FRIENDLY SOCIETY CASE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 38, 15 October 1913, Page 6

FRIENDLY SOCIETY CASE.

FEDERATION DEMANDS. [Per Press Association.] Wellington, October 15. The question of the right of the Central Federation of members of friendly societies to require certain contributions from branches was Jhe subject of a reserved judgment delivered by the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) in the Supreme Court. Plaintiffs were the trustees of Court Sir Charles, Napier, of the Ancient Order of Foresters, Hawke’s Bay District, and defendants were the District Court of the same Order. The Court was asked to decided (1) Can a friendly society alter its.rules so' as to impose on a member or on a branch society the obligation to repay the amount of the. benefits already actually received under the existing rules of the society ; and 12) Can a friendly society, by the alteration of its rule, require a branch to transfer the, contributions of a separate and distinct fund to another fund of the society having its objects and purposes not different in their general nature or genus yet materially different in their practical scope, from the first-mentioned fund.

Regarding the first issue, His Honor upheld the objection of plaintiffs that 1 the proposed alteration was not in accordance with the rules, and granted an injunction if the defendants attempted to carry out the provisions regarding the repayment of benefits. Regarding the second question raised, His Honor found for defendants, holding that it must bo answered in the affirmative.