Friendly Societies

Southern Cross, Volume 4, Issue 24, 12 September 1896, Page 8

Friendly Societies

I/O. 0.F., M. U„ INVERCARGILL DISTRICT. The half-yearly meeting was opened in the Oddfellows’ Hall, Tay street, on Wednesday afternoon. Present—P.G.M. Bro. E. D_ Bust (in the chair) ; D.P.G.M, Bro. N_ Mcßobie; District Treasurer, P.P.G.M. Bro. T. Findlay; C.S., Bro. M. Mair--1.P.G.M., Bro. J. Stead ; and the followingdelegates : Shamrock, Rose, and Thistle Lodge P.P.G.M., Bro. F.G. Stone, and G.M.’s A.. Carnahan, A. C. Mitchell, and J. Ward. St. George Lodge : P.P.G.M., Bro. W. B, Scandrett, and P.G.’s A. Todd and A. 8.. Edmonds. Winton Lodge ; P.G. Bro. Creedon. Lumsden Lodge : P.G.’s Bros. J. Martin, and D. Fraser. United Gore Lodge : P.P.G.M., Bro. J, Latham and P.G. Bro. Dun. Awarua Lodge : P.G.’s Bros. J. S. A. McDougall and A. Walker. Riversdale Lodge ; P.G. Bro. J. Smaill. Chairman's Address. The chairman opened the meeting with the following address : Worthy deputy and delegates,—According: to custom, it is now my duty to place before you a few particulars of matters affecting our society. We find that our great Order iestill progressing at a satisfactory rate, as the following figures, which were presented to the Bristol A.M.C. in May last, will show : Number of members, January Ist, 1895, 739,449 ; admitted by initiation during 1895 —Great Britain and Ireland, 44,428; increasein the Colonies, 126—44,554 ; total, 784,003. Deaths in Great Britain and Ireland during 1895, 8,595; lodges closed and secessions of members, 24,241 —32,836. Total number of adult financial members, January Ist, 1896, 751,167, being an increase of 11,718 for the year. The total membership at the beginning of this year was as follows : Adult subscribing members 751,167 Widows subscribing for funeral benefits 10,503 JuTenile members 102,016 Honorary members 11.781 Female members 1,188 Total 876,655 Secessions are still occupying the minds of the foremost members of our Order, and in fact of the leaders amongst all benefit societies, and we find that the enormous number of 112,812 members have seceded from the MU. within the last five years. The receipts and expenditure for the year 1894 —the latest returns available at present were as follows: — Receipts, £1,119,914 13s 8d; expenditure, £783,085 4s lOd; showing a saving for the year of ,£336,829 8s lOd. Tne total capital on Ist Jauuary, 1895, was £8,754,764. The progress that the juveniles are making is most gratifying, and is to my mind one of the most hopeful points that we can view in connection with the serious question of secessions. I quote the figures showing the increase in membership and capital during the ten years from 1886 to 1896

January Ist, 1883. 1893. Increase. No. of Societies 560 1,584 1,024 No. of Members 30 ; 600 102 016 71,416 Amount of Capital £31,515 .£112,785 £81,270The returns also show that during the last 11 years 47,676 juveniles have been transferred to adult lodges. I think you will agree with me in saying that this is a splendid record. From statistics prepared by the Registrar of friendly societies in New Zealand we find that the number of members of all benefit Societies in the Colony on January Ist, 1895, was 29,963, with a total capital of £551,519 19s lid, of which our Order claims 11,757" members, and funds amounting to £290,489 2s Bd, the next in strength being the Foresters with a membership of 9,270 and a capital of £151,690 13s 9d, so that we' stood the strongest society by 2,487 members, and had the largest funds by £138,784 8s lid. And now, coming to our own district, we find from the balance-sheets returned by lodges to 30th June last that the receipts and" expenditure of the chief funds, for the halfyear, have been as follows : Sick and Funeral :—Receipts : Contributions, £445 14s 3d; interest £282 9s 2d; other receipts, £43 Is 10. Total receipts,. £771 5s 3d. Expenditure: Sick allowance £4OB 6s 5d ; funeral allowance, £2O ; other expenditure, £l7B 9s 11. Total expenditure £616 16s 6d, the receipts being £164 8s 9d over the expenditure. Management Fund —Receipts : Contributions, L 399 17s fid ; entrance fees, Ll 9 3s; other receipts,.. Ll3O 16s 6d ; total receipts L 549 17s. Expenditure : Medical Officers and Dispensary, L 351 16s 4d; salaries, L 45 10s ; other expenditure, L 163 17s 6d. Total expenditureL 561 3s lOd, showing a balance of Lll 6s lOd on the wrong side. Nearly all the Lodges are responsible for a portion of this amount, most of them having finished the term slightly worse than they began. The Lumsden Lodge shows LlO 10s 2d worse, but of course it must not be lost sight of that they had to contend with the difficulty of settling Dr Dutton’s account. I am glad they haveput their shoulders to the wheel, and faced the matter in the right spirit. The credit balance of the management fund of the Winton Lodge is slowly decreasing. A matter which I hope the officers will see their way to rectify, as I should not like to see their nice little balance disappear. You will remember that at the annual meeting;.

P.P.G.M, Bro. Stead was appointed to represent the Invercargill District at a conference of delegates from various districts of the M.U. throughout the colony. The meeting took place in Wellington at Easter, and you will see from the Order Paper that we are to have a report from Bro. Stead to-day. You will also notice that there are three very important subjects to be placed before you as the outcome of that meeting. I have no doubt the delegate will be able to throw considerable light on the matters to be discussed. The District Officers have visited the following Lodges during the half-year they have been in office—Shamrock, Eose, and Thistle, St. GeOrge, Awarua, Gore, and Riversdale. Winton and Lumsden have not yet been paid a visit, but we hope soon to have the pleasure of doing so. Although we have not visited the latter officially, I had the pleasure of being present at their annual concert and ball, when I had a good time, and I was glad to see that the people supported the Oddfellows’ entertainment, as proved by the numbers in which they turned out. I take this * opportunity of thanking, for myself and brother officers, the members of those lodges which we have visited for the kindly way in which they received us. A Juvenile Lodge has just been opened at Gore, and I am informed that those previously in existence, viz., Invercargill and Bluff, are on a good sound footing. I wish them every success. I think they should be registered, as in their present position they do not show on the books of the District, and therefore the proper connecting link is lost. In conclusion, I beg to thank my colleagues for the assistance they have given me during the term, and I have now much pleasure in declaring the meeting open for business, I hope that the usual good feeling displayed at previous meetings will also be shown on this occasion, and that we shall spend a pleasant and profitable time. The Grand Master was thanked for his address, and it was ordered to be printed in the report of the proceedings. Minutes. The minutes ’of the meetings of the District Officers were read and confirmed. Mode of Nomination. Bro. Latham pointed out that according to the general laws District Officers should be nominated in writing. The chairman coucurred. The Grand Master had mentioned at the last meeting that that mode would be followed, and it was time that this should be given effect to. Bro. Carnahan said that if so notice should have been sent to each lodge. Bro. Latham had no idea of interfering with nominations being made in the ordinary way at that meeting—he had simply mentioned the matter for future guidance. After discussion, it was decided to take nominations in the ordinary way, and to deal with the subject at the next meeting. Nominations fok District Chairs. The following candidates were nominated : For P.G.M.’s chair : D.P.G.M. Bro. N. Mcßobie and P.G.’s Bros. J. Ward and A. C. Mitdhell. For D.G.M.’s chair : P.G.’s Bros. Cox, J. S. A. McDougall, C. 8. Ross, J, Ward, R. Dewar, A. Todd, and A. C. Mitchell. At a later stage Bro. Scandrett, who was unavoidably absent when the nominations were received, obtained leave to propose P.G. Bro. J. S. Goldie for the deputy’s chair. Balance-Sheets. It was decided, on the motion of Bro. Stone, that the resolution passed at the last meeting re supplying the C.S. with copies of lodge balance-sheets should apply only to the annual printed balance-sheets. The Examining Committee certified to the correctness of the Lodge balance-sheets, but pointed out that in the case of Gore the suggestion of the Committee and of the Registrar as to the mode of dealing with an item in the management fund account had not been given effect to.—Bro. Martin, in moving that the report be received and adopted, mentioned that the Lumsden Lodge had increased its contributions, and this, with a balance from its anniversary social, would enable them to make good the deficiency.—Bro. Latham read the opinion of an expert upholding the method adopted by the Gore Lodge, and stated that they would change it when shown that it was wrong, or if ordered to return to the old style.—The report was then adopted. The Wellington Confebense. Bro Stead delivered an address in which he outlined the deliberations of the Conference held in Wellington in April last in reference to the adoption of a auperannuatiou scheme, the acceptance of equal tables of contributions tor the whole colony, and tbe setting up of an Annual Moveable Committee for New Zealand. A resolution affirming the principle that contributions should be made sufficient for the benefits promised was passed on the motion of Bro. Calvert, and a discussion took place as to which of the tables submitted should be adopted. During the debate it was made quite clear that, in a number of cases, more was being paid in sick pay than was received in contributions, and tbat the defiob ncy would become greater as time went on. He (Bro. Stead) moved the adoption of No. 1 table, and this was carried. Under that table there was a slight increase in the contributions, but, with the advantage of JO3O being paid on the death of a member instead of £2O, as at present. The increased contributions would only apply to new members. When he left here he never dreamed that the scale of contributions would have to be higher than they

were now, but the statements made by such authorities as Messrs Leslie, Mason, Black and others had convinced him to the contrary ; indeed they stated that it was only a matter of time until the Government stepped in and declined to register societies unless the contributions were made adequate to the benefits promised. With regard to the proposal to establish an Annual Moveable Committee, he was entirely against the proposal but seconded a motion appointing a committee to report as to the establishment of a Board of Directors, with meetings every three years; With regard to superannuation and tbe seeking of Government assistance in the matter some members thought it would not be consistent with the dignity of the Order, but this feeling changed when it was pointed out that one-sixth of the male population of the colony belonged to Friendly Societies, which showed that they must be relieving the Government of the expenditure of a very large amount of money which, but for them, would be required for charitable aid purposes. Roughly speaking, those societies were saving the Government abodt £IOO,OOO per year, and it was argued that this being so the Government might admit members to the benefits of an old age pension scheme at a lower rate than outsiders. The conference passed a resolution in favour of establishing a superannuation scheme, but tbe compulsory principle was not insisted upon—it was left an open question. On the motion of Bro. Btone, seconded by Bro. Todd, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Bro. Stead for his able and interesting address. ■ The question of contributions was then dealt with. Bro. Smaill moved that table No. 1 be adopted.—This was seconded by Bro. Creedon. Bro. Stone moved as an amendment, seconded, by Bro. Carnahan —That it will be i ; the best interests of the District if the existing contributions are adhered to for the present. Bro. Latham said that the table was almost exactly similar to the rate they would pay at Home for similar benefits. It appeared that an increase in contributions was required, and he would support a step in that direction. Bro Stone, in speaking in support of the amendment, advanced several arguments against any change being made at present, and pointed out that the Otago District had rejected a similar motion in favour of one for the preparation oi a scale of benefits according to the contributions now paid.

Bro Martin said what was wanted was an equal scale of contributions throughaut New Zealand, and adjustment of surrender values so that a member passing from one Lodge to another would not have to pay more than he had been doing ; but this proposal would not solve the difficulty, because any district that elected to stand aloof would neutralise the advantage to be gained. He would prefer to lower the benefits than to raise the contributions. Bro Dun combatted, from his own experience, the idea that raising the contributions would affect the membership. Bro Creedon said that the great advantage from the adoption of an increased rate of contributions was that a member could be absolutely sure that in his time of need the money promised him would be available. Even if all their funds were closely invested their present tables were not sufficient, and this being the case he would, as instructed by the Winton Lodge, vote for the motion. Bro Mitchell said that he would support tb« amendment- To raise the contributions would be a great bar to membership. Bro Carnahan also sujDported the amendment, holding that if, as was stated, wages were lower than formerly, the raising of the contributions was the last thing they should think of.

Bro J. Ward also spoke in favour of the amendment. The only question was as to when and how a change should be made. What should be aimed at was simultaneous action on the part of the Societies affected. Bro McDougall thought that the time had arrived when the contributions would have to be raised. At Home a number of Lodges had been expelled from the Order because they declined to increase their contributions to what was considered an adequate rate. He gave notice of a further amendment to the effect that the matter be held over f>r six months.

Bro. Stead, in replying, said that if the members had been in Wellington and heard the statements that he had heard, they would have voted exactly as he bad done. At Home the Oddfellows had led the way in raising the contributions to the safety point, and as a consequence they had a less number cf lodges closing than any other Order. At the same time he did not consider that the amendment was a reflection on him. (Members generally : No, no.) The chairman said that for his own part he would like to see a scale of benefits adopted suitable to the present contributions, but leaving intact the minimum payment of 10s per week. Bro. Smaill pointed out that the Manchester Unity should lead the way in this reform, and so maintain the confidence which the public reposed in it. He thanked Bro. Stead for bis able exposition of the conference proceedings. Bro. Stone’s amendment was put and lost, and Bro. McDougall then moved as a further amendment, seconded by Bro. Edmonds—That the table of contributions be held over till next District meeting, and that the District Officers bring the matter np then.—The amendment was then put and carried. Bro. Ward moved that the matter of a

superanuation scheme be referred to the District Officers for report. —After a short discussion the motion was carried unanimously. Presentation'. Bro. Stead said that he had much pleasure in presenting Bro Findlay with a gold albert and pendant as a slight recognition of his valuable services as District Treasurer. Bro. Findlay’s good qualities were widely known—in fact his name was synonymous with all that was best in Oddfellowship. Bro. Findlay, in acknowledging the gift, said,that he had held the position of Treasurer for over 20 years. While not deserving all the eulogiums uttered by Bro. Stead, he could claim that he had taken a deep interest in the Order, and had always been willing to take a fair share of the work going. He did not expect to last as long as their handsome gift, but he hoped to pass it on to those who would, he trusted, wear it with honour.

At this stage an adjournment was made till 7 p.m. . On resuming, the question of establishing an A.M.C. for New Zealand was considered. It was mentioned that the cost, apart from that involved in sending delegates, would be equal to a levy cf 8d per member. After a short discussion a motion, moved by Bro. Martin, and ssconded by Bro. Carnahan, to the effect that the Invercargill District cannot see its way at present to join the A.M C. movement, was carried as against an amendment by Bro. Scanurett, seconded by Bro. Creedon, that the question be adjourned for consideration till the annual meeting. Constitution of the District. The chairman reported that the committee to whom had been referred the question of extending the District Executive by the inclusion of P.P.G.M.’s had no recommendation to make. Personally, he favoured the suggestion, but the committee had decided otherwise, and he bowed to their decision. — The report was received and adopted on the motion of Bro Latham, seconded by Bro Scandrett. Levies. These were fixed as follows : —Management fund, Is; sick and funeral fund, 2s. Next District Meeting. Bro Martin moved that the next meeting be held at Invercargill. This was seconded by Bro Carnahan. Bro Smaill moved, as an amendment, that the meeting be held at Riversdale. They had a young lodge there, and althovgh it was progressing well, he felt sure that the holding of the meeting there would give an impetus to Oddfellowship in that district. Some people thought the lodge was run by Joe Smaill and Bob Lowe—(laughter) and he wanted the District Meeting held there in order to disabuse their minds of that idea. Bro Creedon seconded the amendment, which was supported by Bros Fraser, Dun, and others, and eventually carried. Relief Vote. A relief vote of £5 was passed to a member of the Shamrock, Rose, and Thistle Lodge. Complimentary. The chairman said that he had a very pleasant duty to perform —that of asking Bro. Stead to accept a framed photo of himself in recognition of the manner in which he had discharged the duties of P.O.M. Speaking from his own experience as a deputy, he could say that Bro. Stead had performed his work with great credit to himself and to the advantage of the Order His enthusiasm was undoubted, his willingness to work well known. He wished Bro Stead long life and prosperity, and hoped that the gift of the District would eventually be handed down to a Stead as worthy to receive it as the one to whom it was now presented. Bro. Stead, in receiving the photo—which is of large size, and comes from the studio of Bro. D. Ross, who has enclosed it in a massive and handsome frame—said that the pleasure he felt in the gift was enhanced by the fact that he had this month attained his majority as an Oddfellow. In conclusion, Bro. Stead thanked the members with all his heart for their gift, which he would regard as one of his most cherished possessions. Conclusion. The minutes Laving been read, the meeting closed at 8.30 p.m. with a vote of thanks to the chairman. SOCIAL. A social followed. It was held in the upper hall, where about fifty members sat down to enjoy the good things provided by Bro. J. Kingsland. The P.Gr.M., Bro. Bust, presided, and a number of toasts were honoured, and a very pleasant evening spent. — “ The Manchester Unity and the District Officers ” was given by Bro. Stone and acknowledged by Bros. Stead and N. Mcßobie, the last-named in the course of his reply mentioning that the last meeting of the A.M.C. at Bristol had been attended by 640 delegates— the largest attendance on record.— ‘‘ The Town Lodges,” given Bro. Latham, was replied to by Bros. Watson and Sayers, and that of “ Country Lodges (given by Bro. McLean) by Bro Creedon of Wiuton Lodge. —G.M Bro Millar gave “Our Juveniles,”for whom P.P.Gr.M. Bro. Taj lor responded. He gave some facts, showing the impoi tance of the juvenile branches of the Order, and mentioned that the local juvenile lodge was doing well. —“ The Press,” given by Bro. Scandrett, wa 3 acknowledged by the representitive of th e

Southern Cboss and Bro. Martin.—The last named proposed “ The Chairman,” which ■was drunk with musical honors, and was happily acknowledged.—“ The Ladies,” given by Bro. Goldie, found an exponent in Bro. Mitchell, who hinted that the “new woman” was well able to speak on her own account.— Songs, were given by Bros. Goldie, Bennetts, J. Walker, H. Peters, J. Kingsland, and Mcßobie, the selections of the last-named and of Bro. Bennetts being encored. Bro. Hamilton gave a recitation with good effect.—Yotes of thanks were passed to the caterer and to the accompanist, Bro. Kingsland. Tho gathering closed shortly before 11 p.m. with the singing of Auld Lang Syne and a verse of the National Anthem.