H.—l4.

6

An annual return in the prescribed form has been received from one unregistered society —viz., the Wellington branch of the Hibernian Australasian Catholic Benefit Society. The return was accompanied by an auditor's report, in accordance with section 13 (Id) of the Act, in the case of eleven societies, and by a printed balance-sheet in the case also of eleven societies. There has been a marked improvement in the quality of the returns this year, attributable, no doubt, in the main to the severe cross-examination to which all returns were subjected last year by Mr. Knight, and to the copious explanations which were tendered by him. Still, even now, a considerable proportion have been so imperfectly made out, and have presented such irreconcilable discrepancies, as to entail a very large amount of correspondence. This correspondence is not yet at an end, for, although all arrears ia this respect have been cleared off by the department, the replies have not all been received from the secretaries of societies, and, moreover, on receipt of the overdue returns further time will be required for their examination, and for the correspondence involved by the necessity of inquiring into any errors and discrepancies that may be discovered. The further time required for the subsequent compilation of statistical tables on the basis of the returns, even if additional assistance be afforded, will probably render it impossible to lay before Parliament the statistical tables iv question during the present session, unless the duration thereof be considerably extended. Quinquennial Returns of Sickness and Mortality. The forms for quinquennial returns for the period of 1873-77 were issued at the same time as those for annual returns —viz., in March of this year—and up to the present date the following returns have been received :— * No. of Registered No. of Societies. Returns. I. Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Manchester Unity ... 55 41 11. Independent Order of Odd Fellows ... ... ... 1 0 111. Ancient Order of Foresters ... ... ... ... 30 18 IV. Ancient Order of Shepherds... ... ... ... 1 1 V. Independent Order of Rechabites ... ... ... 3 3 VI. Sons and Daughters of Temperance ... ... ... 3 1 VII. Hibernian Australasian Catholic Benefit Society ... 6 2 VIII. Miscellaneous Societies ... ... ... ... 5 3 104 69 The number of registered societies appearing in this table is smaller than that appearing in the corresponding table for annual returns, because the quinquennial return is not usually applicable to the central bodies of societies. It is only so applicable in cases where the central bodies include what are termed " district members"— i.e., members who are thrown upon the district or central body by the breaking up of a lodge, court, &c. Although forms for the quinquennial return have been sent to all central bodies which are registered societies under the Act, the reply has been, in all cases save one, that there are no district members. The one exception is the New Zealand Central District of the Independent Order of Rechabites, and in this case there was only a single district member. The form of return has been based on the principle of individual entries, and not on the principle of grouping the members according to the year of birth. It is appended as Schedule I. hereto. The experience of the Chief Registrar in England has fully justified this course, the returns rendered to him on the grouping principle having been, in the majority of cases, prima facie inaccurate. It is obvious, moreover, that returns rendered on this principle aflbrd no information as to the occupation of members, and are generally useless for tho purposes of any tables, the necessity for which was unforeseen at the time when the forms were issued, but the desirability of which may afterwards have become apparent. There has not been time as yet for a detailed examination of the quinquennial returns; but in some cases it was apparent on simple inspection that particulars had only been entered respecting those members who had died or received sick pay during the quinquennium, and in these cases of course the returns were sent back with the request that they might be supplemented. In a few instances it has been impossible for the secretary of a society to furnish a complete quinquennial return, owing to the imperfect manner in which the books of the society have been kept during a portion or the whole of the quinquennium. To counteract this negligence it might be considered desirable to make provision for the societies furnishing to the Registrar in each year the returns of sickness and mortality which he would compile quinquennially. Public Valuers. By section 13 (If) of " The Friendly Societies Act, 1877," a valuation ouce at least in every five years of the assets and liabilities, including estimated risks and contributions, is rendered obligatory on all registered friendly societies, unless dispensed with by the Registrar, with the approval of the Governor, as being inapplicable to the purposes or the operations of the society (section 13, subsection 6, proviso). To facilitate the performance of the duties imposed on societies in respect of valuation, it is provided that the Governor may appoint Valuers, and may determine the rates of remuneration to be paid by societies for their services, but their employment is not compulsory on any society (section 36). In fulfilment of this provision, the Governor has appointed Messrs. George Leslie and Peter Black, of Dunedin, already referred to in connection with the preparation of model tables, to be Public Valuers under the Friendly Societies Act. These gentlemen have been highly recommended to the Government for their actuarial ability, which indeed is evidenced by the tables supplied by them to this office, while their long practical experience of the working of friendly societies is a most important additional qualification for the task they are prepared to undertake. * In tbis case, as in that of the annual returns, intimation has been received that several of the defaulters are now engaged in complying witb tbe requirements ofthe Act.