AN INTERESTING CASE.

Mataura Ensign, 29 September 1913, Page 5

AN INTERESTING CASE.

PEE UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION. WEIdJXGTOX, Sept. '*». The, question of the right of the central federation of a number of friendly societies to require certain contributions from branches was argued in the. Supreme Court to-day. Plaintiffs were the trustees of the Court Sir Charles lVapior of Foresters, Hauke's Bay, and the defendants the District Court of the same order. The questions advanced wero, (1) Can a friendly society alter its rules so as to impose on a member or branch of a society the amount of benefits actually received under the existing rules of the society ? C2) Can a i'riondjly society by alteration of its rules require a branch society to transfer the contributions of a separate and distinct fund to another fund of tho society having objects and purposes not different in their general nature and materially different in their practical scope from the firstmentioned fund ? and (li) Whether these questions are not questions affecting the contributions of the society and the fundamental rights of/ members and branches of societies? The amount involved is about .£7OO.

After argument the ens© was adjourned in order that the Chief Justice (Sir 'Robert Stout) might ascertain the position in the Court of Appeal.