H.A.G.B. SOCIETY

New Zealand Tablet, 15 March 1917, Page 53

H.A.G.B. SOCIETY

THIRTY-FIRST ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the N.Z. District of the H.A.C.B. Society was held in the Hibernian Hall, Auckland, on Wednesday evening, February 28. Very Rev. Chancellor Holbrook (district president) presided. Bros. E. J. Higgins, D.V.P., W. Kane, D.S., and M. J. Sheahan, D.T., and the Rev. Father Murphy were also present, and delegates representing 60 branches throughout the Dominion were in attendance. The presiding officer heartily welcomed the delegates, and before commencing the business referred to the untimely dath of Bro. A. J. Woodley, whose demise was a great loss to the society, and to whom was mainly due the inauguration of the juvenile branch in Auckland. A vote of condolence was carried in silence to Mrs. Woodley and family, all the members standing. District Officers' Report. Funeral Fund.—lt is with deep regret we announce the demise of 14 members, 8 of whom died on active service, 8 members' wives and one widow. May their souls rest in peace. We are sure you all unite with us in offering to their grief-stricken relatives the heartfelt sympathy due by us, to them, in their bereavement. Funeral benefits amounting to .£370 have been paid to branches. Of this sum £IBO has been received from the Australasian T. and G. Mutual Life Assurance Society, Ltd., being the insurance of nine members deceased at £2O each. The balance to credit of the fund is now £14,069 6s 3d, showing an advance on last balance of £593 0s 6d. Supplementary Sick Fund.— was found necessary to make a grant to St. Joseph's Branch, No. 424, of £2O, to enable it to pay its sick members, affording evidence that branches established in mining districts experience a higher rate of sickness and can not expect to succeed without paying extra contributions. This fund shows an advance of £314 10s for the half-year. Investment Fund for Branches.—lt will be seen that some of the branches are wisely taking advantage of this fund, thereby earning a much higher rate of interest than is obtainable from the banks. The responsibility of carefully lending the money and collecting the interest thereon is saved and the security is beyond doubt. It is therefore surprising that more of the branches, having only small sums to invest, do not avail themselves of this means, so easy and so safe to increase their interest earnings.

Guarantee Fund.—ln respect to this fund it may be profitable to explain that when negotiating for the insurance of members on active service it was found that. £25 was the lowest sum we could get a member insured for, and £2O being the amount of the death benefit it was but just that this fund which bore the sole expense should get the surplus, the surplus being £45. The next item, £7 Iss, comprises premiums of members who—(a) being insured did not leave New Zealand; (b) were insured or reinsured after death. It will be seen that we have received from the Government assistance to insure members with the Expeditionary Forces to the extent of £199 9s. In view of the fact that the T. and G. resolved to charge double, or 10 per cent, for the insurance of members with the Expeditionary Forces, the Government decided to insure members against death while on active service outside New Zealand for £2O, at the rate of 16s per capita (member). However, as the Government system did not come into operation until the Ist of October the policies expiring before that date were renewed with the T. and G. The increased cost of insurance being one of the main reasons why we proposed the cessation of taking out new policies, to which the district meeting agreed, we reconsidered the position, and in view of the grave'dangers to which our brothers on active service abroad are exposed, your officers resolved to insure with the Government at the very low rate referred to

compared to that we were paying As the policies issued by the T. and G. expire it is intended to insure with the Government. Suspense Account.— was with sincere regret we had to accede to the repeated requests of the Charleston branch to close, the membership being reduced to three—the secretary, who for years stood by the few remaining old members, and two very old men. We were pleased indeed that the establishment of the Supplementary Sick Fund enabled us to take over those three worthy members, two of whom are among the early pioneers of Hibernianism in New Zealand, otherwise although the rules did provide for the taking over of worthy members under circumstances warranting it, as district members, there was no fund out of which the District could legally pay sick benefits. The St. Joseph's Branch, No. 606, Te Aroha, also closed. Repeated endeavors and entreaties failed to induce this branch to comply with the rules. The war, however, made the position still worse and the remaining few decided to close the branch. These events disclose the reason why this fund has increased. The active and enthusiastic Hibernians of Christchurch have established a new ladies' branch, and in respect to the kindly assistance and patronage of his Lordship Bishop Brodie it has been called St. Matthew's Branch. We sincerely thank his Lordship for the work he has done and still continues to do, for the society; Bro. O'Sliaughnessey, district deputy, who on behalf of your officers ably opened the branch ; and the other officers and members who assisted. We congratulate the officers and members of the new branch and wish it every success. National Provident Fund in its Relation to Friendly Societies.—As you are aware, the Government grants a subsidy of 25 per cent, towards the contributions of a contributor to the National Provident Fund, and consequently it was thought by friendly societies officers and members that this was very like competing with friendly societies, to get persons to contribute to the National Provident Fund who would otherwise become members of friendly societies. Therefore representative bodies of friendly societies approached the Government and impressed the Ministers and others with their ideas of the matter, with the result that Cabinet considered the question, and a conference was held consisting of the Minister in charge of friendly societies, Hon. J. A. Hanan; the Minister in charge of the National Provident Fund, Hon. A. M. Myers the Superintendent of the National Provident Fund, and the Registrar of the Friendly Societies, Mr. Hayes, together with representative members of friendly societies, and it was decided to offer certain inducements to members of friendly societies to become subscribers to the National Provident fundviz., a maternity bonus of £4 free, and a reduced scale of contributions to the National Provident Fund subsidised by the Government to the extent of 50 per cent, to apply to members of approved Friendly Societies from the Ist January, 1917, special inducement being offered to members who joined before that date, up to 55 years of age, for the year ending 31st December, 1917. In to enable the members to avail themselves of the maternity bonus from the earliest date, your officers applied to the National Provident Board for provisional approval, and it was granted, therefore the H.A.C.B. Society is an approved Friendly Society subject to the confirmation of this meeting, which consists in carrying the motion No. 8 on the order —viz., the ' Adoption of the Model Rules,' copies of which have been forwarded to all branches, by the superintendent of the National Provident Fund, who is the Registrar of Friendly Societies. Several applications have been already made for the maternity bonus and some branches have paid them, but pending your decision regarding the motion referred to the district has not paid any, and the fact of the society being provisionally approved does not compromise you at all. The National Directory's Appeal for Subscriptions in Aid of the Distress in Dublin. The response to this

appeal, deserving as the case is, is somewhat poor, but in justice to the members, it is only fair to state that many of them have subscribed to the 'Tablet fund' and the various ' parish funds' for the same purpose, therefore it is that the ' Hibernian fund' is so small in New Zealand. We respectfully submit to you the business before you and bespeak for it your earnest consideration, hoping for the best results for the society from your deliberations, and with every good wish for the future of the H.A.C.B. Society. We beg to remain, yours fraternally Very Rev. 11. F. Holbrook (District President), E. J. Higgins (District Vice-President), James Smith (Past District President), M. J. Sheahan (District Treasurer), W. Kane (District Secretary). Finance. The balance in the funeral fund showed £14,069, being an increase of £523 10s. The supplementary sick fund showed an expenditure of £2O and a balance of £I9BB 13s, a profit for the half-year of £314 10s. The guarantee fund showed a balance of £244 12s and a profit of £lO4 12s. The general fund showed a balance of £192 18s, a deficit of £125 3s. The. amount of money loaned on freehold mortgage was £17,405. The District Secretary moved the adoption of the model rules submitted by the Government under the Finance Act, 1916, part ix., social insurance for approved Friendly Societies, as per copies supplied to branch secretaries by the Friendly Societies Department. This was carried unanimously. The accounts, principally officers' salaries, were passed. General Business. The delegate for St. Andrew's branch, Levin, moved the following amendment to rules 24 and 81 —' A financial full benefit male or female member of the H.A.C.B. Society in New Zealand is entitled to have the £2O funeral allowance paid on his or her behalf when overtaken by death at any time, even during the first year of initiation.' —Withdrawn. The delegate for branch No. 561 moved— That rule 90, clause 2, be altered to read —"That a member presenting his clearance to a branch be admitted to such branch (or if married, his wife) without further medical examination, thus tending to keep our members more within the fold of the H.A.C.B. Society." The above to apply only to the New Zealand District.'Withdrawn. The delegate for branch No. 400 moved —' That the sick funds of all branches throughout New Zealand be consolidated.'Held over for a direct representative meeting. Election of Officers. —The following officers for the ensuing term were elected:—District president, Bro. E. J. Higgins; district vice-president, Bro. F. J. O'Meara; district secretary, Bro. W. Kane; district treasurer, Bro. M. J. Sheahan; auditors, Bros. J. B. R. Stead and F. J. O'Meara. The officers were installed by the past district president (Bro. Very Rev. Chancellor Holbrook) .