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the contribution and the initiation fee to be £21 5s. 2d., showing an increase of £1 13s. 6d., when the present value can only be increased by the increase of the initiation fee, which is 10s.; in one case 5s. being charged as initiation, in the other case 10s., no other element whatever being affected in one case more than the other. Referring again to age 20, and an initiation fee of £1 1s., the difference of this value from the last should be an addition of 6s., being the difference of the initiation fee; and one value is given at £21 5s. 20., and the other £22 5s. 3d., showing the difference of £1 0s. 1d., or an error on the second, assuming the first to be correct at 12s. 1d.

Referring then to the last age given (40), Table LXXXIV., I find the value of an annuity of £1 per annum to be £16 6688 £16 13s. 5d.; and as the contribution and additional contribution for a member of this age is £1 4s. 10d., as stated in Table V., the present value of this contribution, or immediate equivalent thereat, is £20 14s.; and the present payment of an initiation, according to 145th General Law, being £7 4s. 2d., gives an immediate equivalent or present value of £27 18s. 2d., and a difference between this value and the value given in the table of £8 10s. 6d.

On reference to Table VI., age 40, I find the value of £10 at the death of a member, the value of £5 at the death of a member's wife, and the value of 10s. per week during sickness, to be £36 17s. Sd.; this I have not examined, but I have no doubt it is correct. Then, on reference to Table V., I find the value of the member's contribution of 17s. 4d. per annum, and his initiation fee of £7 4s. 2d., to be £36 Es. 8d., being a sum only 9s. deficient to the value of the benefits; an error which would not have escaped the attention of a person conversant with these matters, but which would not be seen by others, and consequently would mislead them.

I remain, sir, yours truly,

HENRY RATCLIFFE.

[NOTE BY THE EDITOR.-We congratulate our readers on the fact of our respected C.S. becoming a contributor to the Magazine. With regard to the error to which he refers, we are happy in being able to give the following explanation:-Feeling that the Reports and other works issued by the Board of Directors were insufficiently published, and indeed scarcely known to the majority of our members, we requested a competent friend to furnish the article alluded to. A mistake has evidently been made in the compilation of the table of Immediate Equivalents, and we are obliged to our C.S. for correcting it. Indeed, the writer, three months since, frankly admitted his error, but his explanation came too late for publication in the January Number. The error in principle lies in his adding together the present value of contribution, and the improved value of the initiation fee, according to the expectation of life at each age. This is the whole gist of the matter; and if our readers will simply run their pens through the three columns headed Immediate Equivalent (Table 5, p. 50), and delete the note at the bottom of the page, no harm can arise. The rest of the table stands correct, as a statement of fact, and is at all times useful for reference. Upon the portion erased it was intended to found some arguments, which will not now be attempted.

We should explain that the first illustration given by C.S. Ratcliffe is at the age of 20 throughout, the Immediate Equivalent being, as he says, £18 19s. 10d. But on referring to the January Report, 1859, we find the increased value of the contribution, payable oftener than annually-monthly we believe-is stated to be £19 4s. 3d., and if to this we add the fee of 59., the total is £19 9s. 3d.; Table 5 has it £19 11s. 8d., or 23. 5d. more than it ought to be, and so throughout the entire table. Though the difference is not really so great as stated by our C.S., it is still, we admit, a serious miscalculation. To save further discussion on this point, we have fairly stated the nature and the source of our friend's mistake. to the misspelling of Mr. Ratcliffe's name, that error belongs to the printer, who, to save time at the end of the quarter, undertook to see to the correctness of the tabular portion of the article, and did not furnish us with a proof.]

As

THE MARQUESS OF BRISTOL'S ANSWER TO THE

MANCHESTER UNITY ADDRESS.

The following answer to the address recently voted by the Brighton members of the Manchester Unity has been received:

"EATON PLACE, MARCH 3RD, 1859. "SIR,-I have to acknowledge the receipt of the address from the members of the Brighton Lodges of the Manchester Unity of Odd-fellows, which you were so good as to forward to me.

"That address is very acceptable, not only on account of the concern and sympathy which pervades it in regard to the heavy affliction with which our family has been visited, in the loss of an exemplary and venerated father, but also from the very grateful and feeling language in which the beneficent acts of our beloved parent are therein recorded.

"I shall esteem it a favour if you will avail yourself of the earliest opportunity that may occur of conveying my carnest acknowledgments to those who have thus expressed their sympathy with me and my family. "I remain, faithfully yours,

"To Mr. James Curtis."

"BRISTOL.

ANNIVERSARIES AND BALANCE SHEETS.

To the Elitor of the Old-fellows' Magazine.

SIR,-On reading the many reports of lodge anniversaries and presentations in your January number, I was rather surprised to find, that there are districts and lodges who still continue to be satisfiel, with having read at their annual gatherings a financial statement or balance sheet, generally ending with the statement, that their funds are in such a prosperous condition, that they possess a capital of which gives an average of £4. or 10s. per head, (as the case may be.) Is it not high time, sir, that such a system was exploded, and that the managers of our districts and lodges ought to be able to lay before such meetings a statement, that their financial position was such, that they were able to meet all their liabilities; in truth, that they were able to pay twenty shillings in the pound? Presuming that there is a want of information amongst the members of our institution upon this-to usmost valuable portion of statistics, namely, the manner of taking a valuation of the assets and liabilities of a lodge, I would suggest that as the Magazine has a very extensive circulation, and in all probability will increase that circulation-the appendix to vital statistics by our worthy C.S. of the Order be printed in it, with the slight alteration, that the tables include the valuation of contributions from 3d., 34d., &c, up to sixty years of age. Yours truly, PHIS.

BIRMINGHAM DISTRICT MEETING.

The annual general meeting of the members and friends of this district was held in their hall on Monday, February 28th. More than 300 persons partook of tea, and at 7 p.m. the real business of the meeting commenced. Mr. Robert Owen, G.M., took the chair, and having addressed the meeting, called on Mr. Buck, the secretary, to read the report and financial statement of accounts for the past year.

The report stated that the total number of members in the district on the 1st of January, 1858, was 3,666. There had joined, by entrance, 221; by clearance, 10; by card, 1: total, 232. Thirty-nine members had died, entitled to funeral donations, and 2 suspended; 188 had left by non-payment, 5 by card, and 12 by clearance; leaving the total number of members, 3,652. Of the members joining, 57 were under 21 years of age, 107 under 25, 52 under 30, and 16 under 34. The sickness returns showed the number of days' sickness to be 1,966 days at 2s. per day; 25,016 days at 1s. 8d. per day; half pay, 318 days at 1s.; 8,046 at 10d., and 1,116 days at sums from 6d. to 8d. per day, these persons being allowed to follow a light occupation. The total number of days were-full pay, 26,952; reduced pay, 9,162 days, Sundays not included, 6,077; making the total sickness experience, 42,359 days, spread over 795 members out of the 3,652 members, an average of 11 days 15 hours on the whole number, being considerably heavier than the experience of any tables published for the average age of the members. The number of deaths had been-males, 41; females, 34. The receipts for sick fund had been-contributions and entrances, £3,890 2s. 7d.; interest on capital, £942 7s. 11d.; and the payments for sickness had been £2,662 17s. 4d.; funerals, £567; leaving a surplus to be carried to capital account of £1,383 12s. 6d.; and making the total reserve capital in sick and funeral fund of lodges, £28,508 12s. 11d.; management fund, £469 3s. 11d. The report then alluded to the amount of sickness and mortality experienced by the older lodges, whose experience was considerably increased by having members entirely incapacitated from labour, and showed that the reduced sick pay fund of the district, from which all half-pay members were paid, had been of great service in equalising these liabilities. The highest sickness experienced of a lodge had been 33 days 2 hours per member; while, in another with the same number of members, it had been 2 days 3 hours, showing the difference where the liabilities were only spread over a small number, while the lowest experience in the oldest lodge during the last seven years had been 19 days; the highest 23 days. The report, after calling attention to the careful investment of funds, and various other matters of interest, concluded by an expression of thanks to the secretary for his attention to the business of the district. The following is the statement of the reserve capital:

To balance in hand of Sick and Funeral Fund of 58 Lodges, 3,652 Members

To balance in hand of Incidental Fund of Lodges and District... do. Funeral and Reduced Sick Fund of District.

Do.

To Hall, Property, Money Invested

Library and Funds

Widow and Orphans' Fund, 500 Members......

£ s. d.

28,508 12 11

615 0 9 860 16 8 2,971 9 6

52 7 8 2,069 10 9

£35,077 18 3

INAUGURATION OF A MONUMENT TO THE LATE RICHARD KIRKBRIDE, C.S. OF THE CARLISLE DISTRICT

On Saturday, January 1st, 1859, the inauguration of a monument to the memory of the late Richard Kirkbride, P.P.G.M. and C.S., took place at Carlisle. A large number of members and friends met at the City of Carlisle Lodge Room, and after forming a procession, proceeded to the Cemetery,

headed by the district officers, where an appropriate address was delivered by Prov. G.M. David Latimer, who expatiated at considerable length on the usefulness of the deceased brother, both as a lodge, district, and Unity member. The late Richard Kirkbride was initiated as member of the City of Carlisle Lodge on the 8th day of March, 1841, and on the election night following, was appointed to the office of secretary, and afterwards passed through the offices of V.G., N.G., and G.M. of the lodge. At the election of district officers in December, 1843, he was elected to the office of G.M., and the following year was chosen as C.S., which office he held up to the time of his decease. As a proof of the satisfactory manner in which he discharged his duties as a district officer, and the esteem in which he was held by the various lodges in the district, he was presented (on Easter Monday, 1849) with a gold lever watch and appendages, value £22. He represented the Carlisle district at the A.M.C.s., held at Newcastle-uponTyne, Bristol, Southampton, Blackburn, Halifax, Dublin, Preston, South London, Durham, and Norwich. At the Halifax, Dublin, and South London A.M.C.s., he was appointed one of the Board of Directors. The monument is of the Gothic order, and consists of a square base, with chastely-cut panels and inscription; a square centre piece, with a tablet representing a hand and heart, encircled with a neatly-chiselled wreath, as emblematic of the principles of the Order; and a square tapering pillar. The entire erection is 12 feet high, and is of the hardest class of white Prudham stone. It was both designed and executed by Mr. Raper, and is a highly-creditable specimen of artistic talent and exquisite workmanship. It bears the following inscription :-"Erected to the memory of Richard Kirkbride, of Carlisle, by the members of the Independent Order of Odd-fellows Manchester Unity, and friends, as a mark of respect for his valuable services rendered in the cause of Odd-fellowship. Born January 12th, 1805. Died November 19th, 1857."

The

WOOLWICH.-WOOLWICH DISTRICT MEETING.-A general meeting of the members of the Woolwich District was held on Monday, February 28th, at the Town Hall, to consider the practicability of erecting an Odd-fellows' Hall. The meeting was presided over by Prov. G.M. Wilson, supported by the P. D. G. M. and the P. C. S. Palmer, the members of the hall committee, and officers and brothers of the Order. president briefly explained to the meeting what steps had been taken in the district during the last two years to advance the object in view, and read the clause of the Friendly Societies' Act, which gives the society power to invest their funds in a building for the meetings of the society. It is intended to erect a hall capable of holding 1,000 persons, with two or three rooms, for the use of lodges and committees, and any other purposes for which they may be required during the day-such as a school for the children of Odd-fellows and others, and the occasional use of other friendly societies. A series of resolutions were passed in favour of the scheme, and several excellent speeches were delivered by officers, past officers, and members of the Order, strongly urging the desirability of the carrying out the proposed project. A committee was appointed, consisting of the district officers and other members, to carry out the resolutions, and take other necessary steps to bring the matter to a successful issue; and, after a vote of thanks to the presiding officer, the meeting closed.

PARTICULARS REQUIRED FROM PROPOSED MEMBERS.

The following form is in use in several London lodges, and is proposed for the adoption of the Order generally :—

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When were you married?

When was your wife born?.

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Have you had the Small Pox, Cow Pox, or been Vaccinated?

Have you ever been afflicted with Rheumatism, Rupture, Fits or Convulsions, Habitual Cough, Asthma, Insanity, Spitting of Blood, or any Chronic Disease?

Have you resided abroad?

Are you of temperate habits?

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Are you now afflicted with any disease or disorder tending to hinder you from business or to shorten life?

Is there anything touching your past or present state of health or habits, or your wife's, which you ought now to disclose?...

I hereby declare that the foregoing Statements and Answers are true in substance and fact, and that nothing is concealed or omitted affecting mine or my wife's health or constitution. And I agree that this declaration shall be the basis of the contract between me and the above Society, under its General Laws, and that if any fraudulent or untrue averment is contained therein, or in the Answers, all monies to be paid the abote Lodge or any other on account of benefits, shall be forfeited.

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From the above Answers, and my personal examination of the said ....... I hereby certify that I consider him a fit person to become a Member of this Order.

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METROPOLITAN DISTRICTS.-CRYSTAL PALACE EXCURSION. The committee of the Metropolitan Districts have made arrangements to celebrate the Crystal Palace Demonstrations on Monday and Tuesday, the 1st and 2nd of August next. The success which attended the excursion to this delightful place of recreation last year induces the promoters to hope for a full attendance of members and friends on the forthcoming occasion. It may be interesting to our readers to state that the net profit arising from the excursions on the 2nd and 3rd of August last was £258 10s. 7d.; which was thus apportioned: The Metropolitan District Fund of the North London District, £115 9s. 2d.; ditto, South London, £110 12s. 11d.; ditto, Pimlico, £32 10s. 7d. It will thus be seen that, while the visitors to the People's Palace at Sydenham partook fully of all the amusements and delights of that charming place, they were doing real good in augmenting the funds of the Metropolitan Districts, and assisting to relieve the widows and orphans of their deceased brethren. This year increased attractions will be provided; the great fountains will play, and several military bands will be in attendance. Arrangements are being made whereby Country members may reach the Crystal Palace without inconvenience, and it is hoped that the friends of the Order resident in the provinces will render their cordial aid to their metropolitan brethren. Any information, relative to these excursions, will be readily given by the secretary, Mr. V. R. Burgess (South London District), Mr. J. Harris (North London District), or any of the committee. Our editorial friends of the London and provincial press will do good service to the Order by a brief notice of the Crystal Palace Excursions in their several journals.

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