ANNUAL MEETING OF NELSON DISTRICT, MANCHESTER UNITY.

Colonist, Volume XLI, Issue 9097, 15 February 1898, Page 2 (Supplement)

ANNUAL MEETING OF NELSON DISTRICT, MANCHESTER UNITY.

The annual meeting of the Nelson District was held in the Oddfellows' Hall on Feb. 10, when there were present— Prov Grand Master, J. Sharp, ]un. (in the chair) ; ProY Deputy Grand Master* J-» Best; Prov

Corresponding Secretary, A. 11. Smart; Treasurer, J. P. Cooke ; and the following Nelson" Lodge— rPGM's P. Cooke, G. F. Smallbone, B. H. Moller, PG's W. T. Good and A. C. Seatt. Travellers' Rest Lodge — PG's W. D. Harkness a^d P. Smith. Howard Lodge— PPGM's IT. V» Sully, A. N. Batchelor, P. Topics, PG's B. Crisp and A. B. Giblin. Mansion 6_ Peace Lodge — PPGM J. Thomas, PG's D. Price, I. Tunnicliffe, and A. Tunnicliffe. General Cameron Lodge— PG's W. Forstor and W, 0. Jones. The Grani Master Jin bia .dims drew attention to the impcrtanoe of oareidl consideration tf the mat er c feeeeding members, the principal CaUss of so many Ee.eliui? being f fc.r.bu.ed b/ hira fo the gradual departure frcm oae of ihe o'em n.aiy priaoiplf b of Ojdfellcwship a. its foi.idwion, that was that Lodges wero primarily founded for Ihe amussmoat-, l-_ creation, and improvement ot its membera. With regard to the position of the District be was sorry to report a falling eff in the member-hip, bu. pay m.nt 8 for siok or f ineral benefits had not been eo heavy as in tho previous year. Tbe sum of £1227 12 4 had been pßid for sick pay daring th9 year and £186 for funeial aoney anl the t al worth of the dUtr'o wa. £52,055 11 4. Tbe Auditor's report and et*te_a<.nl of accounts were pi'fs nted snd adopted, and a htarty vote of thanks passed to the Prov. G. Master for his a. dress wh.ch was ordered to ba printed with the report of the meeting. It was moved that it ba an ins'raotion so the District officers to fix tbe half yearly management levy at tbe loweet possible rate oompatible with the expenses of the district. It was resolved to forward fraternal greetings t3 the Wellgton dit.i.t, holding their nrntiog a. Mastertoo. Bros Gully and Smallbone beiog appointed to attend to tbs matter. Uron a ballot Bios J. Thomas and T. Toplisj were appointed Aoditors. The foi'owiog were elect _d as on appeal C mroit'es for the next term, Br?. P. Cooke, G. F. Smallbone, H. V. Gully, A. N. Batchelor, J. Thomas, W. Forster, and F. Smi h. It was resolved to hold the next district meeting at Richmond. The District Management Committee upon the subject of clearance surrender valun reported that having received from Bro Leslie a table of clearance surrender value, they submitted, same to the meeting with a recommendation that it should be adopted. Bro Gully proposed and Bro Giblin seconded, that tbe report of the Committee should b_ adopted. An amendment was moved by Bro Smith aud seconded by Bro P. Cooke, that the final decision of the question be postponed until next District meeting, and that a special Committee be appointed by this meeting to ascertain the effect of its adoption upon the several lodg-es in the Nelson district. A very Interesting discussion tcok place upon this question. The chief argument in favor of the adoption was that the present system of drawing clearance was unfair to members, inasmuch a-s a member removing to anoiher district and wishing to draw his clearance, uhder the present system, lost all benefit of the years of his membership in the parent Lodge, as, upon joining a Lodge 1 in the new district, he had to pay increased contributions according to his age upon joining. It was admitted by all the delegates who spoke on the question that the proposed , alteration would place members upon a more equitable footing, but some doubt was expressed whether it would be for the benefit of the district, as so many young members left the district for the purpose of seeking employment elsewhere, and Bro 1 Smith's amendment was moved with a view of obtaining further information upon this point. The majority of the delegates were of opinion that the matter had been sufficiently llong before the District and fully argued, and there was no object to be gained by further delay, and in the end the amendment was put and lost, and the . motion thereupon carried unanimously. The Committee appointed to consider the advisableness of opening female lodges in s the District, reported that on account of the ; insufficient and unsatisfactory information • received from Colonial centres, and also from the Board of Directors at Home, the Committee was of opinion that it would be premature under the existing circumstances to open a female lodge in the Nelson district. The report of the Committee was received, and the Committee thanked for their! , trouble. Bro. Jhom93 in aooordanoe with notice [ moved that Rule 15 sbould be altered so that four per oent should ba substituted ' for five per cent as at present. Bro. Smith i second*-.!. 1 he rule referred to, provides that Lodges failing to earn five per cent upon tbeir oapital shou'd make up the deficiency out of their management fund. Ii was explained that the main objeot of tbis rule was to enable the Lodges to be valued upon a five per oent basi?, and seeing that the rates ol interest have fallen, bs anticipated, it was therefore not advisable to value on a higher basis than four per oent, for Lodges i might find a difficulty in earning fiva per oent on tbeir Capital. The motion was oarried, Bro. Harknesi moved and Bro. Gully seconded that the district meeting should be held balf yearly in future. This w.s a proposition to revert to the former order of tbings, before it was deoided to have an annual meeting with quarterly meetings of the Distriot Management Commi tee. Tbe general opinion expressed, was that the substitution of the Committee meetings had not been as successful aB anticipated, and the saving of oo.t had not oame up to f xpeotation. It w s also etaied that tbe hilf -yearly meetings had tended to keep up the interest of members, and that the slight saving was not equal to the loss sustained in other directions. The motLn wbb carried. It was made an instruction to tbe Distriot officers to have rules framed to carry the foregoing resolutions into effeot, and registered, Bros Gaily, Topliss and Cooke to aot with the officers. Proposed by Bro Crisp and seconded by Bro Batchelor that the annual monster picnic be re-organised by authority and under the supervision of the District ; that a Committee of 5 from each of the town lodges and 3 from each of the country lodges be appointed to carry out general arrangements ; that a statement of accounts be submitted to the first District Meeting in each year ; and that any balance accruing be deposited in the Post Office Savings Bank. The motion was carried. It being found that the portraits of the early District officers were fading it was resolved that the District officers toSether with Bros Batchelor, Gully, Smallbone, and Toplis be appointed to have the portraits re-produced and suitably framed. Bro Smallbone gave notice to move that the first eight lines of the schedule of benefits be struck out, and the following substituted — " Every member in compliance shall, after the expiration of 26 weeks from the date of his initiation, be entitled, during sickness, to the following sick benefit: Twenty shillings per week for a period not exceeding 26 weeks; after a continuous sickness of 26 weeks, ten shillings per week for the next 26 weeks or part thereof." It was resolved that any expenses connected with the securities of any fund should be a charge against that fund. It was resolved to provide regalia for District officers during their term of office. Bro Gully gave notice to move that an addition be made to District Rule 22, that when in the opinion of the presiding officer and Permanent Secretary of a Lodge, it is not necessary to submit any claim as to the legality if a claim for funeral money to the Lodge they may forward the necessary certificates to the Prov. CS. forthwith. It was resolved that as the rules are not clear upon the point, the District sanctions the payment of funeral allowances oh the necessary certificates signed by thepresiding officer without the application having necessarily been previously submitted to the lodge. The election of officers resulted as follows : — Prov. Grand Master, Bro Joseph Best. Prov. Deputy Grand Master, Bro A. B. Giblin. _ I Prov. Corresponding Secretary, Bro A. ft. grnut (re-elected).

Prov. Treasurer, Relieving Officer, and Warden, Bro J. P. Cooke (re-elected)'. I The officers were hi-.t..lk'd by Bro J Thomasv firo J3est thanked the delegates for the honor cuutcrrc.l upon him. aiul v :i t>» r ' " : '*' his Intention to early out the duties to the bp«t ot his abilities. Bro Giblin also expressed his thanks, and the retiring PGM (Bro Sharp) thanked the members of the various Lodges for the courtesy extended to him oil his visits throughout the district, also to the Deputy PGM and the Prov Correspoildiri" Secretary for their assistance in enabling him to carry out the duties ot the office. It wits resolved that the best thanks of the meeting be accorded the retiring PGM, that his portrait be taken and, his .name placed on the district merit tkJartl, and that he receive •.be honors of PPGM - . A hearty vote of thanks was also passed to the District officers. OnnrKixowsnip at Motueka. — A meeting of the Loyal Motueka Lodge of Oddfellows, M.U., was held on Saturday evening last. The audited balance sheet, as read and adopted, showed the total worth of the Sick and Funeral Fund tobe £3712 9s 7d, during the year the funds having increased £91 3s lid, and £138 16s ld had teen disbursed in sick pay. The membership now stands at . co. P.P.G.M.'s Wm. Boyce, F. Parker, and H. Rumbold were elected as delegates to attend the next district meeting. The following officers were installed for the ensuing year :— N.G., H. Rumbold ; V.G., H. Satherley, E.S., C*. Q. Boyce, and the following retain office: Permanent Secretary, Wm-. Bovce, and Treasurer, F. H-. Talbot-. '