ANCIENT ORDER OF FORESTERS.

Colonist, Volume LII, Issue 12770, 11 February 1910, Page 4

ANCIENT ORDER OF FORESTERS.

THE ANNUAL DISTRICT MEEIXNOr. Yesterday morning at ten o'clock the annual District meeting of the Foresters was opened in due form at the Foresters' Hall by Bro. W. J. Moffatt, the District Chief Ranger. The other officers present were : — District Sub-Chief Ranger Bro. G. E. Perkins (Greymouth) ; District Secretary Bro. It. Hunter; District Treasurer Bro. A. Dodson (Wakapuaka) ; and District Beadle Bro. P. Martin. The undermentioned delegates presented their credentials, and took their seats : — Court Robin Hood: Bros. W. T. Bond, P.D.C.R.; H. Bethwaite, P.D.C.R.: and John N. Easdale, P.C.R. Court Pride of the Forest: Bro. R. C. Withers, P.D.C.R. Court Sherwood Forest : Bro. James Ching, P.D.C.R. Court Perseverance: Bro. J. W. King, P.C.R. Court Aorere: Bro. G. H. Allan, P.C.R., and Bro. J. A. Miles, P.C.R. Court Royal Oak : Bro. T. D. Milne, Court Concord : Bro. H. D. James, P.C.R. Court Inangahua : Bro. E. J. Scantlebury, P.D.C.R. Court Charleston, Bro. A. King, P.C.R. Court Unity: Bro. George Pope, P.C.R. Co\irt Karamea : Bro. E. B. Issoll, P.C.R. Resolved on the motion of Bro. King (Charleston), seconded by Bro. Scantlebury (Reefton)— That this meeting adjourn for a time as a token, of respect to the memory of the late Bros. E. Coumbe and James Collins, P.C.R., who were drowned when tho s.s. Penguin was wrecked on th© night of February 12th. 1909 ; (2) that tho photographs of the late brothers bo procured, if possible, and tho same be framed and hung in the hall. ■ . | On' the meeting resuming, the District Auditors' report, and the statement of accounts were read. Resolved on the motion of Bro. Miles (Oollingwood) and Bro. Scantlebury, that tho report and statement of accounts be adopted. The District Chief Ranger gave his report. He noted that the funds of the courts in the District showed an increase of £829 4s lOd, and the financial members an increase of 19, being 943 as compared with 924. With tho female members and juveniles added, the total membership was 1054. The worth of the District body stands at £916 3s 4d, and of the courts at £23,455 18s 6d, thus giving a grand total of £24,372 Is lOd. During the ' past year thirteen members, and four members' wives have passed away, and £455 was paid away from the Funeral Fund. For the past year £1343 9s lid was disbursed in sick pay, and £992 12s lOd paid for medical attendance. The average amount per member paid in sick pay by the several courts was :■ — -.£ s d Court Perseverance ... ...2 9 2 Court Robin Hood 1 14 7 Court Pride of the Forest... 1 12 3 Court Unity 18 4 (Jourt Sherwood Forest ... 1 5 6 Court Royal Oak 0 19 9 1 Gourt Charleston 0 19 3 Court Concord : 017 6 iJuurt Aorere ... ... 016 5 Court Karamea ... ... 012 4 Tlie report also touched upon the question of the establishment of a Subsidiary High Court for the Dominion. It was unanimously resolved that the District Chief Ranger be thanked for his report, and that the report be embodied in the printed accouiit of bhe meeting's proceedings. The following telegram was.received from) the Oddfellows, who were holding their District ,. meeting at Richmond :— "Nelson District of OddfelloAVs, Manchester Unity, extend fraternal greetings. Wish you a successful .meeting. — Peter Higgins, Grand Master." The following reply was despatched: — "Heartily reciprocate your fraternal greetings. — W. J. Moffatt, District Chief Ranger." Accounts were passed for. payment amounting to £60; 4s 9d,of which £42 3s was to meet the expenses of the District meeting. '■ The correspondence received regarding the proposal to establish a Subsidiary High Court for New Zealand .was "read' and considered.: The Tara<naki< district passed a resolution affirming the opinion "That the formation of a Subsidiary High Court is of urgent importance." The Auckland district passed a resolution in favour .of the. proposal, "beh'eving . that it would Tfe for the benefit of the order' in New Zealand." . The Canterbury United district has^ relegated the ' [uestioh 'to its district" executive to*

collect information, in order to place same before the district meeting in April. The Wellington- district is seeking for information as to the advantages that will accrue from the formation of the Higher Court. The Otago and Hawke's i3ay districts will have the matter discussed at their annual district meetings. V It was unanimously a-esolved on the motion of Bro. Scantlebury (Reefton) seconded by Bro. Allan (Coilingwood), "That this District meeting reainrms the desirability of the establishment of a Subsidiary High Court for Mew Zealand. That the District Secretary be iustructed to forward the necessary information asked for by some of the districts, also that in case of a favourable reply being received from a majority of the districts in New Zealand, the Wellington district be asked to convene a meeting representative of tiie various districts to be held in Wellington, as being mo&i central, to take steps for the formation of a Subsidiary High Court;" It was resolved on the motion of Bro. Bethwaite, seconded by Bro. Perkins, "That this meeting regrets the death of our late Bro. Robert Nicol, one of the. District Trustees] and desires to place on record its recognition of the valuable services rendered by deceased to the order." The District Chief requested the delegate* to stand while the motion was put. It was resolved that Bros. \V. -H. Alborough, H. Betiiwaitej -W« T. Boud, Jas. Ohing, Geo. Dodson, A ; Dodson, M. B. Oondell, E. Fleming, R Gill, C. J. Harley, W. V. Salter, and It. C. Withers, compose the District Arbitration Committee. - It was resolved that Bros. Inmey and Alborough be re-elected as the District Auditors. It was resolved that Bro. L. J. Frank be elected as a District Itubtee in the place of the late Bro. It. Nicol, deceased. ','',. i .'. It was resolved that the levies be ten shillings per member for tho Funeral Fund, hve shillings in the first half year, and five shillings m the second half, but should it be deemed unnecessary, the whole of the second payment be not called up. - (The ten shillings was voted to meet any 1 nnforeseen demand, but if the District officers find that seven shillings anfl sixpence per member is sufficient, only 2s 6d per member will be called up in the second half year) . The levy tc the Management Fund to be two shillings per member, in half yearly payments. m „ , The election of officers resulted as follows':— Bro. G. E. Perkins, oi Court Concord (Greymouth), was elected as District Chief Ranger, and Bro. John N. Easdale, Court Robin Hood, was elected as District SubChief Ranger. After the new officers had been installed, they thanked the brethren for conferring upon them the honours of the respective posi : tions. It was resolved on the motion oJ Bro. Withers, seconded by Bro. Miles that a vote of thanks be accorded ix Bro. Moffatt, the retiring District Chief Ranger, and that his name be placed on the District merit board, and his photograph be added to thos< of the Past District Chief Rangers also that Bro. Moffatt be accordec tlie honours of the order. On the mo tiou being carried, the Foresters' fir< was given,. Bro. Easdale acting at fugleman. . Bro. Moffatt, P.D.C.R., heartilj thanked the brethren for their kindlj remarks and the honour shown him, He had had a pleasant time in the chair, and had received the hearty support of his colleagues on the District Executive. He was sorry thai Bro. Poole, who had long filled th< position of District Beadle, was laic by through sickness. Bro. Bond was requested to pre pare a brief notice of the last Higl Court meeting, to be inserted in th< printed proceedings. Bro. Scantlebury, of Court Inanga hua, gave notice to amend GeneraRule 39, section one^ sub section b by adding the following words, "anc such payments as may be considerec by the Court to be best conducive U the welfare of the order." The meeting, which lasted from Iv a.m. until 4 p.m., was closed in du< form by the new D.C.R. At one o'clock the officers and dele gates dined together at the Commer cial Hotel.