FRIENDLY SOCIETIES REGISTRY OFFICE.

Evening Post, Volume LVI, Issue 77, 28 September 1898, Page 2

FRIENDLY SOCIETIES REGISTRY OFFICE.

TO THE EDITOB. Sir — I was very much surprised on reading the report of the discussion, on the Estimates referring to the Friendly Societies Registry Office in this evening's Post to find that the Premier read a letter from Mr. Kershaw, "Secretary of the Friendly Societies' Alliance," expressing his satisfaction with the Department. As this statement is very misleading, I desire to say that as Secretary of the Vigilance Committee (which is termed Alliance) or of my own society, the M.U.1.0.0.F., I have ' never written a letter expressing satisfaction with the Friendly Societies' Department. It is well known amongst friendly societ}' members that I have expressed my dissatisfaction with that Department. As District Secretary of the M.U.1.0.0.F. I had occasion to write to the Revising Barrister, in reply to a letter I received from him dated Oth August, 1898. The circumstances were these : — Some time ago Mr. H. J. Williams, an officer of the 1.0.0. F., wrote «a letter to tho Post criticising the Friendly Societies Department. This letter was referred to in the House of Representatives. As a consequence the Revising Barrister wrote, to me requesting me to state whether or not every facility had been given by the Revising Barrister for the registration of the rules of our society, and whether or not every courtesy had been extended. I replied on the 9th August stating that " since the deputation of members of friendly societies waited on the Right Hon. the Premier, and permission was given by him for the executive officers of friendly societies, to approach the Revising Barrister direct with reference to the registration of rules, I had found him courteous and kind, and ready to explaiu matters in connection with the rules of our society/ But I reminded him that our difficulties dated much further back than the time referred to — that we sent our rules to the Registrar on the 19th March, 1897, and they were returned to us on the 13th April with about 80 alterations, and no reasons assigned for the alterations—only a bald request that if we would send two cleau copies with the corrections as per revise they would be registered. We insisted on reasons being given. As a consequence the objections to the rules were reduced to a very small numbex 1 , and, as showing somewhat of the disorganisation that exists, a rule that was objected to, whicjh the Registrar had stated in his 1890 report would not be registered — viz., the one providing that "if a member of a lodge possessing a surplus violates the rules of his lodge in such a manner as tq forfeit his membership, he thereby forfeits all right to participate in any surplus or benefit from the funds of his lodge "—after a xreat amount of contention was allowed to stand, and the Revising Barrister stated that he had not requested alteration. The/rule is now registered as in the original, as are nearly all that were objected to. I reminded the Revising Barrister that all this meant delay and expense, as we had to engage aud pay counsel to interview and discuss the objections with him, and also to pay th« printer for keeping the type standing for 16 months. I also informed him that I understood that he was the officer by whom the Registrar is supposed to be advised with reference to the rules of societies, and that in my opinion it was his duty to explain the reason for the needless alterations and consequent delays, and have the responsibility fixed, and that for the above reasons I was sorry I could not say that every facility had beengiven by the Revising Barrister for the registration of the rules of our society, but that I trusted that the relations betwixt the societies and the Department would in the future be of a more cordial character. It will, in my opinion, require a great stretch of imagination to construe the above into an expression of satisfaction with the Department. I am, &c, J,. Kekshaw, Prov. C.S. M.U.1.0.0.F., Wellington District.