ODDFELLOWSHIP.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4857, 24 January 1894, Page 3

ODDFELLOWSHIP.

■-> A summoned meeting of the Loyal Rangiora Lodge, 1.0.0. F., M.U., was held on Monday evening to receive the balancesheet aud auditors' report. There wa3 a fair attendance, Bro G. M. Frost presiding. The auditors' report was as follows : — "The Lodge books have been kept neatly and accurately by the secretary and treasurer, Bros J. Marshall and L. Hunnibell. Tho Lodge has made an increase in its sick and funeral fund of £244 2s ld, which is a gain of about £1 per member for the year; this good reßult, no doubt,- being brought about by it not experiencing such a heavy Bick rate aB that of the previous year. The amount paid in sick pay was £295 8s 4d, being £90 7s 2d lets than that of laßt year. The hall has been well let, and bas earned about 6 per cent on the money invested therein ; the piano has returned 15 per cent. The management fund did not show so large a balanco as last year's, there being £16 6s 7d to its creditasagainst£26ls 3d. As was mentioned in the last report the average rate (of intereat earned, aB proved by the valuation of the Lodge, has been placed to the surplus fund, and has been added to the credit of each member pro rata at compound interest. This division has entailed an enormous amount of work on the secretary. The surplus fund has now a balance, with the interest of £237 14s, of £1104 9s lOd, and is now larger than when the fund was first started. There has been £29 18a 6d paid out in bonuseß to two members who had attained the age of 60 yearß, and £42 had been forfeited, through Beceesion, to the Lodge. The total value of funds ou Jan. 1, was £4459 2s 4d, * £3695 being on mortgages of freehold property. The record of sickness shows i that 47 brothers received benefit during the , year, as againßt 58 in 1892 ; the total siok period being 507 weeks, against 558 in the previous year. It is satisfactory to note i that the Lodge is still largely increasing i in membership, no less than 27 having , joined during the year. Eight have i left through non-payment, 2 by clearance and 1 by death. The numerical strength of the Lodge is now 259. Al- ' though the Lodge is a year older, it is l a matter for congratulation that the averi age age of members stands at the samo as 1 at the end of last year, viz., 33 years, this - fact being brought about by the greater , portion of thoso joining being young men." : The balance-sheet and report were adopted, ) and votes of thanks were passed to the • I auditors (P.P.G.M. Bro Wilson and Bro T. , Miller), to the treasurer and to the secret ary. An honorarium of £2 2a was also l voted to the latter for the work dono by i him in connection with the surplus fund. - Notification was received of a meeting of I the New Zealand Friendly Societies' Associa tion for the Interchange of Medical l Benefits, and it was decided to aek P.G. Bro . Calder to represent the Lodge. Two can--9 didates were initiated during theevenirg - and three proposed.