Lodge Waitaki , No. 11, N.Z.C. This Lodge was established in 1864, under the English Constitution, and was affiliated with the New Zealand Constitution in 1890. It has a membership of seventy-two.

Mr. James Wansbrough , P.M., Secretary of Lodge Waitaki, was born at Weston-super-mare, Somersetshire, England, in 1826. He arrived in Port Chalmers by the ship “Lady Egidia, and was the first plumber in the Oamaru district. Mr. Wansbrough has long been connected with the Masonic Order, having served for eleven years as treasurer, and equally long as secretary.

Waitaki Royal Arch Chapter . The Chapter was founded in 1892, and has a large membership.

Loyal Oamaru Lodge , Independent Order of Oddfellows, Manchester Unity, 5284, Oddfellows' Hall, Coquet Street, Oamaru; D. MeIntosh, N.G. The Trustees are Messrs J. Jack, R. W. McPherson, and W Couper. This prosperous Lodge was established in 1864, and the hall was erected three years later. The building is of local limestone, is one storey in height, and has, apart from two ante-rooms, seating accommodation for 200 persons. It cost £500, including the value of labour and of stone given free by the members. Liberal subscriptions have enabled the trustees to pay off all liabilities, and the hall is clear of debt. The Loyal Oamaru Lodge is the fifth oldest lodge in Otago; it has a membership of 140, and accumulated funds to the extent of £3500.

Mr. John Symington , District Deputy Grand Master of the North Otago District Independent Order of Oddfellows, was born in Roxburghshire, Scotland, on the 16th of July, 1853. He was educated chiefly at Fountain Hall school, Midlothian, and was brought up as a dyer in Selkirkshire. Mr. Symington was engaged in Scotland to take charge of the dyeing department of the Oamaru Woollen Factory, and came to the Colony by the R.M.S. “Rimutaka,” in August, 1886, and since then he has been in the employment of the company. He is an Oddfellow, and is attached to Lodge Alfred, in which he has passed all the chairs. Mr. Symington was elected District Deputy Grand Master of the Order of Oddfellows in 1892, and was re-elected in 1897, and again in 1899. He was married in 1878 to a daughter of the late Mr. John Inglis, of Selkirk, and has five daughters and one son.

Mr. J. Symington.

Court Pride Of Oamaru, 4932 , Ancient Order of Foresters. Officers for 1903: W. H. Wray, C. R.; A Sinclair, S.C.R.; J. Marshall, Treasurer, and P. D. Johnston, Secretary. Trustees: W. Dickson, J. Williams, and W. Cairns, formerly secretary. This branch of the Order was established in 1868, and has a membership of 200; meetings are held in St Andrew's Hall, Thames Street, Oamaru. The accumulated funds in connection with Court Pride of Oamaru exceed £3000.

Mr. William Cairns , formerly Secretary of Court Pride of Oamaru, was born at Chirnside, Berwickshire, Scotland, in 1841. He was educated at parish schools, and left Scotland in 1856 for Moreton Bay, Queensland, and after a short time in Sydney, and four years in Melbourne, he arrived at Port Chalmers, in September, 1861. For about eighteen years Mr. Cairns was interested in goldmining, and joined the railway service in 1877, on the opening of the Lawrence branch. Three years later he was appointed signalman at Oamaru, a position which he still holds, and the section under his care has been absolutely free from accidents. Mr. Cairns became a Forester in Victoria, where he was initiated in 1858. He was one of the founders of Court Havelock, Waitahuna, and joined the Oamaru Court by clearance, and has not been absent on more than eight occasions, during his association with it, and then he was absent on Court business. Mr. Cairns was appointed secretary to Court Pride of Oamaru in 1882, but retired from that office in the beginning of 1903. On that occasion the Court presented him with a purse of sovereigns, and also made him a life member, in recognition of his faithful services. The accumulated funds increased during his period of office from one hundred pounds to the present satisfactory to al. Mr. Cairns was married, on the 17th of August, 1862, to a daughter of Mr. W. Boyle, of Glasgow, and has three daughters and one son. His marriage was the first that took place on the Waitahuna goldfield.

Mr. W. Cairns.

Mr. William Hart , who was for many years the Treasurer of Court Pride of Oamaru, A.O.F., and represented the Court at several district meetings of the Order, was born in 1863, in Sunderland, England, where he was educated. He arrived at the Bluff, by the ship “Adamant,” in 1875, and settled at Kaitangata with his parents. Two years later he removed to Oamaru, and became the first apprentice in the “Mail” office, in which he was employed, until 1899, when he bought the “Hastings Standard” in Hawke's Bay. Mr. Hart has long been identified with the breeding of poultry, and was connected with the Oamaru society from its inception till he left that town. For about six years he acted as secretary; subsequently he became vicepresident. He was one of the judges at Timaru for thirteen years. After settling in Hawke's Bay, he was instrumental in establishing the Hastings Poultry and Pigeon Society. He is recognised as a capital judge, and his services have been in request at the Oamaru, Timaru, Dunedin, Milton, Napier, Hastings, and other shows. He has been a member of the Independent Order of Good Templars since 1882, and has passed through all the chairs. In connection with the Wesleyan church, he held office in Oamaru as a trustee and steward, and has acted in the same capacity in Hastings. Mr. Hart was married, in 1884, to a daughter of Mr. J. Currie, of Oamaru, and has four daughters.

Mr. W. Hart.

Alfred Lodge , No. 6, Independent Order of Oddfellows. This Lodge, which was founded in 1869, holds its meetings in the Oddfellows' Hall, and has a membership of eighty-four. Its accumulated funds amount to over £1250.

Mr. James Ormiston , Secretary of Lodge Alfred, was born in Peebleshire, Scotland, in 1854. He came to Port Chalmers by the ship “Nelson,” in 1882, under engagement to the Oamaru Woollen Factory Company, as warper, and he still occupies that position. In 1888 he joined the order of Oddfellows; he has passed through all the chairs, and has fulfiled the duties of secretary since 1894.

Lodge Endeavour , No. 7, United Ancient Order of Druids. Officers for 1963: W. Tait, A.D.; A. Tait, V.A.D.; G. L. Grenfell (P.D.P.), Secretary; H. Grenfell, Treasurer. The Order of Druids was established in Oamaru in 1884, and the Lodge has now a membership of one hundred and forty-five. Meetings are held in St. Andrew's Hall, Thames Street, on alternate Tuesdays. The accumulated funds amount to £1100.

Mr. George Lander Grenfell , Past Arch, who has been Secretary of the Lodge since 1894, and is a Past District President of the Order, was born at Geelong, Victoria, in 1858. He accompanied his parents to Oamaru when he was two years old, was educated at the Oamaru Grammar school, and brought up to business as a cabinetmaker and undertaker. Mr. Grenfell has conducted business on his own account since 1875. He is a charter member of the Endeavour Lodge; and as a Freemason, he has been attached to Lodge Waitaki since 1882. For three years he was a member of the South Oamaru school committee, and perfermed the duties of secretary for two years. He has been connected with the Oamaru Rifles and with the local battery of artillery. Mr. Grenfell was married, in 1882, to a daughter of Mr. T. A. Messenger, of Oamaru, and has two sons and one daughter.

No. 4 District United Ancient Order Of Druids: District President, Mr. T. S. Adams, Tees Street, Oamaru.

Mr. James Meikle , Past District President of No. 4 District United Ancient Order of Druids, was born in Linlithgowshire, Scotland, in 1860. He was educated at Wilson's Endowed school, Fauldhouse, and served two years to the business of a cabinetmaker before coming to the Bluff, by the ship “Christian McCausland,” in 1875. He completed his apprenticeship at Port Chalmers, and after serving a short time as a carpenter, he settled in Oamaru in 1877. Since then he has been connected with the butchering business. He was for seventeen years in the employment of Mr. David Dunn, and bought the business at the corner of Coquet and Thames Streets from the Co-operative Company in April, 1898. Mr. Meikle's connection with the Order of Druids in Oamaru dates from shortly after the opening of Lodge Endeavour, in 1884. He has page 522 passed through all the chairs, including that of Arch Druid, was District President in 1897–8, is a member of the Royal Arch Chapter of the Order, and fills the office of treasurer. Mr. Meikle was married, in 1884, to a daughter of the late Mr. W. Marshall, of Herbert. This lady died on the 10th of September, 1893, leaving two sons and two daughters. On the 1st of September, 1897, Mr. Meikle contracted a second marriage with a daughter of the late Mr. F. Mattinson, of Oamaru, and three daughters have been born of this union.

Mr. J. Meikle.