M.U.1.0.0.F.

Otago Witness, Issue 2299, 24 March 1898, Page 26

M.U.1.0.0.F.

The following waa the district; officers' report presented at the half-yeatly meeting of the order at Tapanui on Saturday :—: — To the delegates Ofcago District, M.U.T.0.0.F. Brethren, — After a lap^e of seven years, the annual meeting 13 again to take place in Tapanui, and as the time has progressed ib is interesting to note the progress of the Loyal Tapanui Lodg?. With a membership of 74- and fuDds amounting to £1121 5s 3d in 1891, the roll now stands at 120 and funds of the value of £2278 13s 3d, facts which tend to show that the lodge hi»s had a Bhare isi promoting ths welfare of our district ami ordur. Since our meeting in Tapanui in 1891 iha district membership has risen from 1853 to 2V55, and the funds fcom £53 602 17s 5d to £75,730 16s sd. Your officers beg to (submit the following report of the transactions for the year ended December 31 : — Number of members January 3 , 1557 ... 2251 Number admitted during the year — By initiation 308 By clearance 12 — 320 2571 Less— Left by arrears 83 Clearance ... 12 Death 20 Expulsion 1 — 116 Total remaining 2455 The increasa for the year is 204, compared •with 39 for the previous year — a result which is highly satisfactory. Financial Statement receipts. To value of lodge funds, 31st December, 189,5 £71,547 10 3 Entrance fees, sickand funeral funds ...£220 10 0 Contributions, sick and funeral funds... 3,469 14 6 Pnnural claims from distrcb 510 0 0 laterest and rents, .sick and funeral funds 3,208 12 0 Suridrv receipts, sick and funeral funds... 43 15 11 Contributions and levies management funds 3,459 18 1 Interest and rents, management funds IS4 16 10 Sundry receipts, management funds 784 5 7 lacreaso in value of other funds 809 13 5 12,691 6 5 £84,238 16 8 EXPENDITURE. By sick benefits ...£2,632 3 »• Funeral claims ... 520 I) . • District funeral levies 514 2 * Sundry payments, sick and funeral funds 1,386 2 i» Meriical attendance and medicine ... 2,509 12 » Salaries and allowances 623 7 . Sundry payment?, management funds 1,296 6 ) - „ vji id in Total value of lodge funds, 31st December, 1897 74,707 2 10 £54,233 16 8 Adding the available fund 3of the central body to the above, we get a grand total of £75",730 16a 51 as the total vilue of the district afc the end of the jear, bsing an increase of £3176 11b 8d as compared with the corresponding date of last year. The sickness experienced was 3793 weeks 2 days, compared with 3567 weeks 2 days for 1896, being an increase of 132 weeks. The average sickuess per member was 1 week 3 days 7 hour*, compared with 1 week 3 daya 18 hours for 1898. The avorage aick pay per member was £1 Is lOd, a decretta of 2s 4-d par number on the average for 1896. Altnough the sickness experienced was more than in 1896, the payments were less consequent on the increased sickness experienced tais year at the lowest rate of sick pay and a decrease in the other two. The amounts in the various lodges ranged from 4a 9J per member in the Prida of Kiifcangata Lodge tj £3 8* in the Roxburgh Lodge. The number of deaths given in the returns waa 20 membera and 15 members' wives, an increase of five nieaibars and nine members' wives as compared with the previous year. The average rate of interest realised on the total capital of lodge sick and funeral funds varies irom £2 lls lid per cent, in the Loyal Pride of Kaitangata Lodge t> £7 15s lid per cent, in the Loyal Naseby Lodge. The averpge rate realised taking the district as a whole is £5 0s 4-d per cent. NEW BRANCH. Your officers are pleased to again report the further spreading of ths benefit of our order m this district, a branch having been opened by the district officers, assisted by several members of the town and country iodge3, at Milton on November 19, with 19 members. The thanks of the district are due to Bro. D. Patterson, of the H*nd and Heart Lodge, who took a lively interest in the formation of the lodge, and to the brethren of the Loyal D^lton Lodge for generously attending the lodge on two ocoasions to confer the degrees, and also advise the respective officers in their various dutie3. Although Ihe lodge has a formidable rival in the loov'ity, we hope before long to see the Loyal Milton Lodge worthily fulfilliag the promise predicted afe ifcs ioception. REVISED DISTRICT BULES. The revised district rules have been submitted to the Registrar of Friendly Societies for registration, and he has replied that the revis> ing barrister had taken exception to certain rules, the principal one being that referring to the secession of branches.

As the principle embodied in this rule is onfe which has been afufrned time after time by our District Committee, your executive felt called upon to uphold it so far as possible, and with that object in view have instructed P P.G.M. Calvert, solicitor, to take such legal steps as are necessary to obtain registration. SECESSIONS. Aa will be seen, the numerical increase of members is the largest for a considerable number of years, and the proportion o£ secessions the smallest!. It is highly probable that this is fche favourable outcome or the appointment of secession committees by the lodged, and your executive desires to congratulate the committees on the hitceeas of their labours, and hopes it may long continue. RE DENTIST FOB CITY AND SUBURBAN LODGES. A report (adopted by ihe Hand and Heart Lodge) regarding the appointing of a qualified dentist for members of the city and suburban lodges has been received by your district cfficer3 for their consideration. The leading characteristics of the scheme are clearly defined in the two alternative propositions contained ia the circular which waa sent to the Dunedin dentists — vz. : (1) The dentist ti grant to members a definite rate of discount on ordinary charges ; (2) the dentist to submit a special schedule of prices showing the reductions oa ordinary charges. The report comprehensively and clearly deals with the whole question, concluding by"sfcrongly rt-Kommending the scheme. Your executive most favourably view the proposal, and trust that the various lodges interestad will give tho subject their mass thoughtful consideration ; further, we consider that if the principle is given effect to the idnovfttion will be watched with interest not only by the members ol the Manchester Unity bub also by members of kindred societies in Otago. , Only a slight amendment of the report would be necessary to admit any country lo.lge thai"might fee desirous of sfcariug the privileges of the scheme. OFJFICTAL HANDBOOK. In the district officers' report to the September meeting, your executive made referance to tho handbook issued by the city and suburban lodges. This publication, as an innovation, has proved most acceptable. Its usefulness has bsen considerable, making it difficult to realise that we managed without its aid. We sincerely hops to see the second issue in June, 1898. There is one improvement that your tffijers deera desirable, and (hit is tha inclusion ofr all the country lodges within its • cover. However, seeing that a motion dealing with this particular bojk appears on the business pipe-, we refrain ixova further comment. JUBILEE Dl-MONSTRATION. In connection with the Jubilee of the province your flisttic s ; officers are making strenuous efforts to secure a large attendance of brethren to take part in the procession connected therewith. Your executive Lopes that members will asbisfe to the best of their ability to make the M.U. display a memorable one and worthy of the occasion, and tiust thst membeis wiil take part in the procession instead of being B&tisfbd with acting as spectators only, as has been the cs.ee on previous occasions to the detriment of the display of our order. LODGE BOOK EXAMINATION. Luring the term the books of one of thalodges have been submitted to the lodge book, examiner, and his r< p >tt will be presented to the meeting. BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOS NEW ZEALAND. A report- has beta leoeived from the committee appointed to obtain the viewa of the several districts on thi a question. Replies have been received from 15 districts. Auckland, HawW') Bay, New J^lymoutb, Wellington, Nelson, Ashley, and Ashburton with a taemberehip of 6065 at the end of 1895 are in favour of the establishment of a board, while the other eight disfcrie's with a membership of 6315 are againsb ifc. One of these districts with a membarahip of 36 1 has since intimated tuafe efforts are being icarle to reopen the question with a view of levcrsing the formes; decision, while another district has a notice of motion on their business paper that so sooa as eight districts are in f ay jur of the proposal they will be prepared to join the movement. Oae district did cob reply to the comm-tiee's circular. AMENDED EEPOBT JRE PAYMENT OF DELEGATES' EXPENSES. Acting upon the inctiou carried at ths halfyearly meeting " Tiufc the district nfficeis bring up a ecile of expenses at second class rail, steamer, snd coach iares and 5s per day aliowaccs," jour officer? have prepared r scale on fche probable cost of a meeting held in Lawrence and one in Dunediu. Tiie total number of dflpgatea would ba 57. Meeting aT Lawrcaca ihe cosi; would ba £84 2*. 6<i— made up of fares £44 1O.«, allowance* £39 12s 6 ii s s — and would inquire a levy of 3. frac ion over 3i per member ; meeting st Dunedin th^ c-st would be £56 17* Sd — made up of fares £33 14-s lid, allowances £23 2s 6d,— equal to a levyot 6i per member. CONCLUSION. "Worthy and respected delegates, ia concluding our repart we desire to expross the hope that your tojourn in 'JV.panui oa the occ*sion of our annual meeting will ba pleasant (o your- . selves and profitable to the society, and thafe^ your best energies wiil be directed towards promoting a continuance of the progress and welfare ot our order. We are, brethren, yours fraternally, C. E Brundell, Prov. G.ffiT. J. H. P. Hamel, Prov. D.G-.M. J. A. Hopceaft, Prov. CS. James Robin"! Treasurer. E S. Clarke, P.P.G.M.