THE BENEFIT SOCIETIES COMMISSION.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 10622, 29 May 1897, Page 3

THE BENEFIT SOCIETIES COMMISSION.

Ddnedin. Friday. At the sitting of the Royal Commission ' on Private Benefit) Societies legal opinion : wrb read by Mr J. F. M. Franer as to tho efFecb ol the non-rf gtitratlon of tbe poelety ' and the Btatuaof numbers of the Union ■ Company's society. This, while agreeing ' with Mr Slms'a opinion as a series of abstraot propositions of law, Raid that ' applied to the Union Company's Benefit ' Society and Its ruleß, many disadvantages of membership became apparent, The < chief of these was the coubrol exercised ' by the company, and the deprivation of ' members of a obeap and expeditions ' method of settling disputes provided < by the Friendly Societies' Act, leaving > only reoonrse to the enmbrons method ' of lovoklnp the Supreme ConrD. Mr Nssb, ' treasurer of the Union Company's eoolety, ' explained and amplified his evldenoe on ' tome points, and ttm seoretary of the I Foresters' Coart at Fort Chalmers K&ve I evidence that the Union Company's ' Booloty bad been a benefit ruther than ' othorwlae ta the lodgo. ' Evidence was then taken respeotlnß the ' aoolety conneoted with M'Leod Broo." E eoap and candle works »nd tho Ptre.ilx I Company's soclet". In both cases the r rnleo provide for compulsion, lint the c witneasßs said It was never enforced, ' The Commisßion leave Danedla on ' Thursday next, and will nit nt Christ- ' church on the tollowine Monday, afterwards Roing to WelllnKton nnd taklug * evidence there. 1 i