DRUIDISM.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15350, 13 January 1912, Page 15

DRUIDISM.

The j-'OstP 01 "" 1 ' m (,,,1 ' ,, 0 of fJl ° l Vi ™ on I/odgo wo.-. held on Moi;tlay owning, wnuii Aifili Druid lira- D- H"id vrcuM owr a good attoiidanui nf immiliuis and vi.-ilw.s. Itoutira* iHfcim-vs was dealt witli, and iJIS 10s sick pav i>:i»msl. The lodge wutit into harmony, tiou'ral brethren contriliutiiiß in the enjoyment of all. The. loyal toasts »«a\i Honoured, arid tu-|x>nu«l to on Iniirvjf of tin: Ybiior.i i'V A.LI. Uio. Cook (Lily of tlio Valley). Arch Druid Uio F. Hudson <kx uplul the cuu.it' «t the. lorttwclitly in«tin.u oM'li' lioy-U Onk l.oili,'-; on .tlonday ingnl. '111.-atl'.-mlunct: was very good. A I-tir amount ul busiwwi ■ was twiiMittw!, and <«■« <ill " li ' date was initialed. U.l'. Bro. .U'llcaiJi havingd«Jine.d nomination as one oi Iho £o:vnoy judges, JJro. SU.tj..' wi«i nonnnalKl in lua »u-.i(l. Tin: iods«' re.-olvcd !*• >is. -.»ay '.villi lKHloe bixib .Hid IiSU tll.s implicate Jecuipl l-iNim in their plant. •Jhe Oiivo liranCJi (JmcniUt.) n" "" Tuesday cvuiin;;, "l"» A.I), lite. Kw.'t presided over a sjilcndid iitlumlaiioj ol Uio ladj. Tills U-'inj W" annual meeting III.: joulhful brethren received their Ixnu.-i", which ainmiiiio.l to * and as, uttoiduij; w their Miitu». 'Jliu lollowniß <-"'f*» ™<- t0 Avt<d lor the fii-uinif utiii. —A.U. Uio. ,)' Ullks; Y.A.,.1>i0. (J. MT.aien; J.U., 1)10. \V. llolda-way; 0.U., liro. L linm..haw; A.I). Bards Lire*. W. UrctUhaw and V. Iloltlaway; Y.A.lS.'.s lire*. J. iiiyor and K.M'l'me. The. ollicors will bo installed next lodge ni«lit 'Hie l.ily of Uiv V.nwy I/xi|re met on Wednesday, in llic All-imy Street Hull. The attendance ol mejiibem w.u; very fftui. and A.I). liro. W. Cook presided, 'iiie visitor." were I'.D.l'. Bro. M«s (Lvaidioo arid V A. JJro. Whitty (Bay Lodye). Tlio lodge held a very quiet inectint;, and aJler routine. biLsinoih was dealt with the nioiiibcra hpent tho evening in a friendly gaiuo of cards. The regular nieclinj! of the All Nations l-odgu was ln-'ld on Tuesday evening, A.l). llro, Scililin presiding. There wa<s a splendid iittoixL.K*). U.l'. liro. Urotkio paid an olliciai visit. Tlio DLstrict Urawl President, ■ iiro. .Mitchell, paid a surprise visit, and was jiecompaiiied by C.LI. BrO. Steele; and L'.DtU*. Bro. Bryant. I'.D.P. Br°Hobcrtsm (Olago Ixxiijc) was ai.-c a victor. Consiilorablo busimss was dealt with, and U5 lis <d nick \ay pa-w'd. h'cvural presentations wero nwido (luring tliu ovenI'.A. Bro. U. Burl was t«o li-ei-iiiont of a iiaiulsomo fnwincil diploma and a P.A. 60-ih, having siKx.-essfully pasted ihrnugh the cltaira. Tho District l'rooident inado tlin premutation in a. few wellchosen wards I'.A. Bro. Crajg received a P.A. sash from tho kinds of tho Grand PreMdont, who wiiiipliinciitcd tho recipient on his cnlliueiasui in iho lodge.aswiliieswlby him in introducing tJw Jiio.it members (luring tho previous 12 montlis. Bro. Biwikio presented a safety razor to P.D.P. Bro. C. Jaoolmin. who was ««)nd to Hro. Craig. Tho reoiiiicnl.4 nuilalily respondd. ' During the evening n frwlinnfil.s wc.ro handed round, liros. Stcole fre*-jl.-.tion's), HarlanJ imitation), and Joluiilono (songs) contrilulled ti tho harmony. The Grand President, Hro. Hryant, iiro. Steele, and the District President rrcjionileil to l.ho loasls. The followiig ap|K-!ired in tho AuMrid Druid rwiently on tho subject of eonsolidafion:—"Wo iiavo rxod an address ii|x)ii llio above subject delivered in l/xlgo Ivanhoe. New Zealand, by Hro. P.D.G.P. Bro. Khcllon. This suhiect for foinn timo pitft lias been much in evidenco in the Dominion; in view of its general adoption by iJie societies of New .South Wales; our biethren across tlio M>a naturally furii lo our exporioiice for Mimo guiibnce. Hie (vjiiilitioiu underlying tho principlu would lipiiear Ui bo ihe Mtno in New Zealand Hi our own State; iJiis hcing mi, we may bo pindoned for having a word to fay in favour of tlio consolidation by our order throughout New Zealand. Our worthy friend, Bro. Shelton is an anient op|ioociit to tho inlrxKluctiou of coiifolidalion, his opposition lieing based ii|<on tho ground that oentrul eonlml of the xiok fund is not in accordance with friendly M«'.ie,y principle. U would I* interesting to luivu ltro. Shelton's opinion upon tlio ooiiiolinateil funeral fund. However, the remarks regarding the application of ooreolidation might wifely lie Jcft with tho brethren winwrncd. and would havi pafsixl lijlliotioisl wore it not for tlio rcforcuciH nlado lo what Australian hocietioi; liavo done, and Uio aiiitTituitiiig ciiufts of Ui-j adoption of tJio piinoiplo nndej- consideration, lliiclly, tlio iKva'lion jinnr lo 1835 wan that the Kriendly Socielii's, Act provided that eacJi branoli, u|mii mgistnation, Uvaiiin )>rnclic.illy a .•olf-govcrning sooietv; there was no unity of any institution under its provisions; and, furthor, the. adniinisliution of t'ne then (registrar called for drastic amendment. The Grand I/idge of Now South Wales in session yastcd lcgisl:ilion which wus in no uiso binding uik.hi Iho braw-luv un!gs3 tlio bnincli decided to adopt, and register the same. The amended legislation deblroyed this anomalous iwn(lition, and brought into being tho lin-t flop towards consolidation—namely, tlio recognition of iho various branches as aooiiercl« society with central governing body. To this act and its careiul adminu-lration may tlio progress of (lie various societies Ki traced. A candidato now joins tho oiiler and mil!)' not tho branch, and ex(ici'ii'wo him uluiwn Iliat Urn nwinbor's in-' ioiwt and pride in his branch Ls still inaintaim*l, but with tJiia addition: ho is also full of interest for tho well-being of tho order of which hn is a unit. It is generally admitted that the experionco of Iho Registrar of Friendly Societies of New South Wales (.Mr J. B. Tiiveti) justifies his advising the various societies on matters of moment. Tlio following extracts on consolidation are taken from his report to 'Parliament for tho year 1906:—'As a. business let its reflect how tho consolidation of funds will alTeot the avcrago eili/.eii who may contemplate joining a friendly wwiofy. lie would not only l<x)k at the iv.ient of licncfit wxauised and the eontribulion chargeable, but abo at the silo of Lho lodgo, to too wlietiicr a good backbine existed for mutual help; iilmi at the ainunnt of reserve, fmids to meet iiuitingeiu'ii<ii. If he had to choose lietwcen two lodges, tho one with a sickness fund of a few hundred pounds at its credit and llio other willi many iJioiuuiib to draw iij-ffli, (hero <\iu Iw no doubt as to his decision; consequently, wo have, in addition lo the added safely of the lodge, a most wholesome advertisement of tho order in the eyes of tlio public. There are also valuable lrtwiw lo lio leanK'd from the aeltwrial aspivt. The contingent liabilities of ticki*s» and deatli In nellts are kinul on natural events, tlio ocvtirrcniv of which is, in each ease, snscepliblo of calculation by way of average; and in tho adoption of scull's of contributions in eoiinwlion with tli«>se IvueliU it is mvessny, alxivo all things, to carefully regard tilx> avcragi-s which have Ix-eu evporientvil in lliu p;u>l; clherwto it will Iv by no means certain that a given tvale of cvntrilxitioiis will fit in with the actual results in tho future. If we take a table of contribution* based on and a|>jJy it to a Ixxly of nuii siifficientlv largo to givo some assurance that Uio future eickuess ami mortality of sueli men will i>o a. reivtilion of sueii averages, then we are proceeding on safe lines. It is, thenifore, ovi(k<ntlv desirable that we slwuld arrange nienilipr.-, in lyntuvtion with a benefit fund, in puflicu'iitly ininnvous grvnips to oiL«ure that expeetivl sieknos; cr mortality shall Imppen in aixordaiKv witli the average cxiwrienw. If the binds were consolidated theiv would J>e no cxtinplieatiou or hardship, as the ineiiiUire wvuld belong to one huge lodge, aixl iHiuld mm-fi alx-.ut tho country as they pliusod without any hindering ' financial o|vra(ions in tlie sliape of elfttrattce value?. It has lveu said that if tho sickness futiiLs were conscJiilaled tlvsre would K< an undermining of tii.it fraternal fivjing amongst tiie memlvrs which is one of the d;stingiiisliing ami clwrishcd f.vitunv: of friendly sooietv life, lict nhi ask, in jj;,i first phhv: Is tlhvx> any r»iis])ieuous laek of fraternal fivlings at pro.vnt when tl:o funeral fund is out of tlio hands of the lodge*? Also, is there liiely lo K> ,-jiy disap|<oar.inco of fraternal regard as long as the l<nlgi<s still posscsn mediml fumLs to eemetil tlt.Mii tcgetlior? The acme of fraternal-feeling » readied \vho:\ we can truthfully asert (2>nt all are for oik 1 , m\i] one for all, wlk-ii tho total funds of tli-> soetoly are tlie guarantee of eich memIvr's benefits, and vvluw the individual mciabor realises that ho Ikis a sacred duty to iwrfnrin in return to tlw wholo of tlie n.entl)ers of the society. A largiT interest will K> pvokcxl and good must result. 11k; existing sjvtcui of kvalism U more caleul.it.Nl to insjsi and disresard for tlie w.int«. and dangers of others and a wiwolidated swteill the ])i'omises of a patriotic regard for t\n\ stability of tho society, and for tbo diseharge of sicknews ckiinw of every unit of the nirtiilvr siiip.' The atx.vo fully fflustraio tlie ex|>crieiico of tht- Uniiotl Ararient Order, of Druhk in New South Wales aitea' an ex tended experience.*'