FRIENDLY SOCIETIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 140, 15 June 1932, Page 13

FRIENDLY SOCIETIES.

DOMINION COUNCIL AFFAIRS.

DECISIONS OF CONFERENCE

PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO ACTS.

The second annual meeting of the Dominion Council of Friendly Societies was held in Wellington recently, when eighteen delegates assembled, representing a membership of over 77.000. The societies represented were:—Manchester Unity of Oddfellows, New Zealand branch, Otago district, Lyttelton district; Independent Order of Oddfellows, New Zealand; United Order of Druids, Grand Lodge, North Island; Ancient Order of Foresters, Wellington district, Otago district, United Canterbury district; Independent Order of Rechabitcs, central district; Protestant Alliance, Australasia; Grand United Order of Oddfellows; Auckland Transport Club (Auckland Tramways employees).

Mr. H. S. M. Quigley (Dannevirke), in his presidential address, referred to the splendid co-operation of all societies in spreading a knowledge of the activities and beneficent work of friendly societies, and the influence for good it had on the community life of the people of the Dominion. As an advisory board the Dominion council had fully justified its existence, enabling immediate action to be taken in watching legislative matters and other proposals affecting friendly society management and general administration. A very extensive order paper was discussed. Opinion on the proposal to recommend the amendment of the Friendly Societies Act regarding the date of closing lodge books was not sufficiently unanimous, and no action was taken.

Another important proposed amendment to the Friendly Societies Act regarding the guarantee of interest where benefit moneys had been invested in bidldings was overwhelmingly defeated, the conference realising that, the Act had been a most useful safeguard to prevent elaborate constructions out 'of friendly society benefit moneys. Amount of Insurance. In connection with section XI of the Friendly Societies' Act-, 1000, relative to the maximum sum a member is entitled to insure with a friendly society, the opinion furnished by the Crown Solicitor was that the £300 is not inclusive of any surplus bonuses. If, however, a member belongs to two or more societies the prohibition of section 51 limits the aggregate amount of death benefit his representative may receive from all such societies to £300.

The executive was directed to approach i the Postmaster-General again in respect to operating on Post Office Savings Banks per medium of cheques. This system prevails in other parts of the Empire, and is highly desirable from the friendly societieV point of view. The executive reported that during the year tbey had carefully watched the progress and obtained information from various friendly societies' hospital guarantee associations throughout New Zealand, and the general report was that a fairly amicable state of relations existed oetween their associations and hospital boards. It was resolved to recommend the various friendly society councils to approach the boards for a revision of the fees charged in some localities for special diagnosis. *

Membership and Control. A report disclosed that in spite of the general depression the membership of all friendly societies had been satisfactorily maintained. This factor was undoubtedly duo to the careful investigations made to assist members in distressed circumstances, and in this respect various proposals were submitted to maintain the benelits for deserving unemployed and distressed members. Several of the proposals involved actuarial investigation, and it was resolved to submit them to the actuary for his report.

Communications were received from the United Friendly Society councils of Auckland and Canterbury, wherein it was submitted that the constitution of the Dominion Council be amended to admit representatives of such council attending the anuual conference of the Dominion Council. Jt was resolved to maintain the existing constitution, as it enabled every society to have a direct voice in the government of the Dominion Council.

The officers were elected for tiic ensuing year as follows:—President, Mr. H. S. M. Quigley (Dannevirke); vice-presidents, Mr. A. W. O. Travels (Wellington) and Mr. J. Macfie (Dunedin); secretarytreasurer, Mr. A. G. Shrimpton (Wellington); auditor, Mr. T. Fathers.