A.O.F. CONFERENCE.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20295, 3 May 1934, Page 9

A.O.F. CONFERENCE.

Slight Decrease Noted in Membership. HELD AT RAKAIA TO-DAY. The seventy-first annual meeting of the Canterbury United District. Ancient Order of Foresters, will be held in the Town Hall. Rakaia to-day. There is a large amount of business to come before the meeting, including proposals for the celebration of the centenary ol the Order this year. The executive officers’ report records a further decline in the membership of the Order by thirty-five, leaving a total of 1792 members. This decline is attributed to unemployment, many members being unable to pay their contributions. To combat this a District Benevolent Fund has been established, which can be drawn upon by Courts who wish to help their members. The financial affairs of the district show an increase in the funds of £195, after having allowed for the establishment of £SOO for the District Benevolent Fund. The Management Fund showed a deficit of £2B 14s 6d. The executive had taken all steps to curtail expenses wherever possible, even to the extent of having bi-monthly meetings, instead of monthly. The funds of the Order were: Court funds £71,892 4s 6d; district funds, £20,203 15s 3d; total, £92,095 los 9d. This was an increase of £2428 4s Id over last year’s figures.

To commemorate the centenary of the Order, a ritual competition had been instituted, open to all courts In the district, and a very encouraging entry had been received. Most of the courts of the district had been visited by the executive officers, and a marked improvement had been noted, the ritual work being done splendidly 7 in several of the courts. The trustees reported that they had been able to invest the whole of the funds, with the exception of about £3OO. in first-class securities. It was pleasing tc. note that the fire insurance scheme was working smoothly and satisfactorily. The hospital visitor. Brother D. C. M’Arthur, P.D.C.R., said that he had missed only Christmas and New Year Sundays. All other weeks he had visited the sick. He asked that secretaries of the various courts should help him more in his work. The Pride of Ashburton Juvenile Foresters’ Court reported that the membership stood at fifty-one at the end of 1933. Interest in meetings was keen, the average attendance being forty.