MEETINGS OF SOCIETIES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6122, 8 March 1898, Page 4

MEETINGS OF SOCIETIES.

The eighth annual meeting of the Grand Lodge of Druids (Canterbury District) was held in the Druids' Hall, Lincoln, on Thursday, when Bro J. J. Hunter, I).tt. President, occupied the chair. The following Lodges were represented : — Pioneer Lodge, Bros H. E. Smith, J. Rose and . J. Swinnerton; Hope of St Albans, Bro TV. Newton ; Mistletoe, Bros E. Dyer and TV. Bailey ; Ethelbert, Bro A. C. Bartrain ;. Lyttelton Hearts of Oak, Bro TV. T. Barns ; Star of Angelsea, Bro W, Bartram ; Perseverance, Bro J. Hooker ; Hope of Ainberley, Bro J. G. Harris j Anchor, Bros J. Rhodes and J. C. Hobson ; Timaru, Bros G. Ji Sealey and R. TV. Simpson;, Trafalgar, Bro B. A. Knight; Ivy of ;Linwood, Bro T. Smith ; Star of Ashburton, Bro S. Salek ; Oak of Sydenham, Bros J. Hadfield and R. E. Beckett ; Old Oak, Bro C. Tilleyshorfc ; Ellesmere, Bro A. Werner ; Olivd'Branch, Bro TV. J. Lawrence: Correspondence, conveying fraternal greetings, was received from the Queen of the Oak Lodge of Druids (Ladies' Branch) and P.D.G.M. Bro J. A. Clark, 1.0.0. F., M.TJ. The President reviewed the work of the past year, and stated that he and his colleagues had visited every Lodge, and found that the members were very enthusiastic in the cause of Druidism, and were steadily making headway. He urged the members to devote their energies to the better government and well-being of the Lodges, concluding by thanking all the officers and members who had striven with him during his term of office to make the past year a successful one. The election of officers resulted as follows : — D.G.P., , Bro W. H. Manhire; D.G.V.P., Bro T. Smith; D.G.S., Bro H. D. Rayner ; D.G.T., Bro T. Walker ; D.G.G., Bro W. Bartram ; board of management, Bros C. Tomson, TV. Newton, It. Dyer, J. Hooker, B. Knight, J. Ashton and R. S. Beckett ; auditors, Bros J. C. Hobson, W. T. Barnes and H. E. Smith; Judicial Appeal Committee, Bros C. Tomson, J. C. Hobson, TV. Bailey, T. J. Gledhill and A. C. Bartram. The auditors' report and the Secretary's balance-sheet were read and consideied, the balance-sheet showing the credit to the funds of the District to be .£4095 6s Id. The money was invested in sound securities, and was yielding good interest, and showed an increase of .£1485 17s lOd for the year, after payment of .£391 IGs as funeral allowances. The Auditors congratulated the District upon the state of its finances, also upon the competence of its officers. The total amount to the credit of the Lodges in the District as at Dec. 31, 1897, .was <£18»743 10s, after the payment of. .£1358 as sick pay. The report and balance-sheet were unanimously adopted. The Board of Management submitted a graduated scale for the approval of the subordinate Lodge, and it wtis decided to place; it upon the business paper for a special meeting of the District, to be held in September. It was stated that the accounts as between the. Grand Lodge of Victoria and the District were practically settled, a draJt having been received for the. amount held in abeyance. The membership of the District now was 1450, as against 135s at the commencement of the year. The proposed amendments to rules were considered, and Rule 132, affecting clearances, \.as adopted. The retiring president, Bro J. J. Hunter, was accorded a hearty vote of thanks, and was presented with a P.D.G.P. collar in recognition of his services during the year. Bro Hunter suitably acknowledged the compliments. The sum of .£lO 10s was voted to the D.G. Treasurer, Bro T* Walker, in recognition ofhisser- . vices in preparing the balance-sheets as between the Grand. Lodge ;and. the -District." Votes of thanks were accorded to the Star of Angelsea Lodge for the very complete manner in which arrangements were made for the comfort of the representatives, and to the Directors of Lincoln College for their courtesy in showing the visitors over it. A meeting of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was held at the City Council Chambers yesterday evening ; present — Mrs H. D. Carter, Misses Perrar and M'Clelland, Messrs Hastings Lee, M. Murphy, J. H. Parker and H. D. Carter., Mr Parker presided, and introduced Mr Hastings Lee, a new member. The report of the Inspector showed tbat during the past month he had regularly attended Lyttelton, Kaiapoi, Islington, Belfast, Amberley, Waikari, and other places. Although the exceedingly dry spring and summer had been .very hard upon animals, the drought had at least been useful in awakening people to the value of water. With regard to horses, girth-galls and har-ness-sores were now practically things of the past. The greatest suffering endured by animals at the present time was, perhaps, connected with the driving of sheep hour after hoxir along the dusty roads without the chance of a drink of water. This trouble, however, was being lessened year by year as. water-races became more general throughout the country. The report on the condition of horses used for contract farm work was very satisfactory. The number of cautions during the month had been the fewest on record; namely, horses 4, cattle 2; total 6. The total amount of subscriptions received during the month was '454 17s 6d. After a discussion on the treatment of fat pigs at the saleyards, the questions of the occasional overloading of horse trams and the use of other than the usual stopping-places were .considered, and it was resolved that a deputation should wait on the managers of the various Tramway Companies in regard to the matter. Mr Murphy brought under the notice of the Society certain complaints of cruelty to horses in the Waimate district, and it was. decided that the Inspector should visit that district on a tour of inspection. The question of boundary dogs was discussed, and the meeting came to the conclusion that the employment of these dogs was perhaps the greatest cruelty to animals extant. The Chairman brought the question of the abuse of the head-check, especially in trotters, before the notice'of the meeting. He quoted the twelfth annual report of the Nova Scotia Society in support of the contentions he urged. It was resolved. that the honorary veter-* mary surgeon to the Society should be requested to hand in a written report embodying his opinion on the matter. The meeting terminated atter deciding to distribute its surplus annual reports among schools and public institutions. A special general meeting of inembets of the Young Men's Christian Association was held in the rooms of the Association last night, when there was a good attendance cf members. Mr Kaye delivered an address dealing with the work of the Asso- | ciation, ancl urged all members to do their utmost to further it. It was arranged to commence the winter work with a meeting of members and friends.