THE HIBERNIAN SOCIETY.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVII, Issue 19, 11 May 1899, Page 31

THE HIBERNIAN SOCIETY.

ANNUAL MOVABLE MEETING.

The annual movable meeting of the H.A.C.B.S. was opened in the Hibernian Hall. Melbourne, on Wednesday, April ID. Brother E. J. Hayden, Chief President of Australasia, presided. The Chief President, in declaring- the meeting opened, said the society had made steady progress during the year. .Nine additional branches had been established, the total membership over Australasia had increased by 847 members, and additional assets, valued at £3,642, had been acquired. At the present time the total member- | ship numbered ir>,676, and the assets represented no less a sum than £92,507. A proposal had been made by the Ancient Order of Hibernians of America to amalgamate with the Australian order, and if it were not agreed to in that form, at least reciprocal relations with the American order should be established. The amalgamation of the Ballarat and Melbourne districts had been effected j during the year, and would doubtless result in a large increase of member?. The order was, in the truest sense of the word, federated, and, although it was a non-political association, the individual members appeared to take a lively interest in the federation of ti e Australasian colonies, and were endeavouring to make history for the land of their birth and adoption by assisting in building up one grand Australian Commonwealth. The Executive Directory Officers in their report said :—ln: — In presenting for your con.-ideration, this, the 28th Annual Report of the Society, it is our pleasing duty to congratulate you upon the Society's continued progress, both numerically and financially during the past year, t'ur Society now consists of 2Mi Branches, being ar increase of 8 Male Branches and 1 Ladles' Branch, and comprising in all 201 Male Branches, 32 Ladies Branches and 13 Juvenile Contingents, with a numerical roll respectively of 13,92(1, 1,4913 and 260, making a grand total of 15 (iSS member- an increase for the year (returns incomplete) of 847 uiemb<-i>. Tht> Funds (returns incomplete ) of the Di-trLt and Brands aino'int ti £90.554 0s Id. the l'\nuthe Directory Funds auwui t to il 1 '>"> > :.'- 5d ; making a grand tor il to the credit of the Society of £')_'. ".U7 -'- 6d, showing an inert a-" t"r the yc.ir of ■£•_' Wl2 <U :'> I V >n tinDi cember reports of th>' New 7u.il.uid di-tiiet. we ti d that the District Funds have acridit of £3.'JS'J lUs lid. The Kr.mch retain-) for September quarter amount to £8,475 3s fid, mtkiig.it >t il ot £12,4ti5 3s od. We regret that owing to many oi the B>.i'n,hes in this District not having furnished their returns to the I) > in time for their insertion in his return, we are unable to stite the true position of the District. They have 23 Male and 3 Ludies' Uv ik hewith a roll of i>72 menbers. They hxvo opened one n'*v Bianch during the year. Regarding tr-e decoa«e of the muoh-respocted Distri L ~< cioi 'i'/ for New Zealand, the Report says :— We deeply reure.t hum- U report the death of Bro. P. Kearnpy. who for many ye >i- h> Id t'ue position of District Secretary of the New Z, aland l>i-tiie.t. lie \\:i- a

true Hibernian, and commanded the respect of all with whom he was associated, and his lo^s will be severely felt by that District. In compliance with the instructions of the last A.M.M., we communicated with the Ancient Order in America, and we are pleased to say that our correspondence has been promptly attended to by the National Pre-ident, Mr. J. T. Keating. We have received from him the Constitution and Bye-laws of their Society, also letters which will be laid before you to-day, asking that some agreement be entered into to bring about the unity of the two bodies, such agreement to be ratified at the National Convention, to be held at Boso n, in May I'JOO, to which accredited delegates from the H.A.C.B.S. are invited. j The Revision Committee brought up a set of proposed amend I inents to the laws, involving the repeal of all existing regulations in favour ot the new proposals. On the motion for the adoption of the preamble, an amendment was moved by Bro. P. Tighe. D.V.P. (Melbourne), seconded by Bro. J. W. Rjan, D.B. (Melbourne), that the proposed amendments could not be legally dealt with, on the ground that the Executive Directory, in forwarding the amendments for the consideration of the annual meeting, had not complied with the law providing that all proposed alterations should be submitted to its half-yearly meeting. A long discussion ensued. Several deputies stated that there was a danger of the registrars of friendly societies in the other colonies declining to pass the laws adopted in Victoria. The amendment was negatived on a division by 27 votes to ti. It was ultimately decided to alter the preamble, giving the various intercolonial districts power to make laws for themselves, which would be subject to the approval of the Executive Directory. The sub-committee reported various small alterations in laws 11, 20, 23. and 27. They also suggested that clause sof rule 32, referring to the government of districts be struck out ; that rules 33, 31, 35, 30 and 38 up to 45 be struck out ; that clause 3, 4, 5 and i! of rule 37 referring to district secretaries be struck out ; that rule 4!S be excispd, and that rule 4'.t should stand. The whole of these recommendations were agxeed to. It was decided to send a delegate to the Con\ention of Ancient Hibernians at Boston next year. The f-luction of officers resulted as follows : — Chief president, Bro. M. Fcnnc^-y ; deputy chief presidents, Bros. W. White and J. Toohey ; chief treasurer, Bro. J. Whelan : corresponding secretary, Ero. T. W. O'shea : audit jr, Bro. A. G-. O'Keefe. It was decided to hole! the next meeting in Sydney.