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6EEL0N6 CITIZENS HONORED.
BRO. JOSEPH SMITH, CRAND
MASTER M.U.I.O.O.F.
Occupying the' position of Deputy
Or and Muster for the past twelve
nionths to the Manchester Unity Order
in Victoria, Bro. Joseph Smith, a well
known citizen of Geelong West, and
monumental mason at Ryrie-street, was
at' the recent annual conference of the
Order held at WUliamstown, elovatcd
to the office of Grand Master. This was
attained by keen and enthusiastic "at
tention, to the affairs of the lodge.
About 45 years of age, the new GraSd
Master has ' been connected with the
Order for; over 28 years. He first took
office in the Loyal Geelong Lodgo of the
Order at the beginning'of L88C,-became
elective secretary three months 1 later,
afterwards ;passing through the succ'es
sive chairs, uutil ; June, 1890,, when . iio
took the office, of financial secretary,
which position he held for ten years.
In August, 1903. lie-was elected a trus
tee .of the lodge, which office .ho" still
retains. Between. 1900 and 1902 - Bro.
Smitli passed .'through the district
chairs, being . elected District Grand
blaster "in.December, 1903, and In Juno,
1905, lie was "appointed a district trus
tee, another office which lie still holds.
March. 1907, saw him appointed to the
Board of Directors of the Order for the
State, and at the Port Fairy Confer
ence in March. 1912, lie -was elected1
Deputy Grand Master of the Qrdeu in
Victoria, and on Thursday, the 20th
inst..' 'lie " was installed - in the Grand
| Master's chair. Apart from His pro
gress in the Order. Bro., Smith" took- a
j keen interest in the Geelong "United
j Friendly Societies' Dispensary, and was
j elected the- first • urcs'.deut °f the in
stitution in November, 1899. He:is now
one of the- trustees,: and- lias- been i on |
the coni|nittee since its inception. Hcj
! is an c.\'-president of the Geelong West;
J Library,; on ; which committee''lie lias
sat for ton years; a member of thel
j Geelong West State School Board, and j
I a member of the Geelong West Progress
Association. In briefly outlining a policy
I to lie adopted hv the'Order fortho on
I wing year,; the new Grand Master said
that, unlike some other societies, the
Manchester Unity would confine; itself
■strictly to questions which cpncern
friendly society work. ■' One that would
seriously occupy the 'mindsjof all friend-,
iv societies-throughout Victoria during
the yea r would be that of their rola-;
tioris with the medical profession, and
thp'nrohable introduction of a measure
on lines similar to that recently intrb
dueed -info England by Mr.-'-Llovd
George. ChanceUor of the Exchequer.,
relating to national insurance. Although
die ALU. is a national institution .its
interest is confined to its members, the
rules prohibiting the introduction,
directly or indirectly, of any political
nuestions. What might he termed Lhe
future nolicy includes one or two mat
tors which would affect f rieiullv socie
ties generally, but in .tlie main tliey are
questions which affect only the welfare
of the Order.
MR E. BLAKISTON : GREAT
TEMPER AHGE WORKER.
Mr. K. lllalcistoit, son of Mr. J.
Blakiston, president- of th.o Geelong
Progress Association, is an active tem
perance organiser, and this year, holds
the offic-o of president of-the Victorian
Bund of Hope Union. For ,33 years he
has taken part in the work, having first
joined the Cornish-Town United Aietho
d:st Band of Hope' at Stawell 'iii 1879.
Five years later he removo'd" to "Alel
liourne and joiiied the' South Richmond
Methodist Band of .Hope, which body
lie afterwards represented on the Mel
bourne Band of Hope Union. Iu 1889
he became a member of the Shenton
Band of Hope, Goelong. and is still
connected with this association. While
in Melbourne Air. Blakiston was one of
a recruiting party that got members
from all .parts. . Largely due to Mr.
Blakiston's advocacy, a Geelong and
District Band of Hope* Union was
formed in 1903 with two societies. Air,
Blakiston consenting to act as secre
tary. Since then 22 societies have been
established, and the, members are , dis
playing keen enthusiasm in the work.
For a number of yeiirs Air. Blakiston
was a viee-pres'dent of the' Victorian
Band of Hope Union, and last August
was elected as 'president unopposed. All
temperance bodies arc organising for
the State local option' poll in 1917. Un
der the conditions of the Licensing
Act. a poll is to be taken in that year
to test tho prohibition question in Vic
toria. ;
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