A FRIENDLY SOCIETIES BILL. STATEMENT BY THE PREMIER.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 47, 25 February 1908, Page 3

A FRIENDLY SOCIETIES BILL. STATEMENT BY THE PREMIER.

[BT TELEGRAPH. — r-RESS ASSOCIATION.] AUCKLAND, 24tn February.' In the course of an address at the Oddfellows' picnic at the island of Jlotutapit, Sir Joseph Ward said thai during next session he hoped to be able to pas,s the new Fripnriiy Societies Bill, when Eoina important reforms would come up for consideration. One of the most vital questions affecting friendly societies to-day was that of adequate contributions, and in that connection it was interesting to note that this important principle vas affirmed by the Friendly Hccieties' Conference in 1906. The settlement of thi.-s question had been found to bo very difficult in other States, but the retolution coming from the friendly societies themselves went a long way in. the direction of a satisfactory solution, which, he thought, could best be reached by gradual steps. The audit of friendly societies' accounts was also a very important factor, and in the opinion of many people some considerable reform was called for. Without subscribing to the extreme views put forward from time to tinte, it was, he thought, evident that the present method of elected auditors had outlived its time. A scheme was required which would ensure a competent ,'audit at least oilce ,1 year, and which would be adaptable to small country lodges He hoped to ho aole to submit proposals in the new.Billi It had been found that the treatment and admittance of members of friendly societies to hospitals was not on an equitable or satisfactory footing, and an effort would bp made to establish a system by which all societies would be able to obtain admittance of their members to hospitals at a uniform rate. (Statistics for this purpoic were /now being collected from .societies. It had been suggested that the rally history of the formation and progress of friendly .xiocieties in New Zealand should be collected and compiled ; therefore he had given the necessary authority to have a stenographer specially appointed to visit old members to secure the interesting recollections and records of old lodges and members which are inseparable from the early colonisation days, and which must form a very valuable adjunct to the history of the Dominion.