ANCIENT ORDER OF FORESTERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1893, 2 March 1888, Page 14

ANCIENT ORDER OF FORESTERS.

The annual meeting of the United Otago District Ancient Order of Foresters was held at the District Chambers, Manchester Unity Hall, Stuart street, Dunedin, on Friday, the 24th in6t., commencing at 2 o'clock p.m. There were present: D.C.R. Bro. J. G. Butler, D.S.C.R. Bro. J. Melville, D.T. Bro. J. Macfie, District Secretary Bro. W. Woodland, D.B. Bro. B. Halford; and delegates representing the various courts as follows :— Court Pride of Duncdiuy P.D.C.R. Bro. J. Haig,and P.C.R.'s Bros. R. Ingram and Loraine; Court Enterprise, P.D.C.K. Bro. W. Ibbotson, and P.C.R.'s Bros. G. Crouk and 3. Wilkinson; Court Robin Hood, P.C.R.'s Bros. T. Anderson and A. Dawson; Court Pride of the Leith, P.C.R.'s Bros. G. Mitchell, J. Matthews, and J. Kilpatrick; Court Bruce, P.C.R.'s Bros. J. Inglis and Hislop ; Court Pride of Oamaru, P.C.R. Bro. W. Cairns; Court Star of the South, P.C.R.'s Bros. J. C. Howie and F. Thorn; Court Saint Andrew, P.D.C.R. Bro. C. Williams and P.C.R. Bro. W. C. Jackson ; Court Excelsior, P.C.R. Bro. W. Mearns, . The D.C.R. opened the meeting by delivering the usual address. The D.S. read the minutes of previouß half-yearly and special district meetings, which were duly confirmed. The D.C.R. then read the District Executive's report for the past year, as follows : — Respected Brethren,— Another year with all its changes has passed over our heads since we had the honour of being elected as the executive officers of this important district ; and to-day we hand over to our succesDors the trust yon placed in our hands. The past year may not hare been as prosperous a one as we would have liked in a commercial point of view, yet we must congratulate ourselves on the increase of membership during the year, and that we are spared to meet 'once more at this the annual meeting of the United Otngo District. In accordance with a resolution paeaed at the Jast half-yearly district meeting, re holding name land of demonstration during tbe Bummer, your ftxecutive called a meeting of delegates from the various courts in and around Dunedin and Port Chalmers to consider same, and they decided a fete should be held at the Friendly Societies' gardens, Sawyers' Bay, oa the 9th November, for the benefit of the district relief iund . 'i he fete was held accordingly, and proved a success (especially as the morning was wet), and the sum of £25 4a paid over to the above fund. Wo strongly recommend to our successors the advisability of holding a fete annually on the 9th November, a day we held our fetes for many years. As this the district relief fund is available for members of all courts in this district to participate in, we would strongly recommend courts in the country rtidtriots to get up some kind of entertainment annually, say, on tho 9th November, and make it a Foresters' day all through the district, to assist in augmenting the above fund. We thank the members of committees and those members who patronised the fete, more especially our Port Chalmers brethren, who marched to the grounds in regalia with brass band that cost the committoe nothing. We trust that on future occasions of the kind more of our town members will turn out and try and make a better show than they bavo done for some time past. The number of members on the books of this district January 1, 1887, was 1221, as per return*. There joined during the year by initiation, 146 ; by clearance, 7 ; making a total of 1374. Left during the year by arrears, 97 ; by clearance, 9 ; by death, 14, leaving 1254 members on the books; showing a g*in of 33 for the year, which must be considered highly satisfactory, considering the very depressed state of the timeß. The large addition to our membership is, no doubt, due to the reduction of initiation fees, wisely adopted at the last half-yearly meeting of the district ; and we believe had it been done sooner we should have added hundreds of young men to our membership. Your executive are sorry to find so many of our members taken from us by the hand of death. During the year we have lost no less than 14 members, two of whom were P.D.C.K.'s of this district, viz., Bros. Brundell and Stevenson. We very much deplore their loss, as they had been good and true Foresters. The late Bro. Brundell was one of the pioneers of Court Pride of Dunedin (the first court opened in Otago). He was elected the first Chief Ranger of the court in January 18615. He 6eryed several offices in his court, also D.C.E, of this|district. Bro. Stevenson, although not one of the pioneers of Court Pride of Dunedin, joined soon after it was opened. He served various offices in the court, besides being elected to the office of C.R. twice, also various offices in the district. He was also trustee of Court Pride of Dunedin at the time of his death, a position he had held for many years. The financial position of the courts we think very favourable. The funds areas follow :— Courts' sick and funeral fund, £14,797 2s ; management funds, properties,^., £1747 6s ;— total, £16,544 8s ; while the district funeral fund is £2812 8s lOd ; management fund, £130 18s lOd; relief fund, £564 oa9d; goods, properties, &c, £176 6s ;— total district funds, £3713 14 a sd, making the grand total of the United Otago District £20,258 2s sd. During the year the district has paid £300 for funeral claims, while the courts have paid away in sick pay £1038 9s 2d. While some of the courts have experienced a heavy amount of sickness, others have experienced very little — for instance, one court averages just 15 days' sickness, another averages about five hours.

The committee appointed with the executive to revise the rules have had several meetings and got on very favourably, but before they can complete their labours they require the valuers' report as to the financial position of the district as a whole, and your executive trust that courts that have not as yet sent in their quinquennial statement to the valuer, Mr Wiggins, will do so immediately, as the forms were issued to the secretaries of courts over two months since.

Your executive sincerely regret that they Bhould have to refer to the laxity displayed by some courts in nofc forwarding the half-yearly and annual returns in accordance with the rules. They should be sent not later than the 18th of the months of January and July respectively. There were a very tew Bent in by the lßfc February, and at the present time there are four courts that have not sent in annual returns and two courts not sent in half-yearly returns, by reason of which the audit is delayed a considerable time, The information required for statistical purposes is wanting ; in fact, a reliable report cannot be given by your officers. Wo further trust that provision will be made in the amended rules so as to ensure the returns being sent in in proper time. We are pleased to notice the interest the Registrar of Friendly Societies is taking in friendly societies genei ally, as you will ccc by the address delivered by him lately in Wellington, copies of which have been circulated to fill the friendly societies in' New Zealand. We earnestly trust themembersof our order will read it and study it well, as it is of very great importance to the future welfare of our great institution.

By the lasb returns issued by the High Court at the annual meetingheldin thecityof Glasgow in August last, it showed the numerical strength of our order to be 667,576, a gain of 20,493 for the year ; and the amount of capital •. Court funds, £3,314,356 ; district funds, £427,719 ;— total funds, £3,742,074. Showing the order to be making rapid 6tndes all over the world.

In conclusion, we trust our successors may have a pleasant term of office, and 'that the United Ofcago District will go on prospering for some time to come, and that we shall not stand second to any district in this colon v. We thank you for your courtesy and brotherly feeling towards us, and remain, yours in the bonds ot Forestry,

John George Butlbr, D.O.E. John Melville, D.S.C.E. William Woodland, D.S. Jamks MAcrrE, D.T. Edgak Halford, D.B. The report was received and adopted, as was also the balance sheet and auditors' report. The society decided to take out the "fidelity bonds" for their officers ia the Foresters' Guarantee Fidelity Association established in Christchurch. The question of funeral reform was suggested, the same to be carried out in a much more economical manner than in the past, and was referred to a committee to inquire into and report at next meeting. The question of allowing young men who are single at the time of joining aud having widowed mothers to have the benefit of doctor and chemist as long as the member remained single was also referred to the Revision of Laws Committee for their consideration : also

that of giving the privilege to honorary memben of the surgeon and chemist providing they pay the usual surgeon and chemist's fees. The election of officers for the ensuing y^ was then proceeded with, and resulted a* follows :— D.C.R., Bro. J. Melville; D.S.CR Bro. E. Halford ; D.T., Bro. J. Macfie re" elected); D.S., Bro. W. Woodland (re-elected) •• and D.8., Bro. G. Morgan. The Arbitration Committee were balloted for, and this results as follows :— P.C.R's. Bros. C. Williams, J. OuU ram, A. M'Naughton, R. Ingram, W. G. Geddes, O. Fullarton, and W. Kewish. Bro. H. Young! man waa re-elected auditor for the next ]$ months.

It was resolved— "Thair the next half-yearly meeting be held in Dunedin ; that the sum of £5 5s be voted to the Industrial School Band, for the purpose of purchasing music for their use, in consideration of their gratuitous services i\ the fete held on 9th November last." P.D.C.R. Bro. Ibbotson installed the newly, elected officers in a most efficient manner. Th a newly-elected officers returned thanks for their election to their respective positions. It was resolved — "That a hearty vote of thanks be accorded to the retiring officers, and that P.D.C.R. Bro. Butler receive a P.D.C.R's, ribbon, his name be placed on the respect board and likewise receive the usual testimonial." The retiring officers returned thanks. A vote of thanks was accorded Bros. Adams and G. W, Geddes for acting as scrutineers, and they kindly acknowledged the compliment paid them. vote of thanks was accorded P.D.C.R. Bro. W, Ibbotson for the very efficient manner in which he had conducted the installation. Bro. Ibbot* son returned thanks.

The society are thinking of having a certain number of suits of Robin Hood uniforms prior to the next annual fete, to be held on the 9ft November next.

After other routine business had been carried out, the D.O.R. announced that a banquet would take place at Carroll's Hotel at 8 o'clock, to which he cordially invited all the country delegates. The meeting was then closed ia accordance with ancient custom.