FRIENDLY SOCIETIES.

Colonist, Volume LV, Issue 13646, 11 February 1913, Page 6

FRIENDLY SOCIETIES.

ANNUAL MEETING NELSON DISTRICT ODDFELLOWS. Tho annual meeting of the Nelson district of tho New Zealand branch of the Manchester Unity of Oddfellows was held at Tadmor yesterday. There were present: The Grand-Mas-ter, Bro. \V. Thompson: l)ep. Pro*. G.M. Bro Thos. Boll; C.S., Bro. A. G. Shrimpton; Ppov. Troas., Bro. J. P. fJooki\ and lodge deputies as follows :— NeUon Lbd^o: P.P.0.M., W. H. Pn'bblo; P.G.s, F. Graham, A. Cross, W. 11. Kdberteon, and P.S., W. L. HesfaeJtino. Travellers' Rest Lodge (Richmond): P.P.G.M.'s W. D. Harkuess, F. W. 0. Smith, and J. F. Papps. Howard Lodge (Nelson): P.P.G.M., j: pbifler.-. P.'G.'s W. Liddle, A. It. Kitehing, AYE. i'Dayiea, and G.M. Chas :(jlraiham. ■ '■'. ."■."'' ■ / Mansion of Peace Lodge (Wakefield): P.P.G.M.'s I. Tunniclifte, P. Higgins, and J. W. Hagen; P.G., E. J. Painton, and P.S., F. E. Shuttleworth. : General Cameron Lodge (Brightwater): P.G., 11. Dishcr, and G.M. R. S. Haycock. Mataki Lodge (Murchison): P.G. A.J.Pollow. . Palmyra Lodge (Tadmor) : P.G. G. W; Fawcett. • • t .-. Before £he business of. the day.. was proceeded with . P.P.G.M. Hagen wa« liresented witli Ui ■s'aMi* indicative ?o'f •. his rankl ■ ■•■':'^ v/:-1 :- ,:■ ■/:<' - ; /■ -..■.;^,

•'.Clio1, Grand Master then presented his report.,.,'-.._ r .- -•• . -A.:/ \.- ■"'••. .-. :'•'..Tho-Grand Master, in his report, referred to'the departure from Mew Zeaand of Lord Islington, Who is a member of tho Order. Referring to the position of the Order in New Zealand and the Nelson district, he said: ■ "Throughout New Zealand our Order is making steady progress. The membership shows 23,123, the districts registered with the New--Zealand . branch having a membership of 15,433. District separately ■ registered 7,699. The aggregate capital of all the New Zealand friendv societies is* £1,441,352, the M.U., 1.0.0. F., possessing £674,975 of this total: Coming to our own%district,, I am pleased to report a maintenance of the steady progress wo have enjoyed j for some years. Our capital value is now £39,225, made rip as follows: Sick' and funeral funds, £30,678; widow and orphans £6,248; surplus fund, £2146; management, £318; distress fund, £140; and goods, etc., £300. Throughout the year we dispensed £1428 in sick pay, £367 in widows' allowances, and the sum of £624 was paid to the; central funeral fund." .-• . "• While touching upon : financial mattors, attention ..was,directed to the fact' ?th at three- lodges in the district had not banking accounts. Mention was made of . funeral funds as follows:! "The central funeral fund having be- i come an accomplished fact, the old district funeral fund has been dissolved,' and, with the surplus, has been apportioned amongst the lodges as at 30th June, 1912, in accordance with the re-; commendation of the Actuary in the j lOlO^v&luation report/" ''"" ■■■■■ ' | In his remarks on consolidation of.j sick funds the G.M. aaid: "I would j specially recommend members, if they have not already done so, to read the; report on 'Consolidation of the Sick' Funds, 1 as contained in the report of j the meeting of tlie board of directors j held on tne 27th and 28th of . August, | 1912.' These imports axe obtainable from ] lodge secretaries.',' . ' ' | /National insurance wae[ toudhedj upon; and the remit of the Howard Lodge mentioned, and the G.M. expressed the opinion that the time has arrived when the board of directors should bo asked tp take into consideration the advisability of establishing a maternity benefit in connection with tho Order. Oh the subject of funeral benefits he said: fit may not be generally known that mem bers beoom© , entitled to the funeral benefits immediately on ■joining: a lodges .and a-member maw ;i«j entitled tq the increased funeral benefit of £30, with the provision that £10 of this amount shall no paid to him should ..his wife predecease him." With regard to the finances of individual lodges the G.M. said: "I think it is a matter for congratulation that at the 1910 valuation every lodge in this district was found to be in a sound financial position, and snowing a surplus. This, ig.;a unique,.positiori,,brethren, of which "we ought to foci justly proud. We. aro reaping the benefit of the labours of those brethren who in days gone by fought hard for the reforms which have placed us in the proud position wo find ourselves to-day." In connection with the brethren last mentioned, the G.M. suggestecTthat the name of Bro. W. Besley, who was for 16 years C.S. during the period referred to,, should be placed on the district merit board. Various reports of committees were referred to and visits to lodge's were mentioned as follows: ' 'During the last half year, accompanied by the D.P.G.M., Bro. T. Bell, and the C.S., Bro. A. G. Shrimpton, and on two occasions by; several members of other lodges, I have visited the lodges in the district, with th e exception of the Loyal Mataki Lodge. I regret very much that circumstances prevented' me paying a "to ;<ine:""iM2mibJßon -brethren. '~... '. I .'lawei^gaia jihad. $he "pleaeare t^t-rkai^' ing dieJJDy&T3¥afcs*a --and' aiaciimohd; Juvenile-Lodges, rlthinfcit a matter tS great'regret that thesadult members of the lodges to Tv-hidi the juvenile lodges are attached do not help the superintendents more by attending their meetings, and by helping to make them attractive to the younger brethren." An innovation introduced by the Howard Lodge of holding an "invitation", lodge meeting was commended as being, successful in bringing together the members of a number of the lodges. Various details with regard to the management of lodges and oases of nonobservance of the rules were mentioned, and after referring to the fact that negotiations wertT^vell forward for ■securing a medical officer for Palmyra Lodge (Tadmor), the G.M. concluded by. saying: "I wish to thank most keartlv my colleagues, tho D.P.G.M., Bro. T. BeiL and C.S., Bro. A. G. Shrimpton^'for/their valuable assistance given me during my term of office, ivhich has helped to make it a very pleasant one, and those brethren who '.have accompanied me on my visits, and ■also the brethren generally" throughout the district for, the hospitality, and many kindnesses received at their hands." . The address was well received, there being a short discxission on t-he'suggss-tion with regard to maternity benefits, *ahd it was resolved1 that a oommittee should be set lip to bring up a report upon tba matter at the next district meeting. _ . - : . 'The''suggestion with regard to recog-

nition of the scr/iccs of I'astProv. C.S. Jioslcy was t-ordially received, a nxnnhor of tho deputies speaking in terms of praise of the groat services rendered the Order by 'iiro. Besloy. It was " rc~ solved that liro. Besley's name he placed on tho district merit board, and that thp. tlistrict officers be- empowered with the consent of Bro. Besley to obtain an ■en lamed photograph of that brother, the tiiuno to bo hung for a period in each lodgproom bpforo finally going to the Nplsoii Lodge. ißro. I'avVcett mentioned tliat.a satisfactory arrangement between the Pal-| myra "Lodge and tho medical man of the district had been made. ; Explanations wero mad© by deputies for lodgps not keeping current banking accounts that the practice was to keep

accountsnn tho Post Office savings-bank a$ being more convenient. A number of matters of detail and oases of infraction of julos were dealti * ith. l'ho Grand Master-was then accorded a hearty vote of thanks' for Jns address, wliich was ordered to be printed with the report of the proceedings. /Statements of accounts and auditors' reports wore presented and adopted. Copies of the report of the board of directors on the matter of consolidation of sick funds were distributed and a communication from the corresponding secretary of the Society was read. ' It war resolved that in view of tho importance and magnitude of the subject that ■consideration be deferred till the next district meeting to give the deputies the necessary opportunity to go through the information provided; It'•■was resolved to grant £5 to •■.the; Thomas Collins memorial fund, the late Bro. Collins, having been 60 years a member of the order and for 28 years the corresponding secretary of thei Unity .

The valuation committee appointed at the- last district meeting reported that the district having adoptedl the advice, of the ; actuary to apportion among the lodges the capital of the district funeral fund and with a- view of carrying the ' distribution into effect, I)he Registrar of Friendly Societies was asked to draft a rule*, or. rules.dealing with tlhe subject. Draft rules-were/duly furnished :by. ; ,"the;Reg^^^^ and'the same were Registered.': It was' resolved . by! the committee to transfer to the credit of each lodge in the lodge mves;tment fund their respective shares, arid to issue certificates. The committee also approved the suggestion that loans should bo advanced to members on the system of repaying the principal by instalments with interest payments. A table showing the payments under the latter proposal was appended. The-report was duly adopted, and the district officers were authorised to have the valuations printed in such ' form as they considered best. The report- of the juvenile committee to consider the best means of assisting tlhe juvenile lodges recommende&'that a medal to the value of one guinea be issued to each juvenile lodge to be awarded to the member wh» introduces the most members in each year. Also that members of adult lodges bp urged to show more interest in the juvenile lodges by attending meetings of the same. Also that the superintendent and committees of the juvenile lodges bo requested to arrange for an annual re-union.

The report was well received, and tihe ...reaommendatikms of the ■commrtd.ee "were adopted after a short disoussion, which emphasised the value to the Order of j uvenile lodges and the ] benefits tq the latter derivable-from a more sustained and sympathetic interest on the part of adult members. The committee set up to consider the question of the abolition of the August half-yearly meetings of the district reported in favour of doing away with the half-yearly meetings. : Tlie expense of these meetings avjgrage^d £28 and^tho Committee reeoghised that the affairs of the society are so - thoroughly safeguarded by_ the provisions of the movable committee rules and tne Friendly Societies Act and the machinery so well oiled that the necessity for the meetings no longer existed. ■ At the same time tlie committee asked deputies not to look solely at the expense side of the question if they saw benefits to be derivable from meeting twice yearly. A discussion followed in which tho majority of the speakers favoured the recommendations of the committee, while those in opposition were of opinion that the result would be to accelerate tli© tendency to do away with the social and goodfellowship side of the society's activitie.s and make it solely a financial institution for definite purposes. ;

The matter was taken .to a- division, which resulted in tJhe'committee's xe3?ort -adopted, Hand the A»gu«t .half-yearly ;7meet#ig riaboliished.; ; vThe! didsion resulted:~-Ayes (15): Tuhnicliffe, F. Graham, Hagen; -Bainton, jshut^ieworth, . Diefcer^ Prebble,, ,C-. Graham, Robertson," Hesseltine, Corder Liddle, Pellew^ Cross;- Davies; Noes (7): Harkness. Smith, Papps, Kitehing, Higgins, Haycock, Fawcett. ; It was resolve^ that the annual meeting in future be held in the last weei in February, this being necessary if the buisiness paper, of. the movable conference was to come before the meeting for consideration j heretofore the • district meetings had been held too early to^ allow this to be.

The management committee was fixed at five (as at present), with the district officers ex-officio, five to form a quorum.' The district officers were empowered to make the necessary alterations in the rules to bring them into conformity with the resolutions.

Bro. Tunnicliffo, in accordance with notice, moved: "Rule. 11, -clause i: Strike out all the words after 'nominated' in the third line and down to ,'meeting' in the sixth line and substitute therefor, 'Any lodge in the district may at any summoned meeting nominate candidates for »uch offices, and their name shall be forwarded to the Prov. C.S. on or before Ist February in each -yeaivand be printed on the business spaper for .the annual -district meeting:" ■ *j£?-tihis -would; Jbe4»^low'lodgi6stto nominate members' for district offices direct^ instead of in' the district meeting only, as hereto^ fore. .

The motion waa carried, also the machinery amendment rule 8, clause 6," to strike out all the: words after "taken."

Bro. Shrimpton moved the - adoption of a remit from the "Howard Lodge: "That in'the opinion of this district meeting, the Grand Master and board of directors oftti e New Zealand branch of the M.U., 1.0.0. F., should approach the Government to introduce a measure providing against destitution in sickness and bid age by compulsory national insurance." The speaker pointed out that he was not asking the meeting to do anymore than have the matter placed before the board of directors. Personally. foci was very strongly in favour of compulsory national insurance against destitution. .It might be looked upon as antagonistic to the society and other friendly .societies, but it required to be borne : in mind that while there were some-seventy thousand in the various, societies^ there were over, a quarter -of a million of-adults:not in the Societies, and as' good Oddfellows they mxlst. look. to .the. .greatest .good ■ for- the. greatest number., His convictions on the sijbject were -very strong, and he read from, the late Sir Harry Atkinson's proposals in 1884 to show that tho mattar had then been put forward in a statesmanlike manner, axid had the proposals ibeen carried into effect the benefit to the ooiintry would.have been inc.ilculable. As things now .were, tihe thrifty. ■; were\ compelled "to meet the necessities, of the improvident, a form of compulsion already in existence that destrcved any argument that could be brought forward against the compulsory portion of the scheme. The mover amplified his arguments j making a speechjwfliich earned him the. congrat<u--latipns /of the -deputies. The motion was 'and Bro. Slmmpton Jasked tp qiut.his- Temarks into ;such: form that' tiiey^could-be embodied in the;.printed/ .reportflf proceedings. :.; : ; ; : It was resolved that the,': matter•-■of: :f]i«trict ..officers';' i visiting lodges) be referfetl, for report^ to* / the committ-eo, of management.

It waa resolved to hold tiho u<?xt meeting at jDiig.uVrtui.er. Oihccrb wore elected as follows i — Pro^. Grand i\Jabter,' Bro.'Thos. Bell ; Dcp. I'.^.M.jßro. W. H. Koborcson t.^ nominations). Auditors: j Bros. Harkness and Jtlefisoltine. Lodge, book examiners: Bros. Harkncsts and Smith. Oov. {secretary: Bro. A. G. Shnmpton (re-elected). Ptov. treasurer: bro, J. I. Cooko (re-elected for thirty-third time). Alanagcmcnt committee: Jiros. Cordor, Harkness, Tunnichttc, Probbio and Hagen (8 nominations). Jiro. Thompson, retiring G.M., was elected a trustee of the library fund, vice Jiro. A. R. Smart, deceased. The further consideration or the quostion oi maternity benefits was referred to tlie management committee for a.a-e----p-1 " i: : .. '■'■■■. : '"' ' '-.. ; ■ :.',, "•. '.'' •• . '~ •' i Before vacating "the chair,, Bro. '■Thompson expressed himself as js-orry to leave the position of G.M. He had clone what ho was a.ble, but after 'his experience he was of the opinion that one year was top short a term/of 'office. It was only after, a year's service that a man knew .■enough, to make himself as useful as he'would wish. A very'hearty1 vote, of-thanks, was passed to tho* retiring Grand, Master, and complimentary reference made to the able manner in which, ho had filled the office: . Ho -was' accorded the honour of the office and presented with a , ,P.RG;)M.V*ash;^'^.:;.,:'.' ;J:-,.^i ,; .\::;',' .The aiew oiri€ei!s were sduly installed r by Bro. F. W. Smith, and-^achjsuitably..! addressed the brethren.. , : i

;. Tlie matter of refuridinfc members of the Palmyra lodge "who had suffered sickness in the period'during which tihe lodge wa« without a 'medical officer was referred-to'the management committee.

It-was "resolved to forward fraternal greetings to the Foresters' district meeting to be held on Thursday next. Complimentary, remarks were made anent the satisfactory, arrangements made by the dietrict officers for the day's meeting, and a vote of thanks was .passed'to Mr. Thos. Edwards, district railway manager for his courtesy in arranging for the trains to stop at the meeting hall and otherwise considering tho comfort of the party.

The delegates dined together at Mrs. Hodgkinson's and were much pleased with the good faro provided.