ORDER OF THE SONS OF TEMPERANCE

Of Great Britain and Ireland (American Unity). The objects of this society are to shield its members from the temptation to, and the evils resulting from intemperance, and to afford mutual assistance in time of sickness or accident. The first is effected by the adoption of the total abstinence pledge, avoiding the public-house, and securing its members from the many evils attending upon unabstaining societies holding their meetings in public-houses, which have proved not only injurious to the societies themselves, but to the members individually-wasting the money of the one, and destroying the health, morals, and social standing of the other; the second, by the payment of a stated initiation fee, and a weekly subscription, affording advantages second to none offered by any other society.

Societies or bodies of men can obtain a charter to open a new Division of the above Order, provided their ages do not exceed 45 years.

Applications for charters to open new divisions. or any other information, can be had by applying to

WILLIAM CLARKE, M.W.S., 29, Pitt-terrace, Miles Platting, Manchester.

RICHARD D. PETTERSON, 70, Jacob-street, Liverpool.

W. H. Lowe, G.S., 136, Bedford-street, Lower Moss-lane,
Hulme, Manchester.

HENRY GARSTANG, G.S., 23, Charnock-street, Preston.
CHARLES KERSHAW, G.S., 28, Norreys-street, Rochdale.
HENRY LLOYD, G.S., 4, Commercial-street, Dowlais, Wales.
JAMES GIBSON, G.S., 46, Derby-street, Newcastle-on-Tyne.
P. TURNBULL, G.S., 12, Picton-street, Sunderland.
JOSEPH STEEL, G.S., 24, West Burton-street, Regent-road,
Salford.

W. BURLEY, G.S., 5, Imperial-arcade, Granville-st., Newington, Hull.

HENRY NICHOLSON, G.S., Rodley, near Leeds.

JOHN RICKARDS, G.S., 26, Oxford-street, Wednesbury. WILLIAM SCULLY, G.S., 16, Queen-street, Droylsden, Manchester.

NATHAN YATES, G.S., 17, Grafton-street, Bolton.
THOMAS RIGBY, G.S., 59, Westward-street, Middlesboro'.
HUGH DUNN, G.S., 43, McNiel-street, Glasgow.

F. W. PHILLIPS, G.S., 24, Clifton-street, Easton-rd., Bristol.
JAMES VINCENT, G.S., 18, Little Britain, London.
STEPHEN GLADWIN, G.S., 6, Denmark-street, Darlington.
WILLIAM GEORGE SUTTON, G.S., 7, Wellgate, Rotherham.
GIBEON J. WHITE, G.S., 36, Sterling-street, Buckland, Ports-
mouth.

THOMAS COOKE, G.S., Y.M.C Association, Camden-buildings,
Runcorn.

JOHN ANDERSON, G.S., Crown Smith Works, Coatbridge.
JOSEPH ASMAN, G.S., Wigford-street, Lincoln.

JOHN GRUBB, G.S., Windmill House, Mill-lane, Stockton-on-Tees.

T. C. HOBSON, G.S., 3, America-street, Tunstall, Stoke-on-
Trent.

C. RICHARDSON, F.S., 3, Shandoor-place, Edinburgh.
WILLIAM WATSON, G.S., 34, Church-street, Barnsley.

4,000 PACKETS OF TEMPERANCE BOOKS, Tracts, Pamphlets, &c., POST FREE. For full particulars, send name, address, and one stamp to G. H. GRAHAM, MAIDSTONE.

HAVART'S TEMPERANCE ENTERTAINER & TEMPLAR RECITER, for Good Dialogues and Effective Recitations, has no rival. In 12 Penny numbers, or the whole complete, bound in cloth, 1s. 6d. C J. HAVART, 61, Alleroft-road, London, N. W.; National Temperance Publication Depot, 337, Strand, W.C.; also of whom may be had "Merry Temperance Songster," 2d.-[ADVT.]

SAMUEL HAWLEY,

TAILOR AND OUTFITTER, King Henry's-walk, Ballspond-road, N.

Prompt attention to Country Orders. Latest Styles in Ladies' Jackets, and every branch of the business.

many enquiries have resulted. The G.W.P. of London has received several. In districts more remote from the Palace the bills have provoked correspondence which ought to lead to new openings.

ONE enquiry addressed to London runs as follows:— "Respected Friend,-Being at the Crystal Palace very lately, the enclosed was put into my hands by a young friend which I did not peruse till to-day; I am so well satisfied with it, that I am induced to trespass on your attention, and request a copy of your rules and regulations being sent me. I have adopted temperance principles 50 years or more although through my life, practising my profession, it has proved prejudicial to my interest as a medical man. I have sacrificed this, but what have I gained,' a good hale, hearty constitution, my life preserved to 74 years, with the ability to do my duties better than I could in my younger time. I ride on horses constantly, my friends suggest a carriage for ease to me, I tell them to follow my plan, as they never yet have known what health is' or enjoyment.

We omit the name, as the communication was hardly intended for publication, and the letter will suffice to shew the gain of judicious advertisement.

THE handbills met with so warm approval from members with whom the M.W.P. came into contact, that he increased the order at the printer's. Within the last week he has forwarded a supply to every Grand Scribe, to enable a couple or so to be posted to every known temperance organisation in every district. In this way it is hoped that every town and village in the country will be in possession of the leading features of the organisation, and have access to persons able to supply further information and ready to start new divisions.

THE weather interfered with the Jubilee proceedings at Manchester, as indeed it did at the Palace. The Manchester brethren turned out well. The arrangements at Pomona Palace did not give our representatives a fair chance, but compensation was made on the Sunday week following, when Bro. MACLEOD gave an excellent speech to a large meeting, amply developing the claims of the Order.

our

OUR Rotherham brethren have also had their Jubilee celebration in conjunction with their temperance friends. We are glad to see that our M.W. Trustee, Bro. Alderman Kelsey, was well enough to take the chair at the large public meeting, and that P.M.W.P., Bro. G. Eskholme, was among the speakers. Rotherham appears to have been having a grand time lately with a temperance mission conducted on the old lines. The results seem to have been quite as striking as those gained on the new lines, if we may, judge from the following telegram, which Bro. Kelsey sent to the Palace gathering :

"Procession six abreast half a mile long. Immense meeting in Drill Hall. 3,000 present. Whittaker grand oration, one hour. 3,300 pledges during six months. Wish meeting all possible success in London to-day. Our mission is to be continued until every public-house in Rotherham is closed.

THE London figures have reached the antipodes. A summary of Dr. RIDGE's paper and of the Actuary's report have been published in the Temperance Herald in New Zealand, and reprinted in the Social Reformer, of Sydney, New South Wales. The latter journal also publishes a report of the last annual public meeting of the London Grand Division.

Ar the Palace Fête the representative of the Rechabites, Templars, and Sons, owing to the Rev. G. GREGSON having to deliver a speech which he was unavoidably prevented making at the morning meeting, and also owing to another unannounced speech, were called very late in the evening, and had but few minutes. To mend matters, the great organ accompanied their speeches, so the effort was pleasant to the speakers, and very interesting to that part of the audience which endured unto the end. The speeches, howwere admirably reported in the Temperance Record, and thus were indirectly presented to a very large audience.

ever,

THE M.W.P's. unfortunate accident did not prevent his completing his engagements in South Wales. Altogether, he addressed ten public meetings in as many different places, and one meeting of members. At the public meetings the attendance was large at several places, small in others, but the weather was very unfavourable. The interest was great, and, though the M.W.P. was unable to understand speeches in Welsh with which he was introduced, there was every promise of profitable return. At four places there was an intention to start new Divisions.

ONE great advantage of these journeys is the opportunity of coming into contact with the members and friends of the order. Thus at Briton Ferry, the acquaintance was made of Bro. STEEL; at Cardiff, of Bros. BRIDGMAN & COPE; at Merthyr, Dowlais, and Aberdare, of Bro. H. Lloyd, the G.S., who has grown grey in the service of the Order; and of the G. W.P. of Merthyr, Bro. DAVIES, at Pontnewyndd. Bro. DAVIES, of Pentre, was quite a companion as he marched the M.W.P. to the three meetings he had been at much pains to work in the Rhondda valley. The brethren right through were most anxious to make the visit a real help to the Order.

ANOTHER Outcome of the visit will be a rearrangement of the district with the consent of those immediately concerned. At present there is only one Grand Division. It is proposed to open a new Grand Division, having its centre at Cardiff, ard extending along the Channel from Bridgend to Newport. Bro. BRIDGMAN, of Cardiff, is working to this end. Bro. STEEL, of Briton Ferry, is the pioneer of a new Grand Division of Swansea, starting from Briton Ferry to Neath, then on to Swansea, and to the West. In the Rhondda, Bro. DAVIES has the completion of a Grand Division in hand, and there is no reason why it should not have a branch at every village along the valley. The parent Grand Division will still have a large territory over which to exercise its reviving energies. Aberdare is said to have turned over a new leaf. Mountain Ash has made up its mind not to run any risks by division of savings; and a New Division at Pontypool, and another at Poutypridd ought to awaken Merthyr and Dowlais to do what their strength should make very easy.

BEST of all in connection with these prospective extensions is the fact that each of the new Grand Divisions will start with the graduated scale and centralised benefit funds. The brethren will profit by the experience of other districts, and place their lines of action on a sound basis. This prospect is indeed the

main incentive to the new departure, for under the proposed arrangements the brethren will not only be able to ensure local stability, but, thanks to their welldefined natural boundaries, be able to come frequently together to direct and consolidate the work.

Ir was our intention to have followed up our article on "Societies and Societies " by one dealing with the history, position, and methods of a very large society which has its office in London. This society is often placed before London Sons by two or three of our members, and by very many teetotallers, as a Society vastly superior to the Sons, and, indeed, to any recognised friendly society, the management of which is in the hands of the members. Circumstances have prevented our dealing with the subject in this issue. All being well, the next number will contain an article which will open up another view of the picture.

MANY of our members come across reports, rules, and documents of other friendly societies, for which, probably, they have no special need, beyond passing perusal. If they would kindly post them to our office, we should be obliged, and a digest of them would often interest the whole of our readers. Will our readers please make a note of this?

ON another page we give a report of a London magistrate's decision against a member of a friendly society, who sought to recover sick-pay, which, he alleged, was due to him. The society refused to pay on the ground that the claimant had concealed a physical ailment at the time of his admission. The magistrate very properly held with the society. This case shows the necessity of having a proper form filled up by every candidate. Questions are then fairly submitted to him. There will be no ground for alleging that enquiries were not made, while the possession of the form will make exposure of an attempt to defraud the society a matter of no difficulty.

OUR brethren have started on the track for 100 new Divisions. Evesham, after an attempt to attach its fortunes to London, yielded to the persuasions of the M.W.P., and has opened up a branch of the Wednesbury Grand Division. London is very busy, having about twelve new Divisions on the list of coming events. The reports in our present issue give healthy indications in various parts of the country, and we happen to know that they are not nearly so full as might be. Some of our brethren deem it too much trouble to send a line, otherwise twice as many pages might be filled with a record of the doings of the Order.

No one took up our Bristol brother's advocacy of National Centralisation. Probably our readers think it will keep until the districts are thoroughly centralised. In this issue a Manchester brother starts another topic, viz., representation at the National Division. There will be no harm done in full ventilation of this subject. A good deal may be said on both sides. But while on the subject, the question of the expense of these gatherings ought not to be unduly magnified. The outcome of such meetings cannot be measured in direct results to be set off against the outlay. If this same test were applied to the annual gatherings of other societies and religious bodies, the outlay would be ap

parently immense, but spread over the constituency, it means merely a few pence per head. Of course expense should not be ignored. But the question really is-how to secure the fullest and most complete representation, one that shall ensure progression in service and ability, until our highest court shall embody the intelligence and experience of the whole Order.

OWING to re-registration, many Subordinate Divisions are electing Trustees. There seems to be an impression that such officers are responsible for the funds not really held by them. It, therefore, may be useful to quote the Friendly Societies' Act under this head. Section 16, clause 10, reads as follows:-"Trustees of a society are not liable to make good any deficiency in the funds of such society, but are liable only for moneys actually received by them respectively on account of such society." Brethren should, however, be very careful in their choice of Trustees, as they might be called upon to discharge most important duties.

BRETHREN who are working centralisation upon lines not provided for in registered rules, or who are making provision by co-operation for benefits not set forth in duly registered rules, would do well to note a decision by the judge of the Manchester County Court. It would appear from the report, which we give in this column, that the Society has some connexion with the Foresters. It is probably an association of Foresters to secure benefits which are not given by their own Society. Perhaps, as they are members of registered societies, they assumed that their new association enjoyed protection. The decision is a painful disillusion, and it ought to be known that registration is always required in one form or another to secure the benefits of the Friendly Societies Act.

THE RISK OF NON-REGISTRATION.

On Thursday the 14th, at the Manchester County Court, before Mr. J. A. Russell, Q.C., judge, an action was brought by Thomas Selby, of Grandsmoor Road, Droylsden, on behalf of the Family Burial Society connected with the Order of Foresters, Gorton District, of which he is a member and treasurer, to recover £50 from James Murgatroyd, Malvern Terrace, Higher Openshaw, which amount it was alleged he had received whilst acting as treasurer. Mr. W. Cobbett appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. Coventry, barrister, for the defendant, who in a counter claim set forth that the society were indebted to him in the sum of £61 8s. 6d. Mr. Cobbett on behalf of the plaintiff, stated that the defendant was formerly treasurer to the society, that he was discharged from this post, and that he retained a balance in his hands of which he had not rendered an account to the society. Mr. Coventry submitted that the plaintiff could not recover the amount by this action, inasmuch as the society was unregistered. As a matter of fact he stated that his client had no such balance in his hands. In the course of a discussion which took place between the learned Judge and Mr. Cobbett, his Honour, after reading several of the rules of the society, said that the plaintiff could not sustain the action. He was not interested in the funds of the society; he only became so at his own death. Mr. Cobbett said that on the death of his client a sum would have to be paid to his representatives by the society to provide for his funeral, and he had, therefore, the same interest in the funds as the members of any other friendly society. If they had no right to compel a defaulter to pay over the balance in his hands to his successor, then other Friendly Societies occupied a similar position. His Honour said that the Friendly Societies Act had overcome this difficulty. If he remembered rightly it was because money of this kind could not be recovered that this act was passed. He non-suited the plaintiff with costs.

Sons in Council.

The

[The Editor must not be held to endorse all the opinions expressed in the page devoted to "Sons in Council." page is set apart for original contributions previously read in Division.]

SOCIETIES AND SOCIETIES.

I have lately been reading up some reports of the Registrar of Friendly Societies, and find that in the one for 1877 some startling statistics are given confirmatory of your article in the last issue dealing with collecting societies. In the appendix B, page 66, 27 of these societies (numbering nearly 14 million members) received in contributions £585,000, out of which they paid away £283,000 in benefits, £239,000 in management, and only put by to the reserve fund £97,000. Of this large sum for management, 89 per cent. was devoted to salaries and commissions, &c., leaving only 11% for printing, rent, stationery, postage, &c. As to the largest collecting society of all, whose head office is in the neighbourhood of Holborn, from a return it had to make to the Board of Trade, the Registrar reports that the expenses amount to no less than 53% of the members' contributions. Is this to be wondered at when they have to allow 25% commission for the collection of subscriptions? Notwithstanding that many of them are over 30 years old, the most prosperous do not show more than 20/- per head. No wonder that the Registrar should add that the excessive number of their lapsed policies seems to be the only explanation of their continued existence.

W. JOHNSON, G.W.P.

REPRESENTATION TO THE NATIONAL DIVISION.

For some time past in our National Division proposals have been made from various districts with the object of changing the present system of representation, which is very large and expensive. To introduce any kind of reform into the Order of the Sons of Temperance the same difficulty is met with as is often the case in any attempt to introduce any social or political reform. From the last National Division report I find that according to the number of the Subordinate Division and the membership in each Grand Division, something like 450 representatives are entitled to sit. So far as I have been able to judge, about one-third only of the representatives meet in annual session. My object in writing is to draw attention to this important matter, and to point out one or two facts in relation to the subject. In looking at the annual reports for the last few years, I find that there are entire districts which are not represented at our annual gathering. How is this to be accounted for? I also find that the districts nearest to where the National Division is held have almost a monopoly of the voting power, if they are so inclined to use it. This is proved by the fact that at the last National Division at Chester, Lancashire alone had nearly half of the voting power of the session; Manchester and Salford largely predominating, having close upon one-third. This is hardly fair, whilst, as we pointed out before, there are those who are not represented at all. The present system is so expensive that it is almost utterly impossible to have a thorough system of national representation. The Manchester district alone would be put to an expense of £33 16s. for its 21 representatives, and this would have been considerably increased had the distance from Manchester to Chester been greater. I have no desire to inquire into the private financial affairs of other districts, but we wish to point out how a very large amount has to be paid for a small number of representatives. Has any brother the time to calculate what would be the price which would have to be paid for a full representation of the National Division of 450 representatives? The Grand Division that has the largest

number of Subordinate Divisions has an advantage over the other Grand Divisions which may have as large a membership but not so many Subordinate Divisions. A case in point may be taken from the two Grand Divisions of London and

Newcastle-on-Tyne, whose membership are about equal. Each Grand Division is entitled to the same number of representatives, but London is entitled to 19 more representatives than Newcastle simply because it has 19 more Subordinate Divisions. The same thing repeats itself in the case of the Grand Divisions of Bradford and Manchester. The latter has the largest membership, but the former is entitled to 13 more representatives. I also find that Bishop Auckland, which has only a little over half the membership of Manchester, is entitled to more representatives. These facts speak for themselves. The enquiry might be carried further, but sufficient has been said for the present.

GEORGE JONES,

Hon. Neal Dow Division.

IMPORTANT MAGISTERIAL DECISION. At the Lambeth Police-court on September 16th, 1882, William T. Peakull, secretary to the Little Wonder Lodge of the Order of Comical Fellows, held at the Goat public-house, Cleaver-street, Kennington, appeared to answer the complaint of Benjamin Marsden, a member, for refusing to pay him £2 16s. for arrears of sick pay, due to him from the 15th June to the 15th July last. There was a second summons against the defendant with regard to the dispute between him and the complainant, and this he was called upon to answer. The case was looked upon as being one of considerable interest to members of friendly societies. Mr. Wilme, instructed by Mr. Ody, solicitor, appeared for the complainant; and Mr. W. H. Fullagar for the defendant.-The groundwork of the defence really was that the complainant had not given a truthful statement to the doctor, who passed him as eligible to be a member. Dr. Wright, one of the surgeons to the lodge, was called, and identified the complainant; the certificate produced was the one he had given, by which Marsden was admitted to membership. Applicants for membership were asked from what illness they had suffered; if they had suffered, or were suffering, from varicose veins, spitting of blood, or rupture. In the event of a person saying he was suffering from such complaints that would prevent a certificate of fitness being given.-Dr. Richards, in partnership with Dr. Wright, the last witness, said in June he was desired to visit the complainant, who stated he was suffering from rheumatism in the foot. He saw a bandage on his leg, and desired him to remove it, which he did, and witness then found he was suffering from varicose veins and ulcers, the result of such disease, which he was satisfied was of some years' standing; and in June, 1881, when the complainant became a member of the society, he must have known it. The complainant denied this, or that the bandage was taken off in the presence of the doctor. After a long hearing Mr. Chance said the real question was whether the complainant had made a true statement or not to the doctor at the time he was first seen. He did not impute to the complainant any intention of acting wrongly, but he must on the evidence and in a question of law decide against him, and therefore dismissed the summons.

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TO-MORROW is the day on which idle men work and fools reform.