MANCHESTER UNITY

Otago Witness, Issue 3525, 4 October 1921, Page 8

MANCHESTER UNITY

OTAGO PROVINCIAL DISTRICT. HALF YEARLY CONFERENCE. The half-yearly conference of the Otago Provincial District, M.U.1.0.0.F., was held on Thursday in the Oddfellows’ Hall, Albany street., Pro. G.M. Bro. T. Middlemans presiding. The other provincial officers present were: Pro. D.G.M. Bro. J. Will, Pro. V. S. Bro. J. A. Hopcraft, Pro. Treasurer Bro. A. Sligo, Pro. P.G.M. Bro. O. 11. Russell. The conference adjourned for five minutes in memory of members of the order who had died during the past six months. DISTRICT REPORT. The report of the district officers stated that the number of members on January 1, 1921, was 5128. During the iaet half-year 169 had been admitted by initiation and reinstatement and 15 by clearance, making a total of 5512. The membership had decreased by 94 by arrears and resignation, 21 by clearance, and 25 by death, tile total remaining in the order at June 50 being--5172. This was an increase for tiie year of 44. The financial statement for the sixmonthly period showed the receipts to be -917,600 Its txl, and tiie expenditure to be £121256 16s sd. Sicp benefits totalled -95 795 2s; funeral claims, £94o;’ district funeral levies, £1092 2« 2d; sundry payments, sick and funeral funds, £123 19s 2d ; medical attendance and medicine, £2959 18s 2d; salaries and allowances, £Bl6 13s 4d; sundry payments, management funds, £2031 Is 7d. The value of the lodge funds at June 39 was £214,706 14s 3d. Lodges had been supplied with the results (as at December 31, 1919) of tile last quinquennial period, which must in the main prove satisfactory. The net surplus of the district was £26,854, being an increase over the last period of £17,311. The surplus of 11 lodges had increased from £26,269 to £33,093, and tho lodges having deficiencies had reduced this from £15,726 to £11,239. With the amalgamation of Blue Spur, Waitahuna, and Waipori with Tuapeka Pioneer these lodges would now be oft the latter list, atid the next valuation should show further improvement. Mount Wendon, Naseby, Roxburgh, and Baud of Friendship had gone back, while tiie remainder should wipe out their deficiencies during this quinquennium. The actual sickness experienced was £3328 less than expected, being £409 in excess of last period. For the first six months the actual sickness was 4548 weeks less than expected, and for the two latter periods an increase of 212 weeks and 4688 weeks respectively. The rate of interest earned showed a slight increase, but with the present rates now obtainable for investments this should show improvement The number of deaths exceeded the expected by 175, owing to tho loss of soldier members. The district ofliceis having brought under the notice of the September meeting a medical system in operation in the district that might be termed “unrestricted medical attendance with part payment,” a committee was appointed to report on the position. The system referred to permitted the members of a lodge consulting .any doctor whosoever and wheresoever, jiaying one-third for such attendance and the management fund of bearing tiie other two-thirds. The chief danger of such a system lay in the liability being- \n unassessable amount, and therefore the possibility arising of a heavy levy being imposed on members and a breaking strain being placed on the management fund. A number of provisions were recommended by the committee to obviate such dangers. The committee hud visited the Loyal Alexandra. Lodge and a set of clauses had been submitted for approval. A motion of appreciation was passed regarding the services of P.P.G.M. Bro. Knight and Bros. R. Murray and S. M’Kay with Lodge Waipori, this lodge now being merged with Tuapeka Lodge Bro. Knight, who was secretary of Lodge Waipori for 42 years, acknowledged the motion, and gave some interesting instances of how things wore managed in the early" days, particularly with regard to the sick fund. The Secretary read an interesting letter from P.P.G.M. Bro. J. H. F. Ilamol, who is at present on a trip to the Old Country. The letter dealt largely with affairs in connection with the order as he found them there. REMITS. P.P.G.M. Bro. O. H. Russell moved the following remit:—“The district officers shall be entitled to attend meetings of all lodges and speak upon any matters under discussion. ’ ’ —Lost, P.D.G.M. Bro. J. V ill moved the following remit; —“That district rule 45 (clearances) be amended by the addition of the following clause at the end of paragraph 1 : Any member desiring a clearance to another lodge in this district- shall make application to his lodge in writing, statingthe reason for asking a clearance. Such application shall be forwarded to the District Executive, who shall have power to sanction or refuse the clearance.” —Carried. The Pro. Treasurer, Bro. A. Sligo, moved clearance surrender value of the members of Loyal Waitahuna. Waipori. and Blue Spin- Lodges into Loyal Tuapeka Pioneer and other lodges of tins district in accordance with the decision regardingamalgamation, the sum of £5132 be levied on tho lodges of the district which have surpluses, in accordance with rule 60a. (2;- I hat in conformity with the above, the inflowing lodges be authorised and required to appropriate from their surplus funds and pay to the district funds the amounts here mentioned -. such appropriations to be made and payable as from January 1, 1921. and to boar interest at the rate of £5 4s 6d per cent, per annum from that date to time or settlement: Hand and Heart £950. Dunedin £641. Dalton £l2l. Allen £sl. Oamnru £136. Tuapeka Pioneer £22. Prince Alfred £lO6. Alexandra. £7l. Tapamti £93. Cromwell £452 Outran! £217- Mosgiel £ll9. Valley £96, Ngapara £2l. Maeiotoro £l6. Ceidenary £4, Vincent £l6.

The Treasurer moved another remit from the district officers. It read: “Under rule 60, paragraph 2, clause d, that, in view of the quinquennial valuation report to December, 1919, disclosing the fact that the district as a whole has a substantial surplus, it is desirable that the amount of the debit to the War Relief Fund be wiped off, and that for this purpose the following lodges be authorised and required to appropriate fvctfu their surplus funds and pay to the district funds the amounts here mentioned:—Hand and Heart £736. Dunedin £497, Dalton £94, Albion £4O, Oarnaru £lO6, Tuapeka Pioneer £l7, Prince Alfred £B2, Alexandra £55, Tapanui £73. Cromwell £350, Outi-am £l6B, Mosgiel £92, Valley £75, Ngapara £l6, Maniototo £l2. Centenary £3. Vincent £l2. P.G. Bro. C. Grater seconded, suggesting that the amounts should be made payable from July 1, 1921, and bear interest, at 5 per cent. Tho remit, with this addition, was agreed to. It was decided 1o authorise payment of expenses to the D.G.M. at the rate of £1 per meeting during his term of office. The Frov. Treasurer stated that, in view of the last decision it. would not be necessary to ask for ar.v levy for tile Sick Fund. With regard to the Management Fund, this had gone back during the last half-year, and they had several items of extraordinary expenditure to meet, such as the handbook, etc. A levy of Is 6d would be required.—Agreed to. NOMINATION OF OFFICERS. The following nominations were made in connection with the election of officers to take place at the annual meeting in March:—P.G.M., the D.P.G.M., Bro. J. Will; Pro. D.G.M., P.G.’s Bros. J. A. Robson, G. T. Scocnes, G. GTosbie, G. Longwortli, and B. 11. Rosevoav; Pro. C'.S. Bro. J. A. Hopcraft; Pro. T'reas., D.P.G.M. Bro. A. Sligo; Auditor, P.G. BrO. C. Grater; Lodge Book Examiners —D.P.G.M. Bro. W. E. C. Reid, P.G. Bro. J. A. Patterson; Arbitration Committee—P.P.G.M.’s Bros. Russell, Cable, A M‘Douga'l, G. A. Coughlan, R. S. Black, W. Fleming, W. Sullivan, Per. Sec. Bro. I’. W. Stabb, P.G.’s Bros. C. IT. West, Robson, W. D. Campbell, E. Longworth, S. Smith, W. J. Hutton, G. Crosbie, ,F. J. M’Kenzie. P. Thomson, Per. See, Bro. W. Weir, N.G. Bro. Rennie: Competitions Committee P.P.G.M.’s Palmer, Coughlan, and Sullivan ; Friendly Societies’ Council — P.P.G.M.’s Bros. Sullivan and Hamel, Per. Sec. Bro. Stabb, Pro. C.S. Bro. J. A Hopcraft. GENERAL. P.P.G.M. Bro. F. W. Knight drew attention to the recent unveiling of the Harrop memorial window in St. Paul’s Cathedral. lie pointed out that the laie Mr Harrop was one of the most esteemed Oddfellows the Otago provincial district had ever possessed. ITe had ably filled the office cf P.G.M. and placed the order only second to tho Church, as was shown by the fact that when ho left the £20,000 for the building of the Cathedral ho made a stipulation that if the Cathedral authorities did not take up the money by a certain time it was to go to the order. Ho moved that suitable expression be given of the honour shown to the late Mr. Harrop in the unveiling of the memorial. —The motion was carried. Per. Sec. Bro. E. M’Fadyen brought under the notice of the conference that a ladies’ lodge had been opened at Kaitangata, and requested to be brought under the patronage of the Otago district. He moved accordingly. The motion was opposed on the ground that it had not been brought- forward in a manner consonant witn procedure. As it could not -be discussed unless the conference was unanimous with regard t-o permitting it to come forward, further consideration was deferred for six months, the D.G.M. remarking that in the meantime the lodge would have to carry on as best it could. The fixing of tho place, date, and time tor holding the next- district meeting was left in the hands of the District Executive, also for holding the next purple lecture and past officers' degree meeting. The executive was recommended to donate £5 5s for comforts to soldiers. It was decided to recognise the Oddfellows’ M.U. Magazine as the official organ of the Oddfellows in Otago. NEW ZEALAND BRANCH. D.G.M. Bro. W. R. Galiahan. P.G.M. Bro. F. W. Watt, and Director Pritchard, of the New Zealand branch of the M.U.1.0.0.F., were present as a delegation to press the claims of the New Zealand branch to include the whole of the districts of the dominion. They were given a cordial welcome by tlie_ D.G.M.. and afterwards pressed their mission, putting forward a strong claim, for a united body throughout the country. Many questions were put. and it was decided, on the motion of P.P.G.M. Bro. Sullivan, that a committee be set up to go fully into the question of joining up with the New Zealand branch, collect the necessary data, and report to the next half-yearly meeting. The following were appointed tho committee:--P.P.G.M.’s Bros. Black, Sullivan, and Coughlan, P.G.M. Bro. C. Grater, the District Trustees, and the Permanent Secretaries of the city and suburban lodges, the committee to have power to add to the nuni ber. A lie-arty vote of thanks was accorded to the delegation by acclamation. SOCIAL EVENING. Shortly after the conclusion of the conference a social evening was commenced, the D.G.M. presiding. Tiie programme was a most enjoyable one, the toast list being responsible for a number of excellent speeches, while musical items were numerous.