FRIENDLY SOCIETIES.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 6739, 22 April 1893, Page 2

FRIENDLY SOCIETIES.

&n interesting return is published in the Dunedin Star showing the position of the various friendly societies in the colony, the figures being compiled from the last valuation of each society, as summarised in the Registrar of Friendly Societies' annual reports for the past fire years. From this we gather that the 1.0.0. F., American Con-

sfitution, has an average surplus of £2 18s

Id per head, though five of its lodges have a deficiency ranging from £1 to £4 4s lOd per member. The Oddfellows of the Manchester Unity in the colony show a surplus of ISs 2Jd per member, while eight of the lodges show a deficiency ranging from 6s Gd in Auckland to £7 14s 2d in Wanganui. Taking the Hawke's Bay district, when the valuation was mad«, there were thirteen lodges of the Manchester Unity, representing 806 members, with accumulated benefit funds at £10,191. The average surplus in this di'trict is £3 9a 2d per There are ten lodges here with a surplus ranging from 6s Sd to £10 16s 2d per member, whilo three show a deficiency of from 15s 103 to £3 4s 5d per member. Taking the colony as a whole, tho Manchester Unity -bowed 132 lodges, with 10,385 members at the time of valuation, representing £204,189 accumulated benefit funds. The number of lodges with a surplus is 56, with a range of surplus from 2s 7d to £20 14s 2d per member ; 76 lodges showing a deficiency of from 5d to £25 12s. Eegarding the Anoient Order of Foresters, we find there are 91 lodges in the colony, possessing a membership of 7656, with £92,543 accu-

mulated benefit funds. The Foresters are insolvent to the extent of £6 13s 3jd per member. In Hawke's Bay there wore twelve lodges at the time of valuation, with

a membership of 864, and £6753 accumulated benefit" funds. The deficiency per member in this district is £5 16s 3d, but throughout tho colony the range of deficiency is from £2 lis 2d to £9 14s lOd per member. Amongst the Foresters the United Westland district shows the greatest deficiency—£3l lis lOd per head; Nelson comes next with £15 13s 2d; and South Canterbury next with £10 5s 9d per head. There are only five Foresters' lodges in the colony with a surpluß, and this surplus ranges from £1 ISs 5d to £13 14s 5d per member. The remaining 86 lodges of the [ A.O.F. show a deficiency from 2a 7d to £31 lis lOd. The Independent Order of Rechabites show 35 lodges, with a membership of 1316, and £15,411 accumulated benefit funds. They are deficient to the extent of £9 10s 4d per member; three lodges show a surplus ranging from £1 15s 2d to £11 8s lOd, while 21 are doficient from £6 lis 2d to £15 14s 2d per member. Tho Ancient Order of Shepherds show a deficiency per member of £4 6s 7d, United Ancient Order of Druids of £9 5s 4J-d, British United Ordor of Oddfellows of £10 ss, National Independent Order of Oddfellows of £10 14s 3jd, Hibernian Australasian Catholic Benefit Society of £13 8s Od, tons and Daughters of Temperance of £13 Ss lOd, Protestant Alliance Friendly Society of Austra'asia of £16 Is 10'|d, and Railway Fmploye- Benefit Society of £30 lis od.