ANCIENT ORDER OF FORESTERS.

Colonist, Volume XLIX, Issue 11861, 15 February 1907, Page 3

ANCIENT ORDER OF FORESTERS.

ANNUAL DISTRIOT MEETING ] •v. Yesterday morning, at ten o'clock, j the annual meeting of the Nelson < ••District in connection with theFo'res- £ ters' Order, commenced in the Hall c • in Gollingwood street, when the fol- ( lowing officers and Court delegates j were present :— District Chief Ran- \ ger, Bro R C Withers; District Sub- ( •Chief R&nger, Bro Ernest Fleming; • Secretary, Bro Robert Hun- i ter ; District Treasurer, Bro Arthur . Dodson; District Beadle, Bro Wil- 1 liam Poole; Bros W T Bond H Beth- i waite and R Nicol from Court Robin -, H6od; Bro George Dodson from Court Pride of the Forest; Bro i James Ching from Court Sherwood \ Forest; Bro W J idollatt from Court i Perseverance ; Bros J A Miles and R ; H Lash from Court Aorere (Colling- i wood) ; Bro D T Gibbard from Court i Royal Oak (Westport); Bro James Collins from Court Charleston ; (Cbailestoo) ; Bro G E Terkins from Court Concord (Greymouth); Bro E J Scantlebury from Court Inangahua (Reefton); Bro R F Cdspiu from Court Unity (Lfave- , lock). The minutes were read acd con- '' firmed. The District Chief Ranger in his report touched upon the financial condition of the Order in the district; lamented the death of the late Bro J A Harley, one ot the District Trustees; referred to the District officers reporting against the idea of biv ing moveable District Annual Meetings on the score of the heavy additional expenditure such a step frould involve; and noted that the

. (payments on account of deaths had . been the lowest for twelve years past. He aci* now lodged the Uind- , ness and assistance he had "received 1 from his colleagues and the mem- , bers. 1 Resolved, on the motion of Bro r Bethwaite,* seconded by Hro Scantle- , bury, that Br. Withers, D.C.E., be \. thanked for his report, ano that same be adopted and printed in *be proceedings of the meeting. Resolved, on the motion of Bro t James Ching, seconded by Bro Nicol 5 that the Auditors' report and J;h<. i balance sheet be adopted. r The membership was shown to be i 877 adults, 78 females, and 37 juve- , niles. The total worth of the funds * £22,208 Os 3d; the amount paid in 'sick pay £1,132 2s lOd : and for . medical attendance £798 7s 4d . The • total worth of th© District funds was shown as follows": -— - Funeral i fund, £1017 10s 7d; management, £87 10s ; goods in stock, £86 10s Sd : grand total, £1188 10s 9d. A telegram was despatched to Richimond conveying fraternal greetings ■ to the Oddfellows, and the latter replied acknowledging and reciprocating the good wishes.. Resolved, on the motion of Bro W T Bond, seconded by Bro J A Miles, that a letter cf sympathy and condolence be forwarded to the widow and family of the late Bro J A Harley P.D O.K.' Bros G Dodson, James Ching, and Moffatt also spoke to the motion. The speakers recognised the services the late Brother had ren- j dered as a District Trustee, and in | other offices he had ably tilled. j The correspondence received by the District officers evoKed considerable discussion. Resolved, on the motion of Bro Motfati, seconded by Bro Scantlebury — That "in response to the request of Court Perseverance, a committee, consisting of ther District Chief "Ranger the District, Secretary, Bros W T Bond, George Dodson, and James Ching, confer with a committee from the Nelson Oddfellows Dis-. trict and ititerv.ew the Nelson section of the British Medical Association respecting the medical charges in the country districts, with a view to secure an equitable adjustment. Also that tbe Druids be asked to cooperate. The changes as regard the meetings of Courts Perseverance, Con cord, and Royal Oak were confirmed. i_esol*ed,- on the motion of Bro Bethwaite, seconded by Bro Nicol, that tbe levies for the enaningyear be 5s per member to tbe Funeral I Firnd, and one shilling per member to th£ Management Fund, to be paid half-yearly. Resolved, on tbe mo'tiori of Bro Scantlebury, seconded by Bro Gibbard, that Bros W H Alborough and Finney be- re-elected as Auditors. Resolved, on the motion of Bro Nicol, seconded by Bro Scantlebury, i that Bros W H Alborough, Bethwaite, W T Bond, James Ching, W Condell, George Dodson, Arthur ! Dodson, E Gill, C J Harley, W i V Salter, R H Simpson, and T Small constitute the District Arbitration Committee for tbe ensuing year. r. Resolved, oii the motion of Bro George Dodson, secoflded by Bro Lash, that Bro Robert Nicol ba elected a District Trustee in tbe -, place of the late Bro J A Harley. Resolved on the motion of Bro W T Bond, seconded by Bro Mofatt, -j (a) That in tbe event of any member . being desirous of taking a District r riftice, whose Court is situated more than fifteen miles from Nelson- 1 he may hold such office if he attends at least one of the monthly -, meetings of the District officers : (b) that in the event of any special busi- ■ ness arising he be summoned to attend; (c) that he must find a PDCR to act as his substitute at the month- r ly meetings he is absent from; (d) that his travelling expenses be paid out of the Management Fund for his attendance at the meetings above specified j (c) that such payment shall be irrespective of any payment mentioned in the General Rules for special services. The Carrying of this motion was hailed with niiicb satisfaction, as it opened the way for members of distant Courts to hold the offices of Dis- J trict Chief Ranger and District Sub- ' Chief Ranger. It was carried unanimously, and with applause. ( The District Chief Ranger, at the request of Bro Crispin, ruled that in General Rule -40, Section 2, a misprint appeared — it should read "a Past Oh ief Ranger," instead of "tbe Past Chief Ranger," as printed. This ruling was upheld. Bro W J Moffatt gave a report of the Friendly Societies' Conference, held in. Wellington. He was heartily thanked for same,, and his excellent services as Delegate at said Conference. The District Secretary reported I that the whole of the ten Courts comprising the Nelson District had voted in favor of a Subsidiary High ' Court being instituted in New Zea- < land. A resolution was passed ex- I pressing the pleasure of the meeting at the gratifying intelligence. The motion being moved by Bro Beth- \. waite, and aeconded by Bro Lash. * The election of officers resulted in * Bro Ernest Fleming being elected as t District Chief Ranger; and Bro E J « Scantlebury being elected as Dis- ' trict Sub-Chief Ranger. Rounds of applause greeted Bro Scantlebury 's election, ~he being the first West Coast member elected to that posi- j tion. Both officers were duly installed, and thanked the brethren for the honor conferred upon them. • Resolved on tbe motion of Bro Crispin, seconded by Bro Bethwaite, that a hearty vote of thanks be ac- . corded Bro Withers for tbe able manner in which he had filled the j ffice of District Chief Ranger; that his Dame be placed on the District - Merit Board, and that his photograph be placed among the Past Dis- . trict Chief Rangers. The Foresters' Bre was given in honor of Bro ,- Withers, the same being led by Bro James Ching. Bro Withers suitably responded, and stated that his leaving the chief position would not re- „ suit in his losing interest in the Or- i der, but he hoped at some future f meeting to sit as a Delegate. After some routine business was transacted, the meeting closed at j five o'clock with the usual ceremony, j At one o'clock the officers and r delegates dined together at the Commercial Hotel.