The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1880-10-19 00:00:00

ANCIENT ORDER OF FOREiTERS.

COMM " PIIAGRIAL'

The twenty-second anntreresry of thia C mit was
celebrated by a public dinner at the Alva OA Inn. on
Thursday ereuieg last. There were abon t seventy persons
present, most of whom were Foresters. The ex-Keyor
(Kr. Alfred Pope). t.iok the chair. sad Mr. T. Coombe, the
Moe-char : There were alio Prompt. Mr. G. J. G.
Gregory. Mr. Mutable. Dr. Norton (medical officer of the
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Court), Ifir. H. Gorden, Captain J. F. Hodges, Mr. A. B.
A. Colts, chief ranger, Mr. G. Hobbs and J. Miles
(secretaries), Mr. IL Frost, Kr. Fudge, Mr. F. Scott, Mr.
Charles, Mr. Hayman, Arc.
An excellent repast was provided by Mr. Read, which
gave the greatest satisfaction.
The 1031S1 was decorated very nicely with mottoes and
banners, and prominent among these war the new buiner
of the Juvenile Branch, in connection with the Wurt,
which is really very boantiful
At the conclusion of tbe dinner the health of the
" Queen " was first proposed in loyal terms by the
Chairman, and received with musical honours.
This waa followed by the health of the "Prince and
Princess of Wales and the rest of the Royal Family," which
was also drunk with musical honour..
In proposing the latter, the CHAIRMAN In the course of
his remarke said he only wished the Prince would come
down and look at his estates here, where he had some
5,000 acres, and he would then see whet a good reception
they would give him. (Applause.) He, however, would
not like to be Mayor at the time—he would rather his
friend Mr. Gregory had that honour. (Lsughter and
applause.) He was sure he would have a right hearty
reception. (Hear, hear.)
The CHAIRMAN then proposed the health of " The
Bishop and Clergy of the Diocese and Ministers of all
Denominations." Our good old Bishop, the Chairmen
said was known and tweeted them
by em all, or should be Ii
he was not. (Hear, hear.) He had held many confirma-
Cons here, but did not know if he had confirmed all the
gentlemen present) (laughter. The clergy were their
spiritual leaders, advisers, and instructors acid they should
one and all cmgratulate themssives, that they lived in
Christian England. (Applause.
The VICI•CHAIRMAN next presaged the tout of the
"Army, Navy, and Reserve Forces." The deeds of the
army and navy of England Mr. Coombs said, were matters of
history, and the late doings of Use army and navy only re-
minded them th at history al ways repeated itself. (Applause)
With regard to the auxiliary forces they were more nearly
connected with them. The militis of this county were
as fine if not the finest regiment in rigland. (Applause.)
They bad; certainly highly ornamental force of yeomen rv,
and with regard to the volunteers, their thanks were eui
to those who gave up their time and money Co snake
theme. IVOo as eMcient as possible. (Hear, heir.) Ile wu
very pleased to see present, nienshers of the army and
volunteers, and he knew they would drink their h..alths
most cordially. H had greet pleasure in coupling with
the toast the names of QlSlttrmaster42l4xesat Cranford,
for the army, and Csptgn Hodges, for the volunteers.
The toast
.was warmly received. .

Captain Hooon. who was greeted with loud applause,
said he was very pleased on all occasions to rise to respond
to this t not. Having tree a volunt-er for the last 11l year,,
this wan not the first time he bad risen to reply to the
toast. At the some tim 61' hough be had replied • great
many times he always felt. it • very great pleasure and very
great honour to do so; and more particularly as at the
present time when the auxilbry forces •ere all connects!
with the army, so that the toast might now well he the
army wad navy. (Apylauee.) lie thank° I thtre for the
kind mention i,f the volunteere He had been connected
with teem ever since its c immenoement. having semi as
a private and then having been obliged to take a c
mission. He expressed the thanks of the corps to the
townsmen generally for the kin 1 support they hcl
renler,xl in offering pr;s is for competition, and in other
ways helping them. wh c hod tend 24 mi great Measure
to keep the corps in its present state. lie was pleased to
reo members of his company were Foresters it showed
good men o staid be Foresters as well an seniors. (Applause.)
He was also glad to 800 Mlle members of the army present
hearing the uniform of the Qneen. They had great respect
for the Battery of It lye) Horse Art,llety now stationed
hero, and they would be sorry to lows them, as be beard
they were going ti embark fir India at the end of the
year. With regard to the volunteers he busted in years to
coo, they would be as efficient as in days gone by.
(Applause.)
Qoartermaater-Elergeant CRANFORD, It. A., said he was
very pleased be had been called on to respond to the
toast of the army. The battery had been a long time le
Dorchester, and he was please 1 to hear Csptain Helices
speak so well of them. Ile hoped when they left Zeeland
they would maintain the integrity of the British Army.
(Applause)
The Ctutiugan next proposed the toast nf the evening,
" The Ancient Order of Foresters, Court S" ----• ' and
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• • 'Progress, -
Juvenile Slciety. Ile was very sorry indeed they Ind not
a better chairman, and one who could give them /CMG
Information on the work of this 'misty. In the ro irse
• of "

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of his sre .ch he sold if the objects of the society wore
faithfully an I truly carried out they could not fail to do
an Itmasass assr,uet of g and alleviate and prevent an
immense amount of distress, misery, and be might say
crime. (Hear, hear.) He was fully pomaded that
to belong to • benefit society such as this
made the working manself-dependent, and self-oupport-
ing when the rainy day came, an that he was not
complied to go to the union for support He could then
say--" I have my own earnings to fall back upon; I have
entered into society: I have • right to the aid which I am
now enjoying ; and I am still an independent member of
society." (Andean.) He congratulated them, one and
all, who were member" of such • society as tit's. He also
congratulated them on the state of their finances. With
the toast he coupled the names of Bro. Bhergold, Bro.
George Hobbs, and Bro. IL Charles.
The tout was enthusiastically drunk.
11-other SIIKIWOLD, on behalf of Court Progress, thanked
them for the very kind and handsome manner in which
they had drunk the toast, also the chairman for the way
in which he had spoken of the Order. As foresters it was
very satisfactory to them to hear the toast of the order
given from the chair on an occasion like the present. and
to hear II spoken of so highly. From the number of years
during which it had been in ex'stence they were entitled
to that great respect which was shown them invariably on
all occasions. (Applause.) Their order, in point of num-
bers, was the largest friendly society it existence, and it
was a great thing for a man to say he belonged to an order
that was formed for the hbthest purpose" of philanthropy
and the well being of their fellow men. (Hear, hear.)
Their order in 1879 comprised 290 districts, 4,514 courts,
511,509 members, and 13.531 honorary members. Amongst
these honorary mensbers were 9:1 peers, 19 sons of Pe
flee bishops, 19 baronets, five juices, 11 knights, and
199 members of Parliament, and amongst the latter was
their worthy borough meinbar, Mr. W. It. Brymer.
(Hear, hear.) Therefore, as working men, they ought
to be proud to belong to such an order. Towards the
the National Lifeboat Institution there bad been •
voluntary subscription of so less than 1:5,025 9a 101,
which had enabled them to present two lifeboats to the
institution. one celled the "Forester and the other the
" Forester's Pride." The latter bad been the means of
rescuing 11 men at IlartlepooL (Applause.) They also
gave £lOO a year to keep these lifeboats in a state of
efficiency. lii the L msdon United district they had sub-
scribed together and had added a wing to one of the
hospitals in London. It was called the " Forester's
wing," and It we, their privilege to plane their members
there. (Applause.). Brother Shergold also alluded to the
Widows and Orphans Fund which they were raising in
the district They had 14.000 membors in the district,
and he hoped betas long that the whole of there, in.
eluding those of Court Progress, had contributed towards
IL They must go on the broad principle of charity
which their Institution was intended for, or they weld,'
fall beck into • mere society of pound., shillings, and
pence, (Hear, hear.) As men they ought to do all they
could. Go shoulder to shoulder, and with the great and
mighty power which they had as • body they could do
a vast amount of geed. (Applause.)
Brother Geo. NODES% in response, said although he Gould '
not on the present occasion report such progress as be had
on some previous occasions, still, takieg it as • whole. the
Court had been and was still on the right std.. As their
worthy chairman had said their numerical strength was
310, with eight honorary member". In regard to their
sick account' for the year ending June we find that the
winter and spring brought us a very long list, several of
cares being of • serious character 0d members having been

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upon tbe—Cinds, experbTiii-n-g-siii-sWerte-;;d two &tee
illness, and Vie amount paid £S77 ISt 1., giving • trills
over eight weeks and two days and a 44 lt ed. as the
general average for eath of those ill. Trkine into co._
F:rigela:enna °tree ripaenyZeonftathoef "'Air Ypriititnherethwersaant
three monlas they had paid In adlition 1.47 lice. ; but
WO are now pleated to report that the nick Let was very
light During the year they have had to re.:ret the loss
through death of one member, also the wives of three
other ournhers, and since July they added three mom
members,.£4l having been paid on the former amount and
VS on the latter, making a total of I:7i from their district
funeral fund. Tneir benevolent fund hes likewise had to
meet extra liability during the winter, there having been
voted in r:ricitszar the stun of £7 Oa. 101.. but still
leaving the balance of 1431 Pf. I. to its credit,
and again on • year of 41 15t8,1, Ths manssoment
fond, through several extra necessary espouses that hays
been incurred that will not arise again for some year.,
shows but the small balanc .1.4 £36.. 14 I. ha it. favonr,
brit still aufficient for the working of the Court. Their
object we. never to aim at a large su,plus a. thi. fund
wee never taken into account at • valu am. To give an
ilea how their various funds in connection with the Court
stood at the end of June last we give the abstract 117001111 i
—Total worth of sick fund, £1.071 lla 11.1. ; ditto man-
wenent fund, £3 ft.. 14 1. ditto ben.:volut fund,
AMP JAL total, £l.lll Pe. 31. This was disweed of
ag follows :—By purchase of £5OO consols, £4OO 13.. 6.1; amount in Dorset Savings Bank, £616 l 7 fit; balance
, with treasurer, £36 lila 41. ; tot it £1.114 0.. 31. MAUI
an increase of Oil lla J. as compared with the grOall
year, and. after making allowance for trainmen's lune. will glee them the totd of peanut capital as A 1,136 Ja.B4 1.
The south-western dhrtrict comprise 96 courts with 1455
numbers; the funeral unit .1 Woe 414,433 st. 31. The
serious court funds In the years 187819 amounted to6the
sum of £75.736 and £69760 respeetivelv • increase on the year, atado ; for sick payments, /AXIL
Brother Cgagute replied for the Javende Branch.
Ills statement showed [—The number of members
wee 175, of whom 10 had been transferred to tb• Parent
club. The total worth of the eulogy was £lo.. 114.
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