I.O.O.F., M.U.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 38, 16 February 1900, Page 2

1.0.0. F., M.U.

• ♦— ..... NEW PLYMOUTH DISTHIOT. The annual meeting of the New Plymouth District Independent Order of Oddfellows, M.U, was held in the Foresters' Hall on Thursday, Prov. G.M. G. VV, Tayler presiding. Thora 1 were also present: Prov. D.G. H. James Bennett, Prov. 0.8. J. Bellringer, and Warden P.O. W, Hooker. The deputies attending from the Egmont Lodge were:—P.P.G.M. H. T. Ainsworth, P.G. G. H. McGahey, and N.G. R. J. Oarter. Excelsior Lodge, P.P.G.M.'s W. H. Free and 0. E. Bellringer, P.G. J. Griffin; Waitara Lodge, P.P.G.M. F. J. Brabant j Union Lodge (Hawera), P.P.G.M. F. Squire, P.G. J. P.rtkin; Manaia Lodge, P.G. E. Fitton, N.G. Z. W. Wells { Eltham Lodge, N.G. F. Amooro; Midhirst Lodge, N.G., 0. Pickard. A large amount-, ov business w,is do-ih with, and the amiu-il reports and balance shoots were adopted. The iopart of the District officers state), inter alia, that the whole of the lodges lia-i beon visited by at least one of the District olocars, and that ij most cardial welcome had pn ail tj;:c Wjus ")h<jh extended. Tho lodges are ■ dl working up to the usml standard, and thy i.\si'!;;bers who attend evince an ■■lotivo interest in tha"welfare of their ro.-pocti.vo lodges in partic'i'ikr andin : Iw Ordf r in general. The district was ■.g'iiu jvpwntad at the AM.O. by P.G. Turner, of the Loyal Union Lxlge, who fa.nti a, yery iaterestJDgj-

account of the proceeding to the ii August District meeting, In accord- I ance with the instructions of last District meeting the officers had •. made enquiries re opening new lodges, * but found that in country towns very y little oan be done in the summer f months. The matter, however, will be l kept steadily in view during the l winter. The officers were pleased to notice an improved attendance at most 5 of the lodges. The visits of necessity s take place when, in the country, harvest operations were at their busiest, f and it was very difficult for members to attend. The Midhirst Lodge in i particular was well attended. The . rule passed re Medical and Management Expenses Fund had been well C observed by lodges, the amounts over- £ drawn having been greatly reduced, and this fund generally placed in a much better condition. At the end of • 1897 lodges were overdrawn on Sick and Funeral Fund to the extent of ' £64 Us Id, by the end of 1898 the ' amount had been reduced to £2l 17s lid, and it now stands at £4 12s lid. ( The officers had no doubt, from the hearty manner in which the lodges have taken the matter up, that at the end ' of 1900 there will be a clean sheet. From the returns prepared by the ! Prov. O.S, the membership at the end of 1899 was 596, an increase of 24 for the year; the sickness experience was 760 weeks 5 days, an increase of 18 weeks 4 days. The funds amount to £11,524 5s s£d in the. Sick and Funeral Funds held by Lodges, £502 7s 6d in the District Funeral Fund held by district, £ll3 16s lid in Lodge Management Funds, £55 16s Bid in District Management Fund; total, £12,196 63 7d, being a net increase of £661 15s Id. The sum of £524 lis 9d was paid for sickness, an increase of £3O 12s 9d, and the mortality claims absorb £240. The report on the District Funeral Fund. stated that the position of the fund is as follows:—The balance held by lodges at the beginning of the year : was £2191 18s 7d. The assessment : for the year 1899 was £285 18s 2d. ( Of this amount the lodges paid up £95 6s 6d, and, after adding interest at 5 . per cent,, the balance in hand of lodges . is £2501 103 3d. The assessment for the current year was £291 14s lOd, and of this one-third (or £97 15s) was recommended to be called up. Tho mortality of members and members' 1 wives had been the heaviest experienced since the foundation of the district, no less than seven members and three 1 members wives' having passed over to the great majority, and the necessity of , creating an ample District Funeral ' Fund had been fully 6hown this year. The valuation of the fund had not been completed, but immediately on its being finished steps will be taken to carry , out the rule appiopriating to each lodge j the share of any surplus that may be , apportioned to it. In view of the method now followed in raising the Funeral Fund on a graduated basis it was suggested that the rule imposing a registration fee on all new members of 3s for those initiated and 6d for those , joining by clearance be abolished, 1 The election of officers resulted in < Prov. D.G.M. James Bennett being unanimously elected Prov. G.M.; and , P.G. A. O. Case, of Midhirst, was, after ~ ( a ballot had been taken, elected as Prov. D.G.M, P,G. W. Hooker was , re-elected District Warden, and P.P.G.M. W, H. Free as Auditor. , Prov. O.S. J. Bellringer was appointed to represent the District at the Annual ; Movable Committee of the Order to , be held in England on Whit Monday , next. . The management Jevy was fixed at 1 8d per member per quarter. Votes of thanks were accorded the ( relieving officers, and the retiring 1 Prov. G.M. will be presented with a j set of regalia. , It was decided to present a jewel to , P.P.G.M. N. Hooker, at the next quar- , terly meeting of the IJgmont Lodge. ■ Acknowledgment was also made of s the entertainment of the visitors by the , New Plymouth brethren, and also of £ the valuable services rendered by the Prov. O.S. The officers elected were installed by the retiring Prov. G.M., and ex- f pressed their appreciation of the honor ( the brethren had bestowed on them. ( Hawera was chosen as the place , where the next meeting should be, held, and after the reading and confirming of the minutes the meeting closed.