RECHABITES' DISTRICT MEETING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 53, 8 March 1900, Page 2

RECHABITES' DISTRICT MEETING.

Exbract from Evening Post, Tuesday, h 2?th February, 1900.) rnE annual meeting of the Rechabite Order was held in the Rechabite Hall, Manners-street, last evening. The D.O.R. addressed the members an the advantages of the Order, and ' urged the necessity of paying greater attention to juvenile branches. The District Secretary read the halfyearly balance-sheet and statement, explaining various items in the same. The District Officer's report was also read, the following being a copy:—" To the officers and representatives of the New Zealand Central District, No. 86, Independent Order of Rechabites,— We have much pleasure in submitting for your consideration the twentyeighth annual report, ending December, 1899, During the year one tent has been instituted, to be known as the Moa Tent, No. 59, situated in Inglewood. Bro. P.C.R. J. Whitaker, assisted by a goodly number of the New Plymouth Tent, opened the new tent. We regret to state that it was found necessary to close the Bose of Sharon l'ent, No. 15, Waipawa, owing to the small number of members and the want of interest taken by those in tho l management of the tent and its affairs. We have now twenty-seven male tents and three female tents, with a membership of 1228 benefit members, being an increase of 40 over the last year's figures. There are 60 honorary members, being an increase of one. We regret to find there has been a fallingofi in the juvenile membership. If our Order is to hold that position it should do in this colony, our juvenile members must be increased. Without reckoning the juveniles we have a membership of 1288. For funeral allowance the sum of £205 on account of the deaths of five brothers, one sister, and four members' wives, has been paid from the Funeral Fund. This sum is .£lO5 less than paid from the fund during the previous year, 1898. The sum of ,£lO has been paid from the Benevolent Fund, and the sum of £3 6s 8i from the Tent

Sick Pay Guarantee Fund, this last amount for sick allowance to two district members. The returns sent to the district from the tents show an increase in the sick funds of £691 16s 9J. The amount to the credit of the Contingent Funds is £2BO Is lid. Che increase in the distiicb funds has been £4BB 19s lid. Total increase in tent, sick and district funds, £llßol6s 81 The grand total of the district and tent funds is now £25,939 18s 41. This amount, divided amongst '.. he members pro rata, would give each £2l 255 3-16 d. The sick experience is shown to be, by the return sent, 1094 weeks and two days, and the sum paid on account of the same £B9B 13= 2d. The duration of sickness over the whole membership averages 5 days Sellout's, being 1 day 17| hours less thai, she previous year, liie amount paid averages 14s per member, as against 17s 2d in last year's report. The District Secretary paid a visit to the Nelson district, and the District Treasurer visited many of the tents in the Hawke's Bay district. . . . Iu conclusion, your officers would imptoss on all the members of our Order the *i-eat necessity thore is to encourage in all possible ways the incr.mso of oui juvenile bratc'n. Trussing this present year may be a prrspjrous one.—Wo are, yours in the bonds of the 1.0 li., Win. Jqo. Gaudin (District Ohitf Kulei), S. Youmans (Dwnict D puty--1 Ruler Acting), F. il. Frasor (Distiht Secretary),"