ODDFELLOWSHIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 3448, 13 April 1920, Page 6

ODDFELLOWSHIP.

M.U.L0.0.F. The annual meeting- of the District Committee was held in the Town Hall, Palmerstqn on the 6th. Prov. G.M. W. Flemingpresiding. The otner members of the executive present were Prov. D.G.M. C. H. Jlussell, Prov. O.S. J. A. Hoporaft, P.P.G.M. J. H. F. Hamel (prov. treasurer). PROVINCIAL CRAND ISASTER'S AEDRESS. The Prov. G.M. declared the meeting opened, and delivered his address. He said that during tho war period their membership had decreased by 416. For 1919 the numerical increase was 294, whioh was (lightly over the aggregate decrease experienced during- the first three years of the War. and he confidently expected that their decrease would be wiped out before the next half-yearly meeting, and that they would then be past the 6000 mark. Five hrotliera had qua Med for membership medii!?, having **cr; .i<i the necessary number Ctl now members. As the designs had lofTi decided on, and the medals were now \ ..mg naa.de. the l-vothers would soon be b\ posseesioTi of their well-earned and coveted recognition. Their juvenile membership was increasing, ar,d. within the near future a ?iew lodge vfould bo formed In the district. Tho financial statement showed that they then had lodge funds to the value of over £200,000. This showed a satisfactory annual increase. Since the beginning of the war their funds had grown by over £38,000. Ho wished to emphasise the importance of investing the funds to the best advantage. A short time ago the district trustees had a splendid security submitted to them, but were unable promptly to take it up. An' appeal was made to various lodge officers, which resulted in a large sum of moneysome of it earning no interest and some on deposit at a low rate of interest —being handed over for investment that was beneficial to tho financial side of the Unity. Lodge secretaries, treasurers, and trustees were earnestly requested to forward to the P.O.S. any surplus money whioh they could not favourably invest, so that the district trustees could help to make the best of lodge funds. Lodges could have returned to them at any time moneys so handed over. Tho sickness experience during last year showed an increase for the first period and decreases for the second and third. This was accounted for by a recurrence of the influenza epidemic The health of thenreturned soldier brethren was also partly responsible for this. The district up to the present had not felt seriously the effects on tho health of these brethren, and tho prospect for the future was that as a district the experience was likely to be favourable, The quinquennial valuation of 1914 disclosed that the district was in a solvent condition ; the next valuation was for the period ended December 31, 1919, and was eagerly looked for. Tho first results of the great war would then be sihown, and be available

for the making of any adjustments -that might be thought desirable. Their prospects were bright in regard to the decrease in sickness experience and increases in financial and numerical strength. The motion was carried. A hearty vote- of thanks was accorded the Prov. Grand Master for his address, and it was resolved to print it with the report of the proceedings of the meeting. THE ANNUAL REPORT. From the returns received the following statements were compiled:—Number of members, January 1, 1919, 4568; number admitted during the year —by initiation and reinstatement 430, by clearance 17, —total, 5015; loss left—by arrears and resignation 78, clearance 26, death 49; total remaining December 31, 1919, 4862. Increase for the year, 294. Receipts. To value of lodge funds, January 1, 1919 £194,097 Entrance fees, sick and funeral" fluids ... 226 Contributions sick and funeral funds ... 8,000 Funeral claims from distriob 2,150 Intereab and rents, eick snd funeral funds 9,429 Sundry receipts, sick and funeral funds ... 174 Contributions and levies, management fund 7,230 Interest and rents, management fund 347 Bundry receipts, management fund 4,661 Increase In value of other funds 540 £22G,919 Expenditure. Siok benefits £ 7,045 Funeral olaims 2,120 District funeral levies 1,454 Sundry payments, siok and funeral funds 4,744 Medical attendance and medicine 5,172 Salaries and allowances 1,377 Sundry payments, management funds ... 3,339 £25,854 Value of lodge funds, December 31, 1919 £201.004 Tho sickness experienced was as follows: First six months, 4436 weeks 5 days; second six months, £BS weeks 5 days; after 12 months, 5812 week's 6 days. This shows an increase of 216 weeks 1 day for the first period, a decrease of 7 weeks 1 day in the second period, and a decrease of 184 weeks 1 day for the after 12 months from that of the previous year. The average sickness experienced per member ranged from 1 day 19 hours in the Maniototo Lodge to 12 weeks 4 days 2 hours in the Blue Spur Lodge. The amount paid for sick pay per member for the year ranged from 6s in tho Maniototo Lodge to £7 15s Id in the Blue Spur Lodge. The average l'ate of interest realised on the investment of sick and funeral funds of lodges for'the year, taking the district as a whole, was £5 8s Id. The Prov. Grand Master moved the adoption of the report. This was seconded by P.P.G.M. Bro. Sullivan and carried after some slight discussion. P.G. Bro. Grater moved the of tho balance sheet, a satisfactory feature of which was a considerable reduction of tho Poor Relief Fund account. P.P.G. Bro. Hamel moved that tho levy for the management fund bo Is 6d, and for tho district benefit fund 4s.—Carried. GENERAL. P.P.G. Bro. Hamel brought up tho question of presenting the Prince of Wales with

an illuminated address. He said the approximate cost would be about £2O, -60 that the strain on the society's funds would not be very great, A draft of the proposed address was read and approved. P.P.G. Bro. Sullivan reported that arrangements were being made to entertain all returned soldiers in thi3 district at a welcome smoke social some time during Winter Show week. They wanted the hearty co-operation of tevery lodge in this undertaking. P.P.G. Bro. Slligo said it only remained for the brethren throughout the district to make the function a success. The cost would bo largely met from the sale of tickets, and thus it would not bo a call on their district funds. P.P.G.M. Bro. Black presented a report on the question of 'erecting a memorial in honour of those brethren who had taken part in the groat war. This suggested altering tho Oddfellows' Hall in Stuart street, tho 'expense to be borne by the district. The idea was that tho entrance be recessed, that the floor be laid in mosaic, with a suitable inscription, such as "The Great War, 1914-1919. Lest we forget;" tho wall of the] irecess to be panelled in marble or granite, inscrib3d with the names of those who paid the supreme sacrifice, together with the number of those who fought for us, with some suitable inscription, such as "They died that we might live." The committee unanimously appioved of tho suggestion of having the memorial housed in their own building, and heartily approved of the idea, tho matter of detail to bo arranged later. He moved that the, report be tentatively approved, and that competitive designs be invited, together with an estimate of the cost. —The motion was carried. A- circular letter was read from Sir Arthur Pearson asking for .a donation for the benefit of the blind soldiers of St. Dunstans. —It was decided to vote £lO 10s for this purpose. A similar sum was voted to be expended on comforts for the inmates of the Pleasant Valley Sanatorium. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. The following officers were elected: — Prow G.M. Bro. C. H. Russell; Deputy Grand Master, P.G. Bro. T. Middlemass; P.C.S., Bro. J. A. Hopcraft; P.T., Bro. J. H. F. Hamcl; auditor, Per. S. Bro. J Brown; lodge book examiners, P.P.G.M. Bro. W. E. C. Reid and P.G. Bro. J. G. Patcrson; Arbitration Committee P.P.G.M.'s A. M'Dougall, G. A. Coughlan, A. W. Palmer, R. S. Black, W. Allan, A. Sligo, W. Sullivan, Per. Sec. P. W. Stabb, P.G.'s E. Longworth, W. D. Campbell, W. J. Hutton, P. Thomson, G. Crosbie, J. Will. J. Knox, and P. G. M'Kenzie; Competitions Committee —P.P.G.M.'s Bros. Palmer, Coughlan, and Sullivan. A motion appreciative of the services rendered by P.P.G.M. Bro. Sullivan, who retired from the executive, was carried amidst applause.

A similar compliment was accorded the retiring P.G.M., and it was decided that the nam© of P.P.G.M. Bro. Wm. Fleming be placed on the merit board, and that he receive a certificate to enable him to take the degree of P.P.G.M. _ and that he also receive a P.P.G.M.'s "jewel." LOYAL PALMEKSTON LODGE. The jubilee cf this lodge was celebrated by a dance in the Town Hall on Monday evening and by a smoke social next evening, there being a largo attendance at each function. The lodge was opened on March 20, 1870, with 18 members, and at the end of the year the funds totalled £3l 13s 4d. By the last return the membership showed 97, and the funds £3685 3s Id. Three of the original members —Bros. John M'Kean, Wm. Robertson, and Charles Gillespie—are still on the roll. On Tuesday afternoon P.P.G.M. Bro. Fleming'unveiled a roll of honour erected to the memory of 32 members of the lodge who took part in the great war, some of whom made the supreme sacrifice. Tho Last Post was sounded by Bro. J. Briggs, those present standing. The Hon. E. P. Lee (Minister of Justice), who has been spending the Easter holidays in Oamaru, was present. In the course of a few remarks, he said he felt that the sacrifices made by these men should not be forgotten. There was no question about it that the Empire had been in dire peril, and it had only been due to the concentration of the whole of her forces that she had been rescued. Our sympathies went out to the relatives of those men who had suffered and died for us. The proceedings closed with the singing of the National Anthem.