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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 17

Standing Resolutions

page 31

Standing Resolutions

Relating to the R.W. Grand Lodge of New Zealand.

1. Whenever the sentence, "by a two-third vote," occurs

Meaning of "two-third" votes.

in the Constitution of this Grand Lodge, Or of a Subordinate Lodge, it shall mean two-thirds of all the members present entitled to vote.
2. All propositions offered in the Grand Lodge for reference

Propositions for Committees to be in writing, and duplicated.

to committees, must be submitted in duplicate, and upon paper equal in size to half a sheet of ordinary note paper.
3. All proposed amendments to the Constitution of the

Amendments to be written in extenso.

the Grand or Subordinate Lodges shall contain the section or sections written out in full, as proposed to be amended.
4. An Obituary Tablet shall be placed in the Journal,

Obituary Tablet.

upon which shall be recorded the names of such deceased members of this Grand Lodge as shall be announced at each Session, and such record shall be in lieu of resolutions relative thereto, except in case of the death of a Past Grand Master or Elective Grand Officer.
5. Officers of the Grand Lodge, who are by the Constitution

Officers not to vote as Representatives also.

entitled to vote, and as such officers do vote in the Grand Lodge, cannot also vote as Representatives.
6. On the call of the ayes and noes in the Grand Lodge,

Representatives alone, entitled to vote.

Representatives are entitled to but one vote each; and Past page 32 Grands, not Representatives, have no right to vote upon any question before the Grand Lodge.

Absentees may have their votes cast by colleagues.

7. A majority of Representatives present from a Lodge are permitted to cast the vote of the absentees of their Lodge, when the vote is taken by Lodges, and if there is but one Representative present from a Lodge, he can cast the full vote of his Lodge.

Who only are permitted to impart the secret work.

8. The Grand Master, his Deputy, a Representative to the Grand Lodge, or the Noble Grand, are the only ones who have the legal authority to impart instruction in the unwritten or secret work of the order in a Subordinate Lodge.

Lists of Lodge Representatives.

9. The R. W. Grand Secretary is required to make out a list from the semi-annual reports of the Subordinate Lodges, made on the 31st day of December in each year, of the number of Representatives to which each Lodge is entitled, and report the same to the Grand and Subordinate Lodges.

Finance Committee.

10. A majority of the Finance Committee must be appointed from the city or town, where the Grand Secretary resides.

Who may install.

11. In the absence of the D.D.G.M., a P.G. of the Lodge is authorised to install the Officers of a Lodge; and in the absence of a Past Grand, the Noble Grand may install.

Password to be half yearly.

12. The Password of Subordinate Lodges, on and after the 1st day of July, 1869, shall be semi-annual instead of quarterly, as hitherto.
page 33

Relating To Districts and D. D. Grand Masters.

1. This jurisdiction shall be divided into Districts, and a

Districts of the G.L.'s jurisdiction.

District Deputy Grand Master shall be appointed for each District; whenever the interests of the Order require it, the M. W. Grand Master is authorised to divide Districts, or attach new Lodges, and appoint additional D. D. Grand Masters whenever deemed expedient.
2. District Deputy Grand Masters, or Installing Officers in

Elective Officers to be examined as to their proficiency.

this jurisdiction, are required to examine each Elective Officer in their respective Districts, relative to their proficiency in the work of the Order, and to install no such officer unless he has all the charges and work of such office fully committed to memory, except the lectures pertaining to the five degrees and the Degree of Rebekah.
3. District Deputy Grand Masters must be obeyed by

D.D.G.M.'s Sowers and duties.

Lodges in their jurisdictions; and they have a right to demand certified copies of the proceedings of a Lodge, when so instructed by the Grand Master.
4. A District Deputy Grand Master may withhold the new

Withholding the Pass Word.

S.A.P.W. from a Noble Grand, who has been installed by any other officer, until the reports and dues of the Grand Lodge have been delivered to him, or notice served upon him that they have been given to the Installing Officer.
5. Each District Deputy Grand Master is entitled to have in

D.D.G.M. to have copy of Proceedings of G.L. New Zealand, and Laws of G.L.U.S.

his possession a copy of the Proceedings of this Grand Lodge, and a Digest of the Laws of the G.L.U.S., and he is required to deliver the same to his successor in office.
page 34

Power not to be delegated.

6. A District Deputy cannot in any way delegate his power to another, nor appoint a Past Grand to install officers in his absence.

Rec. Sea to hare proper Lodge seal.

7. D. D. Grand Masters are instructed not to install the Recording Secretary of any Lodge without the Lodge place in his possession a proper seal, as required by law: Provided that this shall not apply to the officers to be installed at the institution of any new Lodge.

Forms of Lodge receipts to be in duplicate.

8. All Lodges shall take a receipt in duplicate from the D. D. Grand Master for their returns and the amount of money paid by them for the Grand Lodge, one receipt shall be immediately forwarded to the Grand Secretary by post, and it shall be the duty of the D. D. Grand Master, within ten days thereafter, to forward the amount and returns so received to the Grand Secretary. Should the Grand Secretary not receive the returns and money set forth in such receipt, within thirty days, it shall be his duty to inform the Grand Master of the same, who shall communicate with the Lodge, inquiring into the cause of delay; and if the Lodge reports that the returns and percentage have been delivered to the D. D. Grand Master, it shall be the duty of the Grand Secretary fortwith to prefer charges against such D. D. Grand Master to the Lodge of which he is a member, and proof of neglect of his duty shall subject such D. D. Grand Master to any penalty known to the Order.

Installing Officer's expenses.

9. Lodges shall make a reasonable appropriation to defray the expenses of the Installing Officer when visiting for that purpose.

Lodges working in foreign languages.

10. The M. W. Grand Master is authorised to appoint D. D. Grand Masters for Lodges working in a foreign language who are acquainted with both such foreign and English languages, who shall be under the same requirements, and shall have and exercise the same powers had and exercised by other D. D. Grand Masters; also authorised to make special Districts of Lodges working in a foreign language when deemed for the interest of the Order.
page 35
11. The numbers attached to the Lodges in this jurisdiction

Numbers of Lodges.

are hereby abolished, and new numbers are hereby given to them in the numerical order in which they were instituted commencing with number one. The first Lodge instituted commencing the series, which will be hereafter continued in the same order. The Lodges now existing being known and numbered as follows: viz.—Loyal Pioneer, No. 1; Loyal Wanganui, No. 2; Loyal Alexandra, No. 3; Loyal Leith, No. 4; Loyal Anderson's Bay, No. 5; Loyal Alfred, No. 6.
12. Until further ordered, the divisions into Districts shall

Divisions of Districts,

be as follows:—
District No. 1, comprising Lodges Nos. 1 and 3.
District No. 2, comprising Lodges No. 4.
District No. 3, comprising Lodges No. 5.
District No. 4, comprising Lodges No. 6.
District No. 5, comprising Lodges No. 2.

Relating to Odd Fellows' Libraries.

1. Odd Fellows' Libraries are recommended to be established

Libraries.

by Lodges throughout the jurisdiction, as the most effectual means of diffusing the principles of the Order; and the support of such Libraries by subscriptions and donations from Lodges and members is recommended.
page 36

Relating to Subordinate Lodges.

Rebekah degree.

1. The Order in this jurisdiction is imperatively commanded to adhere strictly to the regalia for the Degree of Rebekah, as laid down in the Degree of Rebekah Book.

Securities by Officers.

2. Officers having care of the funds of a Lodge are each required to give a bond to the Trustees of Ledges for the funds that may come into their hands, each bond being with two sureties, conditioned in such an amount as the Lodge may from time to time require. Provided that in no case shall the amount of such bonds be less than ten pounds sterling each; and neither principal nor surety can be in the Lodge-room while action is being had thereon. And the R.W. Grand Secretary is required to furnish all Lodges with' the necessary blank forms for that purpose.

Supplies form Grand Lodge only.

3. All supplies of the following nature must be procured from the Grand Lodge. The Grand Secretary is forbidden to furnish supplies to Subordinate Lodges unless the cash accompany the order. And the price for such supplies shall be as follows, viz.:—
Charter, including six working books L5 0 0
Charge, Degree, and Public Installation books, each 0 15 0
Diplomas, each 0 5 0
Cards, Withdrawal, Visiting, and Rebekah, each 0 1 0
Lodge and Rebekah Odes 0 0 3
Question, Proposition, and Order books, each 0 10 0page 37
Roll books 0 5 0
Black books 1 0 0
Digest of Laws of the G.L.U.S. 0 8 0

The first set of Charge and Degree books free of charge to all Subordinate Lodges that have heretofore paid for the same under the old work.

4. A subordinate Lodge cannot entertain charges against

Charges against members.

a member thereof, unless they are made by a member of some Lodge in this jurisdiction; and it is the right of a member when chargos are preferred against him, to know the name of his accuser, and to raise the point for investigation, whether such accuser is really a member of the Order as above required.
5. All charges or offences preferred or alleged against any

Lapse in one year.

brother, which shall not be tried and determined within one year from the time of their being alleged as committed, shall not be entertained by a Lodge, nor any penalty thereon inflicted.
6. When charges are pending against the Noble Grand of

In case of charge pending against the N.G.

a Lodge, his functions as N.G. do not cease, except while such charges are being acted upon in open Lodge. When the charges are preferred he shall vacate his Chair to the V.G., or some competent P.G., when the Lodge shall appoint an Investigating Committee, and, according to the Constitution, otherwise act in the premises.
7. No member shall be appointed to the position of Outside

Warden, &c., must have Scarlet degree.

or Inside Guardian, or Warden, unless he has attained the Scarlet Degree, after the first term of a new Lodge.
8. No person becomes a member of any Lodge in this

Members must sign Constitution, &c.

jurisdiction until he has signed the Constitution and Bye-Lavs of such Subordinate Lodge.
9. Every Subordinate Lodge in this jurisdiction is required

Impression of Seal to be deposited with Grand Sec.

to deposit in the Office of the Grand Secretary an impression of the Seal of such Lodge.
page 38

Transferred members.

10. When a brother is presented for admission to membership by deposit of card (after having been duly elected), it shall be the duty of the Noble Grand to appoint a Committee of three Scarlet members, one of whom shall be a Past Grand, or if no P.G. is present, then the N.G. shall be one of the Committee:—said Committee shall at once examine the applicant in all the Degrees of a Subordinate Lodge he claims to have attained, and report to the Lodge; if correct, he shall be introduced by the Committee, and sign the Constitution and Bye-Laws; and he shall take rank and wear the regalia of the highest degree in which he can prove himself: Provided, however, that if his card certifies that he is a Past Grand, he must be admitted as such, though he may not be in possession of the Past Noble Grand's Degree, or Grand Lodge Degree.

Membership ceasing.

11. Membership in a Subordinate Lodge cannot be declared ceased until the provision in Sec. 1 of Article VIII. of the Constitution of Subordinates has been complied with.

Discretionary power of N.G.

12. A member to be entitled to the S.A.P.W. must be financially free upon the book of his Lodge on the first day of January and July of each year, but the N.G. may admit a member of his own Lodge without the P. W. until he ceases to be a member.

Relief to sister Lodges.

13. When an application is made to a sister Lodge or Relief Committee for assistance, they shall at once communicate with the Lodge to which the applicant belongs; and when notified that he is entitled to benefits, and the amount thereof, they shall pay the same, and the Lodge to which the brother belongs shall be holden for the amount; and should immediate assistance be required, and the applicant be in possession of the S.A.P.W., two weeks' benefits may be paid him previous to any notification being received from his Lodge.

Full report of appeals to be sent to Grand Sec.

14. Subordinate Lodges must transmit to the Grand Secretary, in all appeal cases, the full proceedings had in such cases of whatever nature, and cannot refuse to allow appeal, or to transmit copies of any papers the applicant deems necessary.
page 39
15. The Noble Grand of a Lodge may call any experienced

P.G.'s may preside at initiations, &c,

Past Grand to the Chair for the purpose of Initiation or conferring the Degrees while the N.G. or V.G. remains present.
16. Secretaries of all Subordinate Lodges in this jurisdiction

Secretaries of Lodges to report to Grand Lodge.

are required to report to the Grand Secretary on or before the first day of January in each year, the names of all Past Grands in good standing, and also to give all Past Grands (entitled to them) proper credentials previous to the session of the Grand Lodge; and they are also required to forward to the Grand Secretary a certificate, under seal, containing a list of Representatives elect, at least fifteen days prior to the session of the Grand Lodge in each year, and the Grand Secretary is required to furnish the necessary blank forms for that purpose; and they are further required to report to the Grand Secretary semi-annually, the names of all wives or widows of Odd Fellows who have taken the Degree of Rebekah in his Lodge since last report.
17. It shall be the duty of the Noble Grands of Lodges to

N.G.'s to keep charge books.

keep securely the Charge Books of the Order.
18. In case of the loss of any such Charge Books, the

Penalty for neglect, in case of loss.

sitting Past Grand of the Lodge shall prefer charges against the officer losing the same; and if it shall be found that such book was carelessly or negligently lost, such officer shall be expelled from the Order, unless such Lodge shall determine that such negligence was excusable, in which case the punishment shall be removal from office, or reprimand and fine, not exceeding Ten Pounds sterling.
19. In case the sitting Past Grand shall lose such Charge

If by P.G.

Book, the charges against him shall be preferred by the D.D G. Master of the District.
20. It is highly desirable and eminently proper, that all

Prayer enjoined.

Lodges should open and close with prayer; but the ceremony cannot be required under penalties.
21. All proceedings had by Lodges when open in the

Minutes of Degree Lodges to be kept.

Degrees must be recorded in a book kept exclusively for that page 40 purpose, and such proceedings must be acted upon only when open in such degrees.

Insanity or similar disability.

22. A provision in the Laws of a Lodge, requiring a sick brother to send notice of his condition to the Lodge every week or every two weeks, cannot be allowed to apply to cases of insanity, or where his sickness is of such a character as to render it impossible to send such notice; but in such cases is inoperative, and cannot be pleaded to deprive a brother of benefits to which he is otherwise entitled.

Sick members in arrears.

23. A member who is debarred from sick benefits by the non-payment of arrears, cannot, by the payment of such arrears, entitle himself to such benefits for a sickness commencing while he was so disqualified.

Arrears and offsets.

24. When benefits are reported as due to a brother, and he does not receive them, they shall be carried to his credit as an offset to that amount of dues; and a brother cannot be denied sick benefits on the ground that he is in arrears, it the Lodge is indebted to him on account of a prior sickness to an amount sufficient to place him in good standing.

Incidental Fund to be liable for Representative's expenses.

25. A Subordinate Lodge may legitimately appropriate money from its Incidental Fund to defray the expenses of its Representatives to the Grand Lodge, and the Treasurer of the Lodge shall pay any order upon him which is issued according to Law.

Conditions for instituting new Lodges.

26. No Lodge can be instituted unless the petition for the same be accompanied by the certificate of two or more Past Grands in good standing, that the proposed Lodge has secured a suitable building or hall in which to hold its meetings; and all Lodges are required to decorate their principal Chairs in appropriate colors, as designated by usage.

Charge in the Initiation degree to be delivered without book.

27. The Officers of Subordinate Lodges are required to commit to memory the charge appertaining to their respective offices in the Initiatory Degree, and to deliver the same without the Charge Books.
page 41
28. The Noble Grand of a Lodge cannot instruct in any

N.G- not to instruct a Brother who has no right to visit.

degree of the Order, a brother who has not the right to visit in the Lodge in which he desires instruction. An imperative test for the admission of a visiting brother from a foreign jurisdiction is, that he shall be in possession of the A.T.P.W.
29. The use of spirituous or malt liquors, or smoking, is

Use of spirituous or malt liquors and smoking in Lodge prohibited.

strictly prohibited in all Lodges during the meeting of the Lodge. The foregoing provision applies to the whole time between the opening and regular closing of the Lodge.
30. The various D.D.G. Masters are required to see that

D.G.M.'s to carry out these resolutions.

the above resolutions are fully carried out in their respective Districts, and report immediately to the Grand Master any infringement of the same.