Oddfellowship.

Southern Cross, Volume 14, Issue 29, 15 September 1906, Page 12

Oddfellowship.

SOUTHLAND DISTRICT, 1.0.0. F.. M.U. The half-yearly meeting- of the District was held in Cassel s Hai , Orepuki, on Wednesday afternoon. Sept. 12th. Bio. Has. Walker, Deputy P.G.M. Bro. AM. Dawson, I.P.P.G-.M. Bro. J. Smaill, Provincial Treasurer Bio. IFindlay, Provincial Corresponding Secretary Bro. M. Mair, and the following delegates r—Loyal Heai ts of Oak P.G. Sisters J. Ball and P.S. 'J. C. Miller ; Loyal Shamrock, Rose, .Thistle Lodge : P.P.G.M’s Bro. A. Carnahan and T. W. Walker, P.G.’s Bro. A. Ball and W. Ball, and V.G. Bro. W. F. Irvine ; Loyal St. Georg© Lodge ; P.P.G.M. Bro. A. Todd, P.G’a Bro- A. B. Edmonds and A. iV. Hope, G.M. Bro. D. S. Thomson, and P.G. Bro. George A. Reid ; Loyal Win! on Lodge : P. P, G. M. Bro. J. Campbell, P. G. Bro. H. Taylor, and P. G. Bro Sands ; Loyal Gore Lodge ; P. P. G. M. Bro. D. McFarlane, P.P.G.M. Bro. J. Latham, and E.S. Bro. F. Young ; Loval Lumsden Lodge : P.S. Bro. Has. Martin, P.G. Bro. W. D. Martin, and P.P.G.M. Bro. A. Small ; Loyal RiMersdale Lodge ; P.G. Bro. F. "W. E. Kracke; Star of Nightcaps : P.G. Bro. J. W. Tinker ; Star of the West ; Bro. J. G. Merrielees : Mataura Falls Lodge ; P.S. Bro. John Henry ; Loyal Awarua Lodge ; P.P. G. Bro. J. S. A. McDougail, P.G. Bro. W. Galbraith, and V.G. Bro. D. McKenzie CHAIRMAN’S ADDRESS. The Grand Master opened the proceedings with the following address — Deputy Grand Master, Officers, Sisters and Brothers, —According to ancient usage it is customary for the G.M. to give an address at the opening of all District Meetings. On this occasion I intend to be very brief, but I cannot refrain from giving ai resume of the business transacted in the District during the half year just ended, and also touching on some matters of interest to this District in particular and the M.U. in general.

First, then, allow me, on behalf of the Orepuki Lodge to extend a very hearty welcome to all the delegates who have travelled such a long nistance to come here to transact the business that will be laid before you. I trust that you will have a pleasant sojourn in this beautiful town, and that you will go away with a lively appreciation of the beauties of the place, and of the way you have boon received.

Reports to hand of the A.M.C., held in Barrow-on-Furness last May, show that although the Unity is making slower progress than some' years ago, still it is advancing', and that in face of the great, and I might saj T illegitimate, opposition they have to contend against is something to be thankful for. The total membership now stands at 1,023,414. a slight increase on the previous year. One cannot but be struck with the large number who secede, no less than 27,490 having seceded during the year.

The total funds of the Unity now stand at £12,524,635. A very plean sing item which was mentioned was that His Majesty the King had been pleased to recog’nisc the benefits and importance of tile M.U., by conferring on P.Gr.M. Bro. Graham the honour of knighthood—an honour that I am sure will be appreciated by every Oddfellow. Another very pleasing duty was also 'done, in voting ’£looo for the relief of Lodges in San Francisco, who lost thoir all through the recent earthquake. Coming to our own district, we are still making steady progress, and as the various balance-sheets will be laid before you with a report from the'Examining Committee. I will not go into detail in the matter, but I regret to say that the membership ia just about the same as last year. Our funds now stand at £21,604 19s Bd, or an increase of £616 8s lid for the half-year—a very gx-atifying result indeed.

A very sad event occurred during the half year in the death of the Right Honourable Bro. Secklon, who died at sea in June. Your District Officers forwarded at once a telegram of condolooco to his widow and family, who replied. Bro. Seddon was an Oddfellow of thirty years’ stand 1 ing, and although his loss will bo felt in the colony, the Friendly Societies of Kow Zealand in particular have lost a good friend and Brother. I have to congratulate our worthy Treasurer, Bro. Findlay, in being given the honour of having his portrait inserted in the Magazine in the colonial roll of fame. The District Officers have visited all the

Lodges in the District during the year, except- one, which we visit in November. (I have to thank the Officers and Brethren of the various Lodges for their reception and entertainments provided for us). I also attended the Friendly Societies’ Conference in Wellington in May, as requested by you, a report of which I will submit later on.

The business that will be submitted for your consideration, although not considerable, is of some importance, The question of joining the 8.M.C., N.Z. Branch, is again before us. The Riversdale Lodge ask the District to sanction the matter of a

mixed Lodge, also a motion to revise the District Rules and a question dealing with sick pay. I trust the Delegates will give the various questions that calm and due consideration which they deserve, and that these deliberations will be conducted with a dignity befitting the importance of our great institur tion.

P.P.G.M. Bro- A. Small moved and P.P.G.M. Bro. McDougail seconded — That a hearty vote of thanks be accorded the G.M. for his very interesting address, and that the same be printed in the official report of the meeting. .DISTRICT MINUTES. Minutes of the meetings of the District Officers were read and approved. SEDDON MEMORIAL. A communication -was read from the Mayor of Wellington with reference to a national memorial to the late Rt. Honourable R. J. Seddon. — Received. FRIENDLY SOCIETIES’ CONFERENCE. A communication was read from the secretary of the Friendly Societies’ Conference, te be held in Sydney on 27th September, 1906. As the time was too short to appoint delegates, it was decided to take no action. THE WELLINGTON CONFERENCE

The Grand Master ga-ve a short resume of the business transacted at the Conference held in Wellington in July last. The business transacted was of the greatest importance to Friendly Societies, and a number of very important suggestions were agreed to which it was believed would be adopted by the Government and incorporated in the proposed proposed Friendly Societies’ Bill now being drafted.

THE N.Z. BIENNIAL MOVEABLE COMMITTEE.

P.P.G.M. Bro. T. W. Walker moved and P.P.G.M. Bro. A. Todd seconded —That the Southland District, M.U. 1.0.0. F. take into consideration the advisability of affiliatixxg with the N.Z.B.C. Bro. Walker, in speaking to the motion, said the argument against the proposal had been the cost, but he submitted that the cost would not be more than 4td per member. He also pointed out the advantages of belonging to a central body, it being ai well-knowxx fact that institutions such as Friendly Societies would have more power if united, and could make their influence felt when necessity arose. Bro. Todd said that the question had been fully discussed and considered twenty years ago, and he thought it was time now the District should do something in the matter. Bro. Latham opposed the motion, and stated that ho had gon'e very carefully into figures, and showed how the cost would affect the various lodges ixx the District. He considered that the benefits -which those in favour of the scheme anticipated would not give a fair return for what he considered the cost, namely 9d per annum. Bro. A. Ball spoke in favour of the proposal pointing out that by joining the B.M.C. and forming into a compact central body the Order would be a power in the colony, and he thought it would be in their interests to join. P.G. Bro. Jas. Martin said that he now intended to vote against the motion, although in favour of the suggestion twelve months ago. Bro. McDou’gall quoted figures to prove that in his opinion by joining the central body it would be necessary to inci’case the contributions, and that the benefits to be derived wox-c not equivalent to the extra cost.

P.P.G.M. Carnahan supported the motion, and pointed out that other benefit societies had already taken steps to form central bodies. P.P.O.M. Bro. McFarlane spoke against the motion, while P.P.G.M. Bro. A. Small spoke strongly in its favour. Bro. Walker, in reply, pointed out that the statement made by several of those in opposition to the motion with reference to the probable amount of the levy was altogether misleading. He quoted figures to prove

that including the expenses of two delegates to the Biennial Conference the amount would not exceed at the very outside 4Jd per member per annum. He trusted the motion would be carried by the necessary three-fourths majority.

On a vote being taken, 15 voted for the motion and 13 against. The motion was thus once more lost. DISTRICT RULES.

Bro. Edmonds moved, and P. G. Bro. Reid seconded —That a committee be appointed to revise the Southland District rules—to report at next District Meeting. Bro. Edmonds quoted clauses in the present rules to show that they conflicted with the General Rules. —The motion was agreed to, and on the motion of Bro. Edmonds, seconded by Bro. Campbell, P.P.G.M.’s Bros. T. W. Walker, Latham, and McDougall were appointed to revise the rules for confirmation at the annual District Meeting. SICK PAY. The following motion was submitted from the St. George Lodge That members declaring on and off the sick funds of lodges be paid for the day on and the day off, provided that they have not worked on either day.—This was ruled out of order by the Chairman on the ground that it was a question for the lodges themselves to consider. MIXED LODGES. P.G. Bro. Kracke moved and P.G. Bro. Ball seconded pro forma That Clause 9A, General Rule 52, be brought into force, so that country lodges may have the power to admit females. Delegates generally maintained that the motion should not have general effect, but should apply to the Rivorsdale Lodge only. After discussion the motion was withdrawn. BALANCE-SHEETS. The Examining Committee reported in satisfactory terms on the halfyearly - balance-sheets of the various lodges. P.G. Bro. Ball moved, and P.G. Bro. Thomson seconded that the report be received abd adopted.—Carried. LEVIES. P.P-G.M. Bro. McDougall moved and P.P.G.M. Bro. Latham seconded —That the levies as recommended by the District, viz., Funeral Fund 2s, and Management Is 6d, be adopted. —Carried. NEXT MEETING. Invercargill and Gore were nominated as the place for holding the next District Meeting in March, 1907. On a vote being taken Gore was agreed to. RELIEF GRANT. A relief vote of £lO each was voted to a member of the Loyal St. George and Lumsdeu Lodges respective!v. ROUGH MINUTES. These were read and confirmed, and this closed the proceedings. SOCIAL. The Officers and members of the Orepuki Lodge afterwards entertained the District Officers and Delegates to a sumptuous repast in Cassel’s HallA programme of toasts was carried through, and the following Sisters and Brothers contributed to the evening's harmony : —Sister Ball amd Bros. Galbraith, Merrielees, Nicholas, Small, Thomson, Todd, Kracke, Philp, Mair, and J. Walker. The gathering closed at a reasonable hour with the singing' of “Auld Lang Syne.”