FRIENDLY SOCIETIES REPORT.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13207, 4 July 1906, Page 3

FRIENDLY SOCIETIES REPORT.

The 'twenty-ninth annual report of tire Registrar of Friendly Societies, which was laid on the table of the House, shows 'that during the yeiir 1905 there were- 18 additional registrations in the colony, constating of six Druid lodges, four lodges of the Manchester Unity Order of OcMfollows, four Foresters' courts, one Rechabite tent, two 'branches of the Hibernian Catholic Benefit Society, and one "i s °l4ifced fricnd'ly society,'' viz., the Auckland Tramways Sick and Accident Benefit Society. There | were four cancellations by dissolution during the year. "There were," says the registrar, "a large "nuin'ber of changes of trustees registered during the year. The warning conveyed in my rqjort' of last year has been responded to favourably, and notices prescribed by the Act and regulations have been forwarded for registration more promptly. There is, however, still room for raapr6v©mfent. Tho toital number of •merrvbei* in th« 479 lodges whose returns are tabulated was 47,302 at the end of 1904, the increase for •the year 'bcin'g 2049. The total funds of the, societies at the end of 1904 , amounted to £936,385, made up df £858,624 to the credit of sick and funeral funds and £77,764 \a medical and iniana'geiment funds. Tjhe 1 average capital per member is J£l9 15/11 ; the amount disbursed in sick pay during 1904 \was £48,537, whilst the funeral benefits paiid almourited to £10,098. The tmauthorisdd transfers oi various sum's from the -sick and funeral} funds to management fuimls are referred to by tire registrar, who expresses a hope that the arnxoun-ts will be restored 'as soon as- possible.