ODDFELLOWSHIP.

Colonist, Volume LII, Issue 12755, 30 March 1910, Page 3

ODDFELLOWSHIP.

[United Pbess Association. j Napier, March 29. The meeting of the moyeable committee of the New Zealand branch of the Manchester Unity of Oddfellows was continued to-day. The executive were requested to draft a suitable.reply to Bro Sir Joseph Ward's greetings received the previous evening. Bro McLeod said that the Prime Minister took* a keen interest in the welfare of friendly societies, and' lie (tho speaker) knew personally that it was against Sir Joseph's wish that clauses 15 and 16 had oeen left out of the Consolidated Friendly Societies Act. . - The proposal from ,the Auckland district to rescind rule 71, providing for the medical aid fund being kept separate from tho management fund, ■was rejected by 21 votes, to 11. With reference to the rule dealing with clearances, at the New Plymouth conference an amendment was made which provided that a member clearing from one lodge to another connected with the New Zealand branch should bo charged the same rate of contributions he paid to his previous lodge. The Auckland district now proposed a further amendment providing that the • member shall be charged the rate of contributions in force in the lodge receiving the clearance at the age he joined the previous lodge, and shall he exempt from paying entrance money. The proposal evoked. a long discussion. The chief argument in favour of the amendment was that it would be more equitable in view of sick benents-übt being uniform in several districts. The amendment was adopted with but one dissentient. Deputy Loasby moved on behalf of the directors that it be a recommendation to the Moveable Committee to centralise funeral funds on a system providing for the establishing of one central fund, by contributions payable* through the districts, on an equitable graduated scale to be provided by an actuary, suitable for the benefits'' in each district. Deputy Thomas moved as an amendment that this meeting, whilst affirming the principle of establishing a central funeral fund, considers that the importance of the subject warrants further consideration, and of the matter being deferred for two years. After a debate lasting over two hours the amendment was lost by 19 votes to 14. : . Deputy Loasby's motion was then put and carried. The machinery and rules m connection with a central funeral fund were discussed and adopted. The conference then adjourned till to-morrow. At Ismailia, Suez Canal, a, large number of Greek children were witnessing a cinematograph show recently, when the machine room suddenly burst into flames. A stampede took place and many children and grownup persons were injured. Three children were burnt to death.