BENEFIT SOCIETIES.

Grey River Argus, Volume 21, Issue 3100, 23 July 1878, Page 2

BENEFIT SOCIETIES.

The British statistics as to the progress made during the past year by the Ancient Order of Foresters and the Manchester Unity of Oddfellows, the two great affiliated friendly societies, have just been completed. The Manchester Unity on January 1 numbered 526,802 members, showing aninerease of 8432 during the year, in spite of 16,589 having seceded or been suspended, and 6629 having-, died during last year. Of the 28,792 who joined the Order, 21,807 were undetr2s; years of age^ The net gain was less by ; 3500 than the average of the five precedi ing years — another evidence of the general' depression of trade. In 3874 the increase was 15,000. The rate of mortality in Great Britain had been 1*39. The funds possessed by the different lodges and the payments for sick benefits have, not. yet been ascertained ; but '^67,347 were paid on the deaths of members, and L 23,942 on the deaths of membiera 1 !, wives; The Foresters qn January^ X '. numbered 521,416 financial and : 11^379 , honorary members, an increase respectively of 11,897 and 282. ■■:-, The .court ' funds amounted to L 2,209,319, and the district funds to L287j841, an increase of L 148.299 in the former, from which sick benefits are paid, and of L 3893 in the latter, from which funeral benefits are met. The deaths in Great Britain rium- > bered 5288, about the average; but the sickness, which averaged 8 -29 per member, was less than in 1876.