THE FRIENDLY SOCIETIES' CONFERENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 95, 21 April 1904, Page 3

THE FRIENDLY SOCIETIES' CONFERENCE.

(By Telegraph.—Press Associatlor.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. The arst annual conference o£ irieudly ! societies commenced sittings here to-aay. 1 were present rrom must- parts o£ j tne colony. Mr H. Baldwin, Wellington, i who was elec&ed chairman, said, taking j the ceusus of 100'J, there were 40,00u members of friendly societies In the eo.ony, aud ' taiilng the aunual increase into eousidcraI tion, the numoer of financial members at | present would be about 43,000. ! It was resolved ou the motion .>f Mr Bold, of Canterbury, that the Uoverumeut •be recommended to anie::-! the Friendly j Societies Act with the object of simplify- : lug it more on tne Hues of the English A<t jot 13U»3. as it is considered tha j. »scut ari rangement is too complicated. A motion, by Mr Mead. ... W.jir.ngtou. j that the following words he - i ;■-• *<*cl tiou Z of the Friendly Sccte;:-.>3 Act: — j "Provided, however, that iw 5....'..-o : " r I branch shall be I'egislevwl ur.tl! '.!>' actuary has certified that th- asr adequate for benefits oa.r.-ii.' v.j-: •;?... Mr Bold (Canterbury) tcovt. ua addition of the following t r. u»v i ■ ci-ragny-b B of section 12 of the fr'-.cjif S-vcieU'-:. Act:—"Provided that w.lch 'w.il annual returns cannot be conveniently made out to Decem'.-er 31 the registrar i> all tor the purpose of this section accept a return made up to the date of the neareiit annual return prior to December 31/* This motion 1 was carried. It was resolved, on the motion of ilr Beld. of Canterbury, to add the following words to aection Li, sub-sectimi 3 of the Friendly Societies Act:—"Nor to death by colliery explosion or accident where the body cannot be found." Ou the motion of Mr Bold, It was agreed that in section 13, sub-section 4. of the Friendly Societies Act, the words "fifty pounds " In the second line, be replaced by "one hundred pounds." The same alteration was agreed to in section 13, sub-sec-tion 5 on the motion of Mr Collins (Canterbury). Mr Mead (Wellington) moved in section 13. sub-section 3. the addition of the word "almanac" after the word "certificate." Carried. Mr Mead (Wellington! moved. That lv section 13. sub-section 12. the words •friendly societies' dispensary' be Inserted after the word 'infirmary.' in the second and fourth lines." Carried. Certain proposals had been placed on the order paper at the request of the Sons and Daughters of Temperance, Wellington division who were not represented by a delegate These were:—l. "The sick and funeral' fund to pay some portion of its management expenses, or the management fund to get 2 per cent, or 21 per cent, on all moneys lent on mortgage." 2, "That power be riven to societies to sue for contributions In arrears." 3. "That no society be registered (or remain registered after two years' notice) whose members do not pay the scale of contribution the Government actuary shall certify as being sufficient to meet the demands on its benefit funds.' All three proposals, which were moved by Brother Mead, pro forma, were thrown out. The delegates were entertained at a social to-night.