FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LOYAL ABBOTSFORD LODGE.

Waipawa Mail, Volume I, Issue 3, 21 September 1878, Page 2

FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LOYAL ABBOTSFORD LODGE.

The fifth anniversary of the Loyal Abbotsford Lodge of Odd Fellows, Manchester Unity, was celebrated on Thursday by sports, dinner, and a ball. So So much importance was attached to the celebration that the principal business men of the place agreed to close their premises after twelve o’clock. The town during the whole of the day presented a very lively appearance. Flags floated from all the hotels, and several stores and other buildings. \ large number of settlers bad come in from the surrounding districts, and altogether the fifth anniversary of the Loyal Abbotsford Lodge may be regarded as one of the most noteworthy events which has ever taken place in Waipawa. Ihe holding of the first meeting of the District of Hawke’s Bay,

M.U., increased the importance of the 1 occasion. The delegates arrived by the c train at half-past nine in the morning, and- < were welcomed by a large number of | their Waipawa brethren. An hour after , the arrival of the delegates the district < meeting opened. A of the pro- ; coedings, kindly furnished us by the Pro- j vincial Grand Master, will be found underneath. A noticeable feature in the afternoon was the procession, in which about 130 members of*the Order joined. The procession, which was preceded by the Waipawa Fife and Drum Band, who struck up appropriate airs, started at about four o’clock, and proceeded through the main thoroughfares of the town. It is almost needless to say that the utmost good order and decorum prevailed during the day. Such is invariably the case at gatherings held in connection with the institution of Odd Fellowsship. Appended is a report oi the various proceedings : DISTRICT MEETING. The District Meeting was opened at 10.30 a.m. The following district officers were present :—Provincial Grand Master Grigg, presiding,D.D.G.M. Robb, and Corresponding Secretary, F. Bee. The following delegates were present:—Napier Lodge, P.G. Chicken, NG. Baillie, and V.O. FioLlor; Loyal Abbotsford Lodge, P.G.’s Collett and O'Leary, and N.G. Peebles; Blue Lodge, N.G. Hatch ; Meanee Lodge, P.G. Jeffares. The Provincial Grand Master opened the proceedings by delivering an address, in which he called the particular attention of the delegates assembled to the report laid before the General Assembly by the Government Registrar, Mr. W. E. Brown. He quoted from the report, and showed that any attempt to frame bye-laws would be utterly futile until the tables proposed by the Government Actuary were placed before them. He afterwards alluded to several subjects more particularly connected with the working of the order in this district, and concluded by appealing to them to assist the district officers in placing the district on a sure and sound basis. It was afterwards resolved that no steps should be taken to frame bye-laws until the Government Actuary furnished the district officers with the promised tables, and then it would be afterwards a matter of consideration as to whether the district should register under those tables. Several matters in connexion with the society were then discussed. The Grand Master announced that he was prepared to open the Victoria Lodge at Porangaliau as soon as the Loyal Abbotsford Lodge fixed the date for the opening. The amounts to be paid by each lodge towards the district funeral and management expense fund was fixed. There has been three deaths during the quarter, and one member’s wife, the momy for which has been paid from the dilferent lodge funds. This was ordered to be met out of the levy on ! the different funds. After some discus- > sion it was resolved that the next meeting of the district be held at Farndon, in the month of February. At the conclusion of the business, a vote of thanks was given [ to the district officers for the manner iu * which they had conducted the business of 1 the district. i * Provincial Grand Master Grigg, assisted ) by the other district officers, held a Purple Lecture at two o’clock, when several qualified were raised to this degree. 1 THE SPORTS commenced punctually at twelve o’clock. - There were between three and four hun- , drod persons present, and most of the P events were well contested. The Sports Committee were Mr. J. Gollan, starter ; Mr A. J. Ramsay, judge : and Mr B. ; Johnson, who took the entries and distrir buted the prizes. Mr Johnson was very successful iu the collection of funds. He experienced little difficulty in raising on i the ground the money for the various . events.

The first event on the programme was a 100 yards race for boys under fourteen. There were six entries. The race was won by P. McGreevy, with A. O’Dowd a good second.

The next race was for youngsters unde ten. Nine entries. H. Peebles, first 11. Baker, second.

Running High Dcap : Seven entries. M. Mackay, first. sft. 4in. B. Davis, who took second place, cleared sft. 2in. r Men’s Three-legged Race : Four entries. The 100 yards was run by Ross and Peebles in very good time ; Collins and Stewart, second.

Boys’ Three-legged Race : Eight en tries. F. Cooper and A. O’Dowd carriei off this event; 11. McGreevy and Peeble were second.

Men’s 300 yards Race : Reed, first : Stewart, second. The contest lay between two named, the others having dropped out.

Vaulting : Four entries. Tin’s event was very keenly contested by Nicholl and Davies. Nicholl took first prize with Bft. 4in.

Throwing the Heavy Hammer: Four entries. A. Peebles, first prize: T. Price, second.

The last event was a Hop, Step, and Jump, for which there were eight entries. This was one of the best contested events of the day, and was won by M. Mackay ; J. Peebles second.

This concluded the sports, during the progress of which there were a number of boys’ and girls’ races which did not appear on the programme.

THE DINNER. The dinner took place in the Oddfellows’ Hall, and at half-past five o’clock over 100 members of the order and friends sat down to a really excellent spread. Mr. Baker, of the Empire Hotel, was caterer, and the manner in which he had provided for the barge assemblage gave the highest satisfaction. The good things provided having been done ample justice to, the tallies were cleared of the viands, and the speech-making and toasting commenced. The first toast on the list was that of Her Gracious Majesty the Queen, which was proposed by the Chairman, Mr. Peebles, and war* responded to by the company rising and singing “ God Save the Queen.” The Vice Grand then proposed the health of the “ Board pf Directors of the Manchester Unity,” Mr. O’Leary responded, and spoke in high terms of the vast amount of labor which had been performed by the Board oi Directors in rendering the Manchester I nity such a financial success. For the l endit of the younger members present, <

he gave a brief and well-connected account of the origin and progress of the order, tracing the establishment of Oddfellowship as far back as the year of our Lord fifty-five. Mr. O’Leary then dwelt upon the financial position of the Manchester Unity. In 1871 the order had an accumulated capital of tliree| ind a quarter millions, and between three and four hundred thousand members. The question was then raised why the Manchester gave less benefits than other societies which had little or no accumulated capital. However, after careful investigation, it was : found that the liabilities of the Unity actually exceeded the assets by one million three hundred thousand. With such a fact staring them in the face, it was useless to talk of increasing the benefits. The Board of Directors saw that the society was in a state of bankruptcy, anil they determined to save it from ruin. It was decided that the three and a quarter millions should be taken out of the banks, and invested at a higher rate of interest ; and instead of increasing the benefits, they were lowered, and hi many cases the contributions were increased. The memi»eir> or ti ie order were thus called upon to make sacrifices to save the society from bankruptcy. The WJI « that in the five years from 1871 to 187 G one million of the deficit was wiped off, and to-day they stood before the world as 530,000 solvent subjects of Her Majesty. That was what the Board of Directors had accomplished for them. He concluded by thanking the company for the hearty manner in which the toast had been received.

The Chairman then called upon Mr. Scott, who favored the company by singing an exceedingly humorous song, entitled “ Turning the gas off at the meter.” He was loudly encored, ami “ Maria, the Fairy Queen,” followed, a song which also elicited rounds of applause. Mr. Collett, in a few appropriate words, proposed prosperity to the “ Hawke’s Bay District of Oddfellows.” Mr. Gregg, Provincial Grand Master, responded. He would have alluded more fully to the history ami origin of the Order, only that his remarks had been anticipated by the eloquent speech of Mr. O’Leary. The district of Hawke’s Bay now numbered 400 members, and he was glad to say that all the lodges were conducted in a satisfactory manner, and were in a sound state. He was of opinion that having the management of their own affair would be for the good of the Order. The Order was growing and flourishing in New Zealand. He deeply thauked them for the honor they had done him in electing him their first Provincial Grand Master. He also thnnked them for the colleagues they had given him. Mr. Gregg next alluded to the action of the General Legislature* He.had not the slightest objection to any legislation which provided for placing benefit societies upon a sound financial basis ; but it was the duty of the district officers to protest against any interference with the internal working of the Order. They had spoken to Mr. Ormond, who was the member for the district, and lie had promised to interest himself iu the matter. He concluded by thanking the people of Waipawa for the splendid reception they had given the delegates. Mr. P. O’Leary proposed prosperity to the “Sister Lodges of Hawke’s Bay.” Mr. Bailluc, on «€ the* I.oyal Napier Lodge, thanked the meeting for the cordial manner in which the toast had been received. It was a credit to the Order to see the turn-out that day. Mr. Baillie then referred to the financial position of the Napier Lodge, which he said was in as good a position as any in the colony. Mr. Jefferson thanked the meeting on behalf of the Meanee Lodge. He was glad to see the great interest taken in the Order l»y the members of the Loyal Abbotsford Lodge. He would like to see other lodges take a similar interest. Mr. Hatch, Loyal Clive Lodge, thanked the meeting on behalf of the lodge with which he was connected. He was sorry to say that great apathy existed in his district amongst the Oddfellows. However, if the next district meeting was held at Farndon, it might have the effect of rousing them up. The next toast of the evening was the “ Army and Navy,” which was proposed by Mr. Baillie. Mr. Arrow responded. He had little thought that he would be called upon to respond to the toast. He had only been connected with military matters as as a volunteer. Mr. Arrow spoke of the great victory which the British army and navy, under the able guide of Earl' Beuconsfield, bad gained without firing a shot. The British army and navy were the greatest in the world, and long might they continue so should be the earnest wish of

The company honored our brave <h fenders by rising and singing “The Re< White, and Blue.”

Mr BodlE, in a few appropriate words, proposed prosperity to the “ Kindred societies.” The Oddfellows Order was the leading benefit society in the world. It was well that there was a friendly rivalry between the various societies, as such rivalry would tend to place the financial affairs of each upon asatisfactory basis.

Mr. Bee, District Corresponding Secretary, responded to the toast. Mr. Fielder proposed the “ Loj’al Abbotsford Lodge,” and

Mr. Brown was called upon to respond. He gave some interesting information as to the financial position of the lodge. The receipts for the last twelvemonths were £440 11s lOd, and the expenditure £232 19s 4d, showing a clear profit of £207 12s fid for the year. Twenty-five ordinary and five honorary members had joined the Order here during the year. The lodge now numbered 143 ordinary and 13 honorary members, making a total of 156. The Loyal Abbotsford Lodge held the first position in Hawke’s Bay, and had a credit balance of £BIO 11s. There was room for more members on the hooks of the lodge, and as there were several present who had not yet joined the Order, he hoped soon to have the pleasure of entering their names. Mr Dunn was called upon for vocal music, and a couple of amusing songs followed, the first having been encored. Both songs elicited roars of laughter. Mr Harwood proposed “ The Press,” and spoke of the vast influence for good exercised by a well-conducted newspaper. He referred in complimentary terms “to the first issues of the Waipawa Mail, and had no doubt that the existence of a public journal in their midst would confer a great b ‘iielit upon the district. Mr Thomson, of the Waipawa M lil, and :

Mr Morrison of the Hawke’s Bay Herald, briefly responded. Mr Gregg, as a member of the Press, hoped the people would- support the local paper. Whatever benefits might accrue to the proprietor, he felt certain that the district would benefit to a large extent.

“ The Ladies,” was given by Mr Harsant m a few remarks, appropriate to the occasion.

Mr Peeble responded in a really excellent speech. He felt that if he had all the eloquence of the ancients, and of Mr Sheehan, and Mr Phillips, he could not do justice to the toast. Most great men attributed their greatness to the early training which they had received from their mothers. He disapproved of women entering public life, as it would destroy the chivalrous feeling with which the sex was now regarded. Mr Hamilton gave “ John Barleycorn ” in capital style. Mr McGreevy proposed the health of “ The Host and Hosts,” and in doing so spbke in high terms of the manner in which Mr Baker had conducted his business. Before his advent in the place, the hotels in Waipawa were !mere grog saloons. Since then a beneficial change had been wrought. Mro Rnter was a lady In ovory way Worthy of the respect in which she was held by the community. Mr Baker, who was to respond, was absent, but the toast was enthusiastically drank by the audience. Mr Robb proposed the “ Chairman and Vice-Chairman.”

Both gentlemen having acknowledged the compliment, the proceedings were brought to a close by Mr Scott singing “ Give me a grip of j our hand.” It was now eight o’clock, and the large Hall was immediately cleared of everything, and THE BALL commenced at nine o’clock, to music by Mr Harding, who presided at the piano, and dispensed excellent music during the whole progress of the ball. It will be seen that his duties were not light when it is mentioned that dancing was kept up till six o’clock on Friday morning, There were fully seventy couples present, and the ball was regarded as eminently successful by all those who took part in it. The whole arrangements reflect the highest credit on the gentlemen entrusted with the management of the various proceedings of the day. The committee of management were Messrs Robb, A. Peebles, G. Rose, J. Gollan, Ramsay, Johnson, Collet, and Brown