FRIENDLY SOCIETIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21389, 17 July 1931, Page 12

FRIENDLY SOCIETIES

' FORESTERS. ‘ ■ The fortnightly meeting of Court Pride of the Leith was held on Wednesday last, when there was a large attendance of members and visitors. The C.R. occupied the chair and welcomed visitors from various city and suburban courts,- At the adjourned meeting which wiaie- held on July 4 one new member was admitted, and two more additions _ to the roll were added at this meeting. : A grant from the Benevolent Fund was madeto a member in distressed circumstances, , and the ease was referred to the ;District Executive for favourable consideration. Official visits were received from Courts Robin Hood, St. Andrew, Little John, King Edward’s Pride, Woodland’s Pride, and Queen of Green Island. P.D.C.R. Bro. R. S. Yercoe was duly nominated as judge for the forthcoming general ■’efficiency competitions. After the reception of four nominations for membership, members adjourned to the loweir . hall, when an old-time dance was held which was very successful and well carried, out under the charge of Bro. Yercoe. X The half-yearly meeting of Court-Bruce, Milton, was held on June 29, when; despite the inclement weather, C.IL -Sister Fiddes presided oygr a good attendance of-members. Bro.’Paul spoke on. the inadvisability' of .. bolding the annual ball of the court this year owing to the. financial depression. After a discussion it was decided to extend an invitation tosister courts to pay an official visit to the court, in lieu of the annualball, and that the visitors be entertained at a complimentary social evening. The Social Committee was appointed’to make arrangements for thus celebrating the court’s sixty-sixth anniversary. A musical evening would be held next meeting; The "Tribute to Fallen Members” was impressively rendered by the bcrs standing in reverent silence. Three candidates were proposed, and at the conclusion of the meeting a euchre tournament was held, the winners being . Mrs M. E. Paul and P.C.R, Bro E. Marshall. Court Pride of Alexandra held, its usual meeting in the Masonic Hall, Alexandra, on June 22. The C.R., Bro. J.; Duncan, - was in the chair, supported fay I.P.C.R. Sister L. M. .Templeton. A pleasant interlude in the transaction of- business was the presentation of the usual certificate and, collar to P.C.R. Bro. D. Baird,’which was . ably' carried out by P.C.R; ;;Bro. M'Kellar; who; eulogised the work v of the recipient for the court and for the; Order generally. Other speakers were Sister Templeton, C.T., Bro. Mathias;* PH-R. Bro. O’Reilly, and the secretary, - Bro. C. B, Robertson, Arrangements were attended to regarding the debate with the local Mutual Improvement Society,’; and adjudicators were appointed; ' The speakers for the court are P.C.R. Bro, O’Reilly, S.B. Bro. Beilby, and Bro; 'Hunt. - At the social which followed the'me'eting, a toast to Bro. Baird was honoured. 1 The secretary recalled Bro. Baird’s ; record while'jtt.the chair, and said that that period marked a milestone in the history oil tffe court, for. it was then that the changepyer from a male court to a mixed one - was made. On behalf of the court, the speaker ; wished Bfo. Baird the - best of go'Od Wishes on his forthcoming ma/riage, and every success in the future. The fortnightly meeting of Cpijiyt.Saint Andrews was held on Monday last/ when C. Bro. H. C. Halford presided over ■ a full complement of officers, and a‘good .: attendance of members. The sheet, for the past half-year was submitted by the auditors and adopted; It showed .that the court funds were in a healthy Imposition. The auditors v were thanked, .-.for . their reports. Bro.;jß'.‘: Jef--ferson; secretary, received the heartyifcongratulations. of the members on the occagiop .pf , : his ? golden wedding. Broi 1 ; Jef-ferson;--in'Suitably thanking the members for their kind wishes, gave an interesting outline of his 50 ; years op' -married life. The C.R. extended a welcome to P.C.R. Bro. S. B. of Coilft Enterprise, who suitably'replied. The invitation to attend an old-time dance from Court Pride of the Leith- was accepted. Three .new, members were admitted, and after’ the close of the meeting an impromptu dance was much.', enjoyed by all. J « The quarterly meeting of Court . Little John was presided over by C.R.vjßrp. A. Gibson, and there was a good attendance of members, P.C.R. Bro. H. L. Thdmson in- a ®d PH.C.R. Bfo‘. W. Sinclair, the C.R.,’ and the secretary, Bro. R. C. Wilson, were elected a . Relief .Committee,- An interest-* ing letter was received from P.C.R. Bnn G. Scrivener, who is now secretary of Court Loyal Enterprise, at Masterton. That court had. made,.satisfactory progress since. Broi Scrivenor- was elected as its secretary, and last year the court was the winner of the shield for the greatest increase of membership. It was decided to send congratulations to Court Loyal Enterprise on its success, and to Bro. Scrivenor on the good work he had done for the Order. Arrangements were made for entertaining the members of-■ Court Pride of Bruce, juveniles, on Saturday next. After the meeting an enjoyable hour was spent in dancing and games. Court King Edward’s Pride held its half-yearly meeting on Thursday, June 25, when there was a very large attendance of members, over whom the ’C.R., Bro. J. A. Peat, presided. Invitations were accepted from Coiirt Pride of Green Island to its twenty-third anniversary, and also to the old-time datice to be conducted by Court Pride of the Leith. P.C.R. Bro. A. S. Dyke, was nominated as a judge for’ the ensuing efficiency- competitions. Mar-: ried members with, children were notified of the amended conditions of the James. . Macfie Memorial 'I, Scholarship, and were urged to enter them for this valu-.v able prize. The action of the secretary in conveying the congratulations of the mem- - bers to P.C.R. Bro. Jefferson, secretary of Court Saint Andrews,; on the celebration of his golden wedding, was endorsed. Five new members were initiated into the ; bonds of the Order, and two. nominations ; were also received. After the meeting.*; “Question Box”, was conducted,, and-the-answers to many of the questions caused much merriment;. The remainder of the .’ evening was devoted to dancing to music;supplied by P.C.R. Sis. M. M. Fraser. '% The fortnightly meeting of Court Pride of Gore was held in the nandroom, Gore, on June 25, when C.R. Bro. Cottrell presided over a fair attendance of members. ■ One member was reported on the sick funds. An invitation from Court Star of the Forest to pay an official visit to Woodlands, was accepted, and arrangements were left to next meeting. Follow* ,; mg the meeting, the sisters entertained the brothers to a social evening and supper. ' Court Sherwood Forest; juvenile branch attached to Court Little John, held its meeting on Friday last. It was well attended and was presided over by*C;R,: Bro. T. Miller. Invitations t.o be present at the anniversaries of Courts Pride of the Valley and Star of Dunedin were accepted. P.C.R. Bro, A. Gibson urged on members the necessity of increasing, their., numbers. Several of the youthful members would shortly be transferred to the adult court, and to keep up the strength it was necessary to fill the gaps. An official visit was received from the Management Committee and members of Court Pride of Bruce, juveniles. The secretary, Bro. Wilson, in extending a welcome, to the visitors, expressed his pleasure at the large number who had come from Milton, and hoped they would have an enjoyable time. P.C.R. Bro. J. Begg, on behalf of the visitors, thanked the local members. % for their hearty welcome. The Milton members had been looking forward to the trip for some time, and he felt sure they Would all learn something and enjoy their visit. P.C.R. Bro. Marshall, secretary of’ the visiting court, also responded, and gave an account of the progress made in juvenile. work at Milton. Although the general depression was having a bad effect on friendly societies, his court was holding its own, and six members had been transferred to the adult court. Secretary’Bro. Paul, of Court Bruce, responded-on behalf of that court, and spoke bn the. benefits to be derived, from juvenile branches. He made special reference to the good work done by the late P.C.R. Bro. W. A. Wilson in connection with the juvenile movement in Milton, and it was due mainly to the efforts of the late brother that Court Pride of Bruce had been formed. After the meeting the visitors were entertained at supper and a pleasant time was spent in gomes of various kinds, arranged by P.C.R. Bro. Gibson, closing with “Auld Lang Syne.”