HIBERNIAN BENEFIT SOCIETY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21542, 14 January 1932, Page 11

HIBERNIAN BENEFIT SOCIETY

Among those present on Tuesday evening at the half-yearly meeting of the St. Joseph’s branch of the HibernianAustralasian Catholic Benefit Society was the district deputy Bro. J. J. Marlow, who was welcomed by the presiding officer, Bro. Sullivan. The main business of the evening was the installation of the officers of the branch, who had been elected previously. The District Deputy, assisted by Past Presidents Bros. A. Gillick and J. J. Marlow, jun., performed the ceremony in a manner which must have impressed both old and new members. After installing the officers Bro. Marlow addressed the members on the benefits to be derived from membership of the society, and urged them to leave no stone unturned in an effort to increase the membership total, especially this year in preparation for the jubilee of the branch, which falls in March, 1933. He recalled that at the end of last century the slogan of the branch had been “ One hundred members,” and that it had been a hard fight to attain that goal, but that within 18 months after attaining the number the membership totalled 300. He offered his congratulations to the elected officers, and impressed upon them the honour done them and the duties which they had undertaken.

The newly-installed officers thanked the D.D. for his advice and the members for their confidence, and assured them that no effort would be spared to make 1932 one of the most successful in the history of the branch. The new officers installed were: President, Bro. W. C. M'Donnell; vice-president, Bro. M. Scanncll; secretary, Bro. J. J. Ford; treasurer, Bro. T. J. Boyle; Warden, Bro. J. Quinn; Guardian, Bro. Dyson; sick visitors —Bros. A. Sullivan, W. Simpson, P. Casey .and Roskilly; minute secretary, Bro. J. Toner. The retiring president, Bro. A. Sullivan, was made the recipient of a pastpresident’s collar, and in presenting it Bro, Marlow complimented him on his attention to his duties while filling the various positions he had held in the branch. Bro. Sullivan suitably replied, and wished his successor a happy term, expressing the hope that he would receive the same measure of support that he himself had received from members. The secretary reported that the Hibernian scholarship had been awarded to J. Bacos, as son of one of the members, who had attained second place to J. Daly, who was unable to take advantage of it. Daly was also a son of a branch member. > General business, including the passing of sick pay and the reception of a report on the meeting of the Otago Friendly Societies’ Council, occupied the remainder of the meeting, which closed with the usual prayer. Members remained for a social hour during which advantage was taken of the appointments and pastimes of the club rooms.