Court Star of Canterbury Final Newsletter 2025.

The last meeting of the Court was held on Monday 1 December 2025 at the Christchurch North Methodist Centre, 10 Chapel Street, Christchurch. Wor Sis Cater opened the meeting with thirteen in attendance. The agenda items were:

(1) To confirm that all the terms set out in the Dissolution Instrument had been carried out and that our remaining 72 members had received their individual entitlements totalling $1,150,242.00.

(2) Ensure that regalia and records are kept and transferred to the lodge room at Ferrymead.

(3) Request that the Foresters National Council assume sole responsibility for maintaining the profile of Forestry in New Zealand.

(4) The Court had met all its legal requirements in the Dissolution process.

Confirmed all those objectives had or would be achieved.

Greetings for 2026

The Court Chief Ranger Wor Sis Helen Cater and the Management of the Court as it goes out of existence wish all members the best for the year ahead. We trust that members have been able to utilise their allocations to help achieve goals and generally make their lives better.

Foresters National Council and New Zealand Foresters Guarantee Association

Both these organisations will continue without Court Star going forward. The Annual Meetings will in 2026 be held in Oamaru on 8/9 May 2026. Some of our members remain as part of these organisations with Wor Sis Surrey a Trustee, Wor Sis Greenwood a delegate to the New Zealand Council of Friendly Societies, Sis Powell Immediate Past High Chief Ranger and Wor Bro Doody Secretary. The New Zealand Foresters Guarantee Association Rules permit former Court members to apply to retain membership in forestry if they wish to. Should you be interested to do that please contact Peter Doody the Secretary by the end of January 2026 either by post to P O Box 505 Christchurch 8140 or email to peterdoody@gmail.com.

Court Star of Canterbury No.2309 A O F History

In this final newsletter we should pay tribute to those countless members who built up the Court over 176 years culminating in the final payments we were able to make once the decision to wind up was taken. Court Star was the first Foresters Court to be opened in New Zealand and the second traditional Friendly Society in the country. At various times the Court owned the Foresters Hall in Oxford Terrace and land and units in Woodend. In early times it had its own contracted doctors, contracted funeral directors and designated hospital beds as well as providing sick pay and access to the UFS dispensary. It was part of the Canterbury Foresters Credit Union and in its own right provided mortgages to members at reduced rates. Socially the Court had bands, indoor bowls teams, card evenings, dances and Christmas parties and access to holiday accommodation. Friendly Societies were the forerunner of the welfare state and gave help and assistance to so many of its members in need and distress. It contributed voluntary labour and finance to joint Friendly Society Activities including the UFS Dispensary, Benevolent Association and the Ferrymead Project as well as contributing nationally via the Foresters National Council, New Zealand Foresters Guarantee Association and the New Zealand Council of Friendly Societies.

Notable Deceased Members in our history

At the closing of the Court it is appropriate to reflect on some of our outstanding deceased Court contributors. The Court was always well served by its secretaries with Wor Sis Josie Cater serving for 40 years between 1975 and 2016, Wor Bro Joel Wathew 38 years between 1907 and 1945 and Wor Bro George Wallis 21 years between 1952 and 1973. The Weakley family (Wor Bros F G, F J and F G Jnr) were our Minute Secretaries between 1908 and 1984 a total of 76 years. Our initial Chief Ranger was Wor Bro Woodford who along with Bros Gartner, Ellis, Whelpdole and Cresswell advertised the first meeting of the Court in the Lyttelton Times on 28 December 1851 nearly three years after our dispensation was granted by the High Court AOF England on 14 February 1849. We remember some outstanding Chief Rangers who served more than one term such as Wor Brothers Sid Browne, Cyril Taylor, Les Earnshaw, Morrie Anderson, Trevor Cater, Barrie Greenwood, Peter Mills and Bill Fleming while we were fortunate to have Wor Bros Murray Gillespie, Tony Washington and Doug Neilson transfer from other Courts and serve as Chief Rangers not only in their former Courts but for Court Star. Court Star members have also contributed to Forestry not only locally but at District and National levels while some enjoyed National Friendly Society leadership. Wor Bros Sid Browne and Wor Bro Bill Fleming achieving the highest office at all these levels while Wor Bros Trevor Cater, Barrie Greenwood and Wor Sis Josie Cater achieved the highest office at all levels of Forestry.

May they all rest in peace and be forever remembered.