H.A.C.B.S. Branches forming the Otago and Canterbury District. Christchurch, Lyttelton, OAMARU, Naseby, DUNEDIN, Lawrence, Invercargill. Second Annual Meeting of the Otago and Canterbury District. THURSDAY, 24TH JANUARY, 1878, HIBERNIAN AUSTRALIAN CATHOLIC BENEFIT SOCIETY.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume V, Issue 248, 1 February 1878, Page 1 (Supplement)

H.A.C.B.S. Branches forming the Otago and Canterbury District.

Christchurch, Lyttelton, O AMARU,

Naseby, DUNEDIN, Lawrence, Invercargill.

Second Annual Meeting of the Otago and Canterbury District. THURSDAY, 24TH JANUARY, 1878, HIBERNIAN AUSTRALIAN CATHOLIC BENEFIT SOCIETY.

The Annual Meeting of the Otago-Canterbury District of the H.A.C.B. Society was held at the Australian Hall, Princes-street, Dunedin, on the above date. Present— The District President (Brother Ed-ward Carroll) presided, supported by Brothers Connor and Connellan, District Secreary and Treasurer. The following delegates produced their credentials, and took their seats at the board :—: — Dunedin Brother John Bbennan. Oamabu Brother John Dungan. Lawbence Brother John Young. Naseby Brother P. Boubke. Brother Dungan, Delegate from St. John's, Oamaru, acted during the Session as Eecording Secretary, taking the minutes and report of proceedings. The District Secretary notified to the meeting that he had received official intimation that Brother Dillon had been appointed a Delegate from St, Joseph's Branch, Dunedin. On his name being called, there being no response, The Pbesident said that in the absence of a written apology, there was no other alternative than to inflict the fine. A fine of 2s. 6d. was therefore imposed. The District Secretary then read telegrams from the Christchurch and Lyttelton Branches, notifying that both Lodges had decided not to appoint delegates ; and Invercargill, although written and telegraphed to, had made no provision for representation. All three Branches were therefore fined, in accordance with Rule 52. On the proposition of Brother Bbennan, seconded by Brother Young, Brother Patrick Bourke was elected District Vice-President during the Session, rice D.V.P. Brother O'Connor, tesigned.

PBESIDENT'S ADDBESS. The following is the address of the District President : Bbotheb Officebs and Delegates,— lt may be supposed that this is our First Annual Meeting ; such is, however, really not the case, for virtually it is the second. Although it gives me great pleasure to be able to preside to-day under such favorable circumstances, and after the difficulties by which the District was beset, on the other hand, I regret to say I am far from being in bodily health. As a report has been printed and circulated amongst members of the progress of the District during the first half year of its existence, itis unnecessary for me to go into detail, but I cannot help alluding to one or two points. Owing to the painful complaint under which our late lamented Secretary suffered, even from the establishment of the District, he was not able to take the active part in the management of its affairs which his spirit and inclination would have led him to, and consequently for some months before his death a mass of work had been accumulating, and the general affairs of the District were in considerable muddle. I had some delicacy in troubling Brother Cantwell for a settlement and arrangement of his affairs in his then precarious state, and consequently on his decease both myself and brother officers felt ourselves somewhat in a dilemma. However, knowing that Brother Connor had not only evinced a warm interest in the success of our Society, but was also possessed of considerable experience in matters relating thereto, I asked him to come to our assistance, impressing upon him the necessity of active steps being taken. To his credit he quickly responded to the appeal, came to the rescue, and to his indefatigable energy and industry does the District not only owe its extrication from the difficulties which then surrounded it, but its present financial success. From the time of his election at the half-yearly meeting, he has fulfilled his duties faithfully, honestly, and fearlessly, and in my opinion the District owes him a deep debt of gratitude for his unwearied efforts on its behalf. Although supposed to have but six months' work, there was almost twelve months' correspondence to be attended to, as a glance at the letter-book would prove. Another matter which I may touch upon, and which will be brought before you during the Session, is the difficulty experienced in obtaining a refund of the money held in trnst

for the seven Lodges constituting this District, and forwarded before its formation. As no doubt the matter would be discussed at considerable length during the Session, I will not refer to it further than to point out" that almost a sum of £300 should be obtainable, and it was for the consideration of the meeting whether or not it were advisable to incur the expense of a special delegate to the Executive Directory Annual Meeting. I will now call upon the District Secretary to read the report and balance-sheet : — Report of the District Officers of the Otago-Can-terbury District of the H.A.C.B.S. for the year ending January 24th, 1878. In presenting the first yearly report and balance-sheet of the Otago-Canterbury District, your Officers have to congratulate you upon the success which has attended the District since its formation ; for, although placed somewhat at a disadvantage by the long-continued illness of our first District Secretary, the late Brother Cantwcll, still, as the balancesheet will show, it has exceeded the most sangiune expectations. It is needless to recapitulate what is already known to you through the half-yearly report, further than to add that Brother Connor, who acted as District Secretary on the death- of Brother Cantwell, has filled the office up to the present. Your Officers have to mention with regret the cessation of the Akaroa Branch, the correspondence relative to which will be placed before you. Since it joined the District it had paid neither Funeral nor Incidental Quarterage, and, on being written to, the Secretary stated that he was afraid the Branch would have to be closed, as it had not held one regular meeting sinco its formation. A conference of the District Officers was summoned to consider the question, and the District Secretary was instructed to make out a claim, and forward it to that Lodge. Acting upon those instructions Brother Connor, cast up the expenses of the District up to that time ; and,' as there were eight Lodges, he apportioned the eighth part to the Akaroa Branch, and by return of mail received a cheque for £8 Bs. He then wrote to the Secretary suggesting that the Akaroa Branch should hand over their sashes, in the hope that the cessation would be but tempQraiy, and that it might be re-formed at some future time ; but io this a reply was received that the goods had already been disposed of. While recording with deep regret the death of two of our members, as stated in the half-yearly report, it is satisfactory to be able to state that there has been no drain on the Funeral Fund, Brothers Moylan and Cantwell being both Honorary Members. With regard to the balance-sheet, although the expenditure may appear somewhat large, it will be seen that it occurred in the earlier portion of the year, in expenses in connection with the formation of the District, and that in the last half year they have, with the exception of Officers' salaries, been but very trifling. The natural presumption, therefore, is, that the second year will place a considerable sum to the General Fund, not having to meet those outlays incidental to a new organisation. It is unnecessary to inform you that the half-yearly Session occupied four protracted sittings, at which there was a mass of business transacted; since when there have been eight meetings of the District Officers, to deal with matters affecting the interests of the District. Herewith are annexed tabulated statements, compiled from the various returns, which will show the number of unfinancial, re-instated, new members, and also those Avho have left dui'ing the year, but your Officers regret that it is not as complete as it might be, owing to some Branches not furnishing proper returns. Your Officers state with reluctance that by the extreme difficulty experienced by the District Secretary to get Branch Secretaries to comply with the rules of the Society in forwarding properly-filled returns, the labors of the D.S. have been increased ten fold; and not only has such carelessness and neglect caused a deal of unnecessary correspondence, but the item of postage has been most materially increased, to the loss of the District. Your Officers would, therefore, strongly urge upon delegates present the necessity of newly-elected Secretaries making themselves thoroughly conversant with the duties of their offices; that the money from each Branch should be forwarded immediately at the termination of each quarter; and that under no circumstance should it be despatched unaccompanied by the balancesheet, quarterly return, and pay-slip. If delegates would see that these matters were attended to, by representing to the President of each Branch the inconvenience and extra trouble 1 , entailed by such omissions, it would not only be most conducive to the welfare of the District, but it would enable the D" strict Secretary to compile some statistics which would be of interest to every member. We would also suggest that some uniformty should be observed in filling in returns, as scarcely two, even from the same Lodge, corregpojid. Had

this rule been rigidly adhered to, the annexed tables — haying all the returns — would bo a correct register of the strength and revenue of the District. Another great drawback to the compilation of statistics is the variety of balance-sheets used in the Disti'ict, so that when some very interesting data might be obtained were they all alike, it is found impossible to do so, as the figures would only have reference to a portion of the District. • Your Officers are, however, happy to say that when the present supply in use is exhausted, the evil will be remedied, as the D.S. wrote to the Executive Directory, and obtained -permission for haying a large portion of the Branch goods printed in the Colony. Taking -a retrospective glance, however, at the year, your Officers must congratulate you on the flourishing financial position of the District. When the last half-year was entered upon'tHe're 'were^£23"l'6a. 3 9.d. . to our credit, since when we have the respectable sum of £138 15s. 6d. banked by our Treasurer, being an increase upon the preceding naif-year of £114 18s. 9. And here your Officers must draw attention to the delay indulged in by .the..Executive Directory in forwarding the money in its hands belonging to the District. On reference to the letter book we find that the late D.S. made application as early as the middle of February of last year for a refund of the money to its credit; at a later date his successor made . another uns'uecessful application, and the Secretary will read copies of letters sent to the Corresponding Secretary and Chief President, Melbourne, on the 10th of December and 9th instant respectively, without eliciting a reply. During the year the Corresponding Secretary, in answer to an appeal for settlement, asked that the various Branches of the Otago-Canterbury District would furnish him with the amounts remitted to Melbourne, as the accounts of his. pr.ededessoriw,ere in)a' mixed condition. The D.S. complied with 'the request, Sj wrd|& to the •different Lodges, but received responses from but four—lnvercargill, Christchurch, Lawrence, and Kaseby. Some idea of the amount of money retained in Melbourne may be formed, when>it is- stated that the amount received from those four Lodges represented £116. At the date of compilation of the tables there were 289 members and seven Branches in communion with the District, _but your officers cannot refrain from noting the increase of unfinancial members set down in each succeeding quarterly return. This is particularly the case with regard to the Dunedin, Invercargill, and Lawrence Lodges, whose unfinancial number almost one-half its financial members. However, it is satisfactory to learn that the vacancies caused by the defaulters are being filled by new blood, although not in the same ratio. It had been expected that it would have been found necessary to strike a levy toward the Incidental Fund, consequent upon the heavy expenses of a first year, and the neglect of the Executive Directory in remitting the refund; but your Officers are of opinion that it is not necessary to do so, as the assets of ,the Society will meet its' liabilities, even without the refund from Melbourne. Without in any way wishing to dictate to the Annual Meeting the course to be pursued with regard to sending a delegate to Melbourne, your Officers would point out that by so doing a settlement could be more easily .obtained of the claim against the Executive Directory, and information got on some matters necessary for the woi'king of the District, which repeated appeals to the Corresponding Secretary has failed to elicit". Your Officers would recommend the advisability of appointing a set day on which the quarter should terminate in all Branches of the District, so that the returns would- have degree of uniformity with regard to date. 'Were such a course pursued it would be a great assistance* to. the .District, and enable him to strictly enforce the penalty for breaches of Rule 52. During the past year mien inconvenience was experienced by one Lodge closing its quarter on the 3rd, while perhaps another would not do so until the 13th of the month, the result being an almost impossibility of receiving returns at any specified time. A mass of correspondence has been received and replied to, but your Officers did not think it necessary to bring any forward save those touched on in the report. • The time for which your Officers were elected having now expired, they surrender their trust, sincerely wishing that, as the District gains fry age, it will increase; in numbers and strength, and have the prosperous career which has been presaged by the first year of its existence. Brother Young moved, and the D.VJ?. seconded, the reception, of the report, the various suggestions therein contained to be a matter for further considQra.ti.oij..,^ . v , The Secretary then read letters and replies bearing on the subject matter of portions of the report, after which he submitted copies of the following batanogheet ;—

We certify that we have examined the books and vouchers of the Society, and find that they 'are correct. HEKVEY W. MONKMAtf.) A^. +/vwn John Galea&her, } Auditors. Jamiary 23, 1878. Brother Boukke proposed, and Brother Brennan seconded, the adoption of the balance-sheet. Carried.

1877. RECe'ipTS. 1877. _ EXPENDITURE. Quarterage to General Fund £39 5 10 „ Funeral Fund 87 0 3 Goods to Branches N^^?roceeds of Benefit to District Share of Expenses Contributed by Akaroa ... Lawrence Registration Fee Quarterage for 1876, received from Naseby for transmission to Executive Directory Received from Lawrence — Goods due Executive Directory £126 6 1 7 3 16 8 8 2 0 2 9 6 0 1 2 8 0 0 0 0 April 13 J. AiMacedo £.0 5 0 ■„ 16 Stationery 4 18 .0 „ Freight on Regalia 2 2 .7 „ MiUs, Dick and Co 0 17. .6 „ Mr. Fleming (Rent) 0 15 6 „ 0.5 0 „ Exchange on Cheques ... 0 2 0 „ Bent of Chambers 0 19 4 „ E. D. Quarterage for 1876 ... 1 12 8 June S F. Coxhead (freight) 0 7 4 „ Postage on E. D. Reports ... 0 2 0 - „- Stationery ... . 0 10 „ Tablet Company 3 11 0 „ Mills, Dick and Co. 17 6 „ Secretary's Salary 15 0 0 £33 8 6 Second Half Yeab. July 30 Postage on Goods to Branches £0 7 0 Aug. 12 . Freight on Goods from r E.p 0 5 0 „ Salary to -President (half-ySaf) 2 2 0 „ . „ . Treasurer . „ 212 _6 „ Mr. Serle, Office Furniture ... 1 0 0 „ • • Elastic Bands, Stationeryv&c 0 8 0 „ -Postage on Goods to Christ- • church .' 0 14 „ Postage on Goods to Lytteltbn- 0 14 „ Postage on Goods to Lawrence 0 2 4 Oct. 10 Auditor's Fee 110 Dec. 10 Postage... ■ ... 0 3 4 » Tejtogram to Naseby •. 0 1 0 „ 12 Postage" on "Goods 0 2 4 „ 20 „ „ 0 10 „ 23 „ „ 0 5 0 Petty Cash 0 5 0 £8 18 11 Balance to credit of District £42 7 4 109 12 3 £159 19 1 £151 19

OF RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURE OF GENERAL FUND, PROM JANUARY 24TH, 1877; TO JANUARY 24TH, "1878.

•uarterage for Year ending January 24th, 1878 £87 0 3 In Bank to Credit of Fund, January 24th, 1878 £87 0 3 ABSTRACT OF RECEIPTS AND E PENDITURE OF GENERAL FUND, RECEIPTS. QtfPlkrage for 1877 Ne&T-Xfcceeds of Benefit to District Received from Akaroa Lawrence Registration Fee On Account of Goods due by Lawrence Branch to Executive Directory Naseby Branch — Quarterage due E. D £39 6 10 3 16 8 8 8 0 2 0 0 6 0 0 1 12 8 EXPENDITURE. Expenditure for 1877, as shown in balance-sheet Balance to Credit „.' ... £42 7 4 ... 21~ 4'ltt £63 12 2 £63 12 2 i GENERAL FUND. Balance in Bank Due for Goods by Brahche* ... Furniture aa-1 Goods! n Stock Fines ASSETS. £21 7 6 4 12 0 6 0 0 5 0 0 LIABILITIES. Tablet Company Secretary's Salary (half year) Treasurer's „ „ President's „ „ Due E.D. (Money received from Branches) Lawrence Registration Pee Woodifieild and Jolly Due Secretary— -Petty cash £3 11 0 15 0 0 2 12 6 2 2 0 7 19 0 2 0 0 12 6 19 9 £36 19 4 £35 16 9

ABSTRACT OF RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURE OF FUNERAL FUND, FROM JANUARY 24TH, 1877, TO JANUARY 24TH, 1878.

4? m*. Christchurch. Dimedin. Invercargill. Oamara. ' Naseby. Lyttelton. Lawrence. F. U. F. U. F. U. F. U. F. XT. F. U. F. U. First Quarter Second Quarter Third Quarter Fourth Quarter 82 71 78 65 11 19 11 4 59 58 56 60 22 23 26 30 31 34 28 26 15 9 14 11 * 17 20 26 * 6 6 Nil. * * * * 12 12 11 10 3 27 . 3 28 2 31 5 35 l___] 15 15 7 5 * * 10 2 i , * No return. Fmei ms Financial, i and U Unfinan< sial. Thii table does no \ i » >t include Horn >rary Members. ? v.

No. Names op Branches. Places of Meeting. 76 102 82 96 107 73 74 Oamara Branch St. Joseph's, Lyttelton Christchurch Branch ... St. Mary's, Invercargill St. Patrick's, Lawrence St. Joseph's, Dunedin... Naseby Branch, Naseby •.•« *•■• • Roman Catholic Schoolroom, Oamaru. Catholic Schoolroom, Lyttelton. Catholic Schoolroom, Christchurch. St. Mary's Schoolroom, InvercargUL St. Patrick's Schoolroom, Lawrence, Australian Hall, Princes-street. Catholic Schoolroom, Naseby. i' »

c Number of embers .ast Bei Re-instated since Number of Mci mbers A <ast Bei rhohave Left since Number of Members Eetv [nitiated Since Last ;urn. torn. •n. First Quarter. 2nd. Quarter. Third Quarter. 4th Quarter. First Quarter. 2nd. Quarter. Third Quarter. 4th Quarter. First Quarter, 2nd. Quarter. TThird Quarter. 4th Quarter. Christchuich... Invercargill ... Lyttelton Dunedin „. Lawrence Oamaru Naseby Nil. 6 1 7 Nil. * 5 4 1 5 1 Nil. * 15 2 Nil. 7 2 1 * 4 2 1 4 2 Nil. Nil. Christchurch... Invercargill ... Lyttelton Dunedin Lawrence Oamaru Naseby 7 1 Nil, 3 5 * 3 7 3 6 1 Nil. * 2 2 Nil. 2 3 Nil. * 1 5 Nil. 2 2 Nil. Nil. Christchurch... Invercargill ... Lyttelton Dunedin Lawrence Oamaru Naseby 4 Nil. Nil. 1 2 * . 2 Nil. 2 2 Nil. 2, * 6 1 Nil. 5 8 , 1 * 1 Nil. Nil. 10 2 2 4 * * * * No returns have been forwarded.

* N General Fund. Funeral Fund. Goods. Total. Branches Dr. to Goods. £ s. d, 4 16 6 4 8 0 9 6 6 3 4 3 3 3 6 2 1 10 12 5 3 £ s. d. 10 2 6 9 16 0 21 3 0 7 2 0 4 14 0 9 6 0 24 18 6 £ s. a. £ s. d. 14 19 0 14 19 4 30 9 6 10 6 3 7 17 6 11 19 11 37 3 9 £ s. d. 0 5 6 Invercargill Lawrence Dunediu Oamaru Naseby ... Lyttelton Christchurch o is 4 2 *8 0 0 19 10 I* o a 10 0 14 4

TABLE Showing Amount Eeceired by the District on Account of General, Funeral, ana Goods Funds, from 24th January. 1877JBfc to December, 1877. /jST^