THE DRUIDS' ORDER.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 304, 20 December 1912, Page 7

THE DRUIDS' ORDER.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —If a speaker is accorded the courtesy of a quiet hearing for his address, it is surely no sign that his arguments are accepted as satisfactory, and if Mr. Thompson is congratulating himself on such an event at Gisborne, I am afraid he is doomed to sore disappointment. Another misconception in Mr. Thompson's letter is the imputing to mc of any undertaking to show how to give a £100 death benefit for 10/0. 1 have never made any such statement; I asserted in my last letter that he would find it could be done for much less than 20/ per annum, and the fact that Mr. Thompson's executive certifies that the cost in the past has not exceeded 11/ is surely an item which it is necessary for them to explain the fallacy of before they can hope to justify the acceptance of a scheme which will coat from 20/ to £2 13/4. It is somewhat amusing now to find Mr. Thompson sheltering himself behind the opinion cf actuaries, as I understood, from his Gisborne remarks, that the executive had designed their present scheme quite off their own bait. I am still, however, waiting for either the qualified or the would-be actuaries to explain why. in any table of contributions for a friendly society death benefit, the contributors should be required to make provision for those who will never make any claim, for this is what the qualified actuaries admittedly do. I am still waiting for Mr. Thompson to explain the principle on which the Friendly Society members of New Zealand should have provided for a death allowance on ,38.5.">5 former members who, during the last eleven years, failed to qualify for any claim whatever. I personally yield to no one in the desire that our friendly societies should adequately provide for all legitimate requirements, but I have little time for that kind of safety which would require the installation of the Westinghousebrake on a perambulator. My official duties, as at Gisborne. will. I am afraid, prevent mc from availing myself of the opportunity suggested by Mr. Thompson of attending- his future addresses to the lodges, but if an opportunity should occur I am quite ready again to champion the present death levy scheme which Mr. Thompson described at Gisborne as a "cursed thing." If Mr. Thompson will arrange with his executive that those who are favourable to the continuation of the present death levy scheme shall have full opportunity to" express their opinions to an unpledged and pre-preju-diced grand lodge meeting, I shall be quite content to accept the decision of that body on the matter at issue. My private address is Wellington.—l am, etc -> E. BOLD.