ORANGE JUBILEE

Southland Times, Issue 19690, 24 October 1925, Page 9

ORANGE JUBILEE

CELEBRATIONS IN INVERCARGILL. SCENES OF ENTHUSIASM. A banquet was held in the Orange Hall, Forth Street, on Monday to celebrate the jubilee of the Orange Institution in Southland. It was one of the largest gatherings of the order ever held here. All Southland lodges were well represented and visitors were also present from Balclutha, Milton, Kaitangata, Dunedin and Auckland, including the Right Worshipful Grand Master of New Zealand (Bro G. Taylor, of Auckland), and the Deputy G.M., Bro I McFarlane, Dunedin. The chairman (Wor Bro J. Winder, W.M. No ISA) proposed the toast of “The King and Institution.” “The Grand Lodge of New Zealand was proposed by Wor Bro G. Agnew, P.M. No. 9. The Grand Master, in replying, congratulated the order in Southland on the jubilee, and expressed his pleasure at being present on such a memorable occasion. The Deputy Grand Master also replied to the toast. “The First Southland Lodge, No. 18,” was proposed by Wor Bro B. Wallace. In replying, the Worshipful Master thanked them for the enthusiastic manner in which they honoured the toast. “Our Pioneer Brethren.” was proposed by Rt. Wor Bro A. Noble, P.G.M.. The pioneer members present were Bros J. McNatty, J. Stevenson, N. Mcßobie, J. Wilson, A. McCurdy and A. Craig. The Rt. Wor Bro J. Stevenson, P.G.M., in reply, spoke of the trials and difficult}’ under which they had laboured in the early days in raising the standard of Orangeism. Worshipful Bro N. Mcßobie also replied to the toast. “Southland Lodges” was proposed by Bro I. McFarlane, Deputy Grand Master. Wor Bro W. Agnew, County Grand Master, Southland, replied to the toast. The toast of “Our Visitors” was proposed by Wor Bro J. Bell, P.M., and responded to by representatives of Lodges Otautau, Winton, Wyndham, Tuatapere, Gore, Balclutha, Kaitangata, Milton, Dunedin and Auckland. The speeches were interspersed by a fine programme of musical and elocutionary i items contributed by Bro Campbell’s j orchestra, Sisters Riddell and Sheed, and ; Bros H. Donald, N. Ross, H. Galt and G. M. Donald. A gathering that will long be ! remembered was brought to a close by the 'singing of Auld Lang Syne and the National I Anthem.

Advantage was taken of the presence in Southland of the Right Worshipful Grand Master to unveil a memorial tablet in memory of the brethren of the Invercargill lodges who fell in the Great War. This took place last Sunday afternoon in the presence of a large concourse of members and their friends. There were also present by invitation relatives of the fallen brethren. A service appropriate to the solemn occasion was carried out by Bros Rev. R. D. McEwan and Captain Chaplain Bro Rev J. E. Lopdell. In unveiling the tablet the Grand Master congratulated the local lodges on the step taken to do honour to the memory of the brethren who gave their lives for King and Empire. After the reading of the inscription and a dedicatory prayer, the Dead March was impressively played by the organist. The service concluded with the singing of the National Anthem and the pronouncement of the Benediction.