>n :>■>, ■~,,.!!,: j.-wlitoi-s .macr t!»-. Tri.^.lly :v. ( .i, ; ti, w Act it u-nsmily i'-fterciuiM'lwiil.iiiip'T-iuwmn ;.., ~uv p.i.t, thai thcso l.rcLliyrs r.^awit.;..! t.. ~!]„„. ((...niM^ui I- )■■; iii>mi...;iiMl f..,- Ihr. ~,,.i,i,,,,. ~,.1 w; iud JKH-Ucularly ;.!u,i^.l :it Hi,-if -wii-iiitiiiuiit, li'it imly luciiusi: tii'Vm: ~,!-:i:!>'-r.-'..f ..lir i.'V.'H I .>l:ijLl icl., bill ilNii lscc-iius'!

"As you are no doubt aware, during the recent session of Parliament some proposals o a novel and somewhat startling chaiacter uut submitted by the Colonial Treasurer a comprehensive, .scheme of national insurance, which would, in mv opinion, if earned into law, materially affect tho position of friendly societies. Tlie proposals submitted, however, are perhaiw ill too crude a form to rcnoer criticism on our part necessary or fair. 1 y.'ll therefore cutout myself with this brief notice regarding tlie matter. , "From tho reports recently to hand of the meeting of the A.M.C. of our Older, held this year in the town of Cardiff in A\ ales, we Rather tlie following facts regarding the affairs of the Unity. The total membership of the Unity on the Ist January last was o-W,iK).>, being an increase for the year of 4421, notwithstanding the suspension of 10 districts, with fit) 72 members, for uon-cnmplianco with tlio rules. The total sick and funeral fund receipts for the year ISBO amounted to £77M0l 10s Id ; and tho expenditure during tho samo period for sick and funeral benefits to .t'2i)2,0.(!1_2s SeJ. Tho total sick and funeral fund capital, including district funeral funds, on tho Ist January, ISSI, was £4,!)4(i,U35 5s ad ; and if we me ude widow and orphans' and other benefit funds, a total of IS, 177,230 Ss lid U readied—management funds being excluded. One important matter in connection with the proceedings ot the A.M.C. this year is the adoption of Hie long-talked-of scheme of establishing a Unity superannuation fund, whereby members may contract for the receipt of a superannuation allowance on reaching the fige of 05 years, m lieu of the ordinary sick benefit. This is a very important step, and one which I have no doiibt will further tend to popularise tlie Society and increase its usefulness. " T thank you, Worthy delegates, for your patience, and will now commend for your attention the items upcm the business-paper. " Dunedin, 23rd September, 1882."

DISTUIC'T lICSIN'KSK. The balance-sheet, the substance of winch is contained in the Grand Master's address, was adopted nan. con. For District officers, for which the election will take place at the annual meeting, the following candidates were proposed :—For the office of P.D.G.M., Bros. Deacon, Gntli, Sherwin, Davis, Smith. Jones, and Hitchcock ; Vice-grand, oil those nominated for the higher office, and Bros. Ibbotson, Lake, Stiles, Mowat, Gibb, Woodland, and Allen ; Corresponding Secretary, Bros, Black. Fulton, andSligo ; Treasurer, Eros. Robin, Geddes, and Outline; and Auditors, Bros. Burton and Hiteshcoek. , It was decided that the next half-yearly purple lecture nnd past officers' degree meeting should be held in the now hall, providing the place is ready in time. . A Revision Committee, consisting- of all the District officers and Bros. Leslie, Sligo, Deacon, Sherwin, and Goddos, was appointed under rule GO to preparo amendments of the District rules. To this Committee the following suggestions were referred :—From Caversham Lodge: "That clause 5 of District rule 40 bo struck out, and that the following amended clause} be inserted : ' Such contributions together with one-half the initiation fees and all interest which may arise from the investment of the whole or any portion thereof, shall be appropriated solely to the payment of the sick nnd burial of the dead, and that the remaining half of the initiation fees shall be placed to the credit of the incidental fund.'" Dalton Lodge : "That District rule 40 may bo so amended as to enable lodges to appropriate the initiation foes to the management fund. Hand-and-Heart Lodge : " That, in the opinion of this Lodge, it is considered desirable that a widow and orphans' relief fund should now be established in the District." Mr A. P. Smith appealed against his expulsion from the Loyal Dunedin Lodge, but the District Committee decided that they had lio power to act. \n application from the Roxburgh Lodge for permission to reinstate Bro. Thomas Cornish was'granted. ■~,,. After consideration it was resolved to decline to grant permission for the Naseby Lodge to It was resolved that the fine imposed on the Loyal Hand-and-Heart, under general rule 30, be remitted, the District officers having received a satisfactory explanation from the The following levies were fixed for the halfyear :—Sick fund, 2s ; funeral fund, Is. It was resolved that the forthcoming annual meeting of the District Committee should be held in the Hand-and-Heart Lodgeroom at Dunedin.

This concluded the business.