FRIENDLY SOCIETIES

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 153, 14 June 1932, Page 4

FRIENDLY SOCIETIES

DOMINION COUNCIL MEETS. GENERAL QUESTIONS DISCUSSED. The second annual meeting of the Dominion Council of Friendly Societies was held in the Rechabites Chambers, Wellington, recently when 16 delegates assembled, representing a Friendly Society membership of over 77,000. The societies represented were as follows-Manchester Unity of Oddfellows, N.Z. Branch, Otago District, Lyttelton District; Independent Order of Oddfellows, N.Z.; United Order of Druids, Grand Lodge, North Island; Ancient Order of Foresters, Wellington District, Otago District, United Canterbury District; Independent Order of Rechabites, Central District; Protestant Alliance Australasia; Grand United Order of Oddfellows; Auckland Transport Chib (Auckland Tramways Employees). Mr H. S. JI. Quigley, Dannevirke, presided, and in his presidential address referred to the splendid cooperation of all societies in spreading a knowledge of the activities and beneficent work of friendly societies, and the influence for good it had on the community life of the people of the Dominion. As an advisory board the Dominion Council had fully justified its existence during the past year, enabling immediate action to be taken in watching legislative matters and other proposals affecting friendly society management and general administration.

A very extensive order paper was discussed and the proposal to recommend the amendment of the Friendly Societies Act regarding the date of closing lodge books was not sufficiently unanimous and no action was taken. Another important amendment to the Friendly Societies Act regarding the guarantee of interest where benefit moneys had been invested in’ buildings was overwhelmingly defeated, the conference realising that the Act had been a most useful safeguard to prevent elaborate constructions out of friendly society benefit moneys. In connection with section 51 of the Friendly Societies Act, 1909. relative to the maximum sum a member is entitled to insure with a friendly society, an opinion was furnished by the Crown solicitor, that the £3OO is not inclusive of any surplus bonuses. If, however, u member belongs to two or more societies the prohibition of section 51 limits the aggregate amount of death benefit his representative may receive from al'l such societies to £3OO. The executive was directed further to approach the Postmaster-General in respect to operating on Post Office Savings Banks per medium of cheques. This system prevails in other parts of

the Empire, and was highly dcsirabl as from tho (f riendly Societies’ point el view. RELATIONS WITH HOSPITAL BOARDS. The executive reported that during the year they had carefully watched the progress and obtained information from various Friendly Societies Hospital Guarantee ..ssociations throughout New Zealand and the general report was that a fairly amicable state of relations existed between their associations and hospital boards. In some localities, however, hospital boards when approached in respect to an equitable limited liability of tho charged fees, were inclined to expect a considerable advance for the treatment of friendly society members than statistics show they receive from admittances from tbo general public, and it was resolved to recommend the various friendly society councils to approach the boards for a revision of the tees charged in some localities for special diagnosis. In spite of the general depression a report disclosed that the membership of all friendly societies operating 111 the Dominion had been very satisfactorily maintained; this factor was undoubtedly due to the careful investigations made to assist members 111 distressed circumstances and in this respect various proposals were submitted to maintain lhe benefits for deserving unemployed and distressed members. Several of the proposals involved actuarial investigation and it was resolved to submit the proposals to the actuary for his report aud recommendations.

Communications were received from the United Friendly Society Councils of Auckland aud Canterbury, wherein it was submitted that the constitution of the Dominion Council be amended to admit representatives of such councils attending the annual conference of the Dominion Council, ft was resolved to maintain the existing constitution as it enabled every society to have a direit voice in the government of the Dominion Council.

The officers were elected for the ensuing year as' follows President, Mi H. S. M. Quigley (Dannevirke); viecpnesidents, Mr A. W. O. Travers Wellington) and Mr J. Macfie (Dunedin); secretary-treasurer. Mr A. G. Shrimpton (Wellington); auditor, Mr T. Fathers (Wellington).