THE FRIENDLY SOCIETIES ACT.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VIII, Issue 2141, 7 September 1875, Page 3

THE FRIENDLY SOCIETIES ACT.

We quote how Eanwd the following motion made by Mr Kollcston, and thi) remarks of the Minister of Justice on the subject .---"That it is desirable that the provisions of 'Tho Friendly Societies Act, 1867,' which require action on the part of tho Colonial Government, and which havo hitherto remained, to a largo extent, inoporative, should receive the immediate attention of the Government. That further provision is required to enable the several societies more effectively to manage their own affairs, especially in respect to registration, the regulation of tables of contribu-, tions, a periodical valuation of liabilities, an efficient system of audit, and the socuring the proper responsibility of their officers in : respect of funds or property intrusted to them.' That,, in order to secure such provision,, and fully to ascor-1 tain 'the requirements of tho several societies, a draft bill bq prepared and cir-! culated among tho friendly societies, inviting their suggestions and concurrence, prior to tho sext session of .Parliament, and that such bill shall bo then submitted to Parliament," ■ .■-:■! Mr Bowen said, the motion proposed j by the honorablo member for the Avon was one that tho Government would havo; great pleasuro in acceding to. Tho condition of those friendly societies was a mattor of the most urgent importance, ho might say, to the whole Stato. No ono who bad not made Borne inquiry into the matter could imagine tho number of people "who were interested in these benefit societies, and he might say that on the whole everyone was satisfied with the beneficial results of these societies. It was quite true, that in several casos, owing to the want of official information, great distress had been created: and ho recollected certain: reports: by Mr Tidd Pratt, as to the state of some societies in

England, which wore sufficiently alarming. But he thought the manner in which these societies were constituted, very .often by men who wcro hard at work from day to day, and without very much professional assistance, was a remarkable testimony to, the business qualities of the English race, As to the degree in which Government should interfere -with'- these societies, he thought it opened up a vory complicated question indeed. He'was quite aware that his honourable friend, tho member for Avon, took a great, interest.in this question; and the honour-1 able member had offered him an amount

f information which at the present noment was appalling, but which f.ho Jovernment would be.glad to tako adrnntago of asnsoon as they had aJittle nore leisure to digest it. Ho felt that licse societies wero entitled, from their importance—from tho extent of'.tub inerests involved—to receive what he night call professional assistance from ho State; that was to say, that they hould bo furnished with some check ipon the calculations which were niado »y the actuaries employed by them, Not cry long ago ho'was very nmclrstruok iy. the extreme liberality with which a ase that came undor his notico was met iy one of thoso friendly societies. It was he case of a young man who had boon 11 his service, and who suddenly fell 11. t Ho had recently joined a friondly ocioty, and the amount of assistance 10 got from that society astonished iim (Mr- Bowen). Ho. admired their generosity, but at the samo tim.o ho odd not help having some misgiving sto how far tho society could really fiord to give such assistance. The Go'eminent would endeavour to make itself .cquainted with the subject as much as lossiblo during the recess, and, as sug;ested,' if it wero thought advisable to ntroduco a bill next session, they would lisseminate it among tho societies and tbtain their opinion upon it. But it night not be advisable to introduce a bill lext session, for this reason: That at the iresent moment, as ho understood from lis honourable friend, there was a billon his subject before tho Imperial Parliaaent, and it was questionable whether hat bill had becomo law or not. If it lad not becomo law, he doubted Whether hoy should go in advance of Imperial egislalion in this matter, becaure there vas sufih a mass of experience accumuated on these subjects in England that it vould bo almost presumptuous temerity m their part to legislate without taking idvantage of that accumulated exieri.ence. The Government would, .howiver, make itself better acquainted with ho subject, and would circulate any bill fhich it proposed to introduce.. ■ Mr Swanson said thero was at least me most urgent and important matter which could easily bo dealt with this session. VP hy could not the Government bring in at onco a bill providing for the punishment of dishonest officers of those societies?

Mr Bowen said, bo intended, ia a day or two, to introduce a bill of the nature indicated by the honourable gentleman. Mr Swanson pointed out that the present law provided that the treasurer of these societies must give security,.but there should bo some provision permit* ting them to keep their funds in some recognised bank. He would be glad if the Government would take that matter into consideration.

Mr Boa-en said be could not promise that such a provision would be included in the.short bill be intended to bring forward; but, as be bad already-stated, tbe Government would give tbe wbole subject their careful consideration before next sessions—Motion agreed to.

: A ruthless attempt to sever the matrimonial knot was made a short time ago, says the Otago Quardian. Within the last six months a young married couple left England for New Zealand. After residing in Dunedin a few weeks, business matters caused the huflband to go to Balclutha, When he had been absent only a few days, the lady made the acquaintance of a gentleman to whom she represented herself as being unmarried, and arranged to elope with him. • He incautiously mentioned to another lady his intention to "bid Dunedin adieu with a fair friend of great personal attractions," and tbe secret was a secret no longer. The husband, who was immediately communicated' with, arrived at home just in time to prevent the intended elopement. Strange to say, howerer, that he, as well as a lady who professed great sympathy for him in the loss of his wife's affection, are now" amongst the missing,