3

H.—2

Order of Foresters, 1 division of the Sons and Daughters of Temperance, 1 lodge of the Independent Order of Good Templars, and 1 Working-men's Club. The above list is exclusive of those bodies which, though really branches, had been registered under the Acts of 1856 and 1867 as separate societies, and, in order to obtain registry as legal branches, had to amend their rules. Such bodies are referred to in the next paragraph. 4. Conversion op Eegistered Societies into Branches. Thirteen bodies availed themselves during 1881 of the provisions of section 23 of the Friendly Societies Act for the conversion of their status as separately-registered societies into the more satisfactory status of registered branches. They comprised 6 lodges of the Manchester Unity of Odd Fellows and 7 courts of the Ancient Order of Foresters. The number of branches of registered societies which still retain the independent registry accorded under the Acts of 1856 and 1867 will be seen, from Schedule I. to this report, to be 40. At the rate of conversion which obtained during 1881 it will thus require upwards of three years to expunge from the register the entire list of these anomalous registrations. The 40 branches referred to comprise 20 out of 75 lodges of the Manchester Unity of Odd Fellows, 15 out of 56 courts of the Ancient Order of Foresters, and 5 out of 8 divisions of the Sons and Daughters of Temperance. In addition to these, 1 lodge of the Manchester Unity of Odd Fellows, 1 court of the Ancient Order of Foresters, 1 tent of the Independent Order of Eechabites, and 1 branch of the Hibernian Australasian Catholic Benefit Society are branches of bodies which, though not yet registered, are capable of being registered as New Zealand societies. It is to be feared that some of the richer lodges, courts, &c, which enjoy the separate status acquired under the older Acts, are loth to part with it in exchange for a status which would give the parent society more legal control over them, because they wish to preserve the power of seceding if a continuance of their connexion with the society should at any time seem to them financially very disadvantageous. It may therefore be questioned whether the change of status might not advantageously be made compulsory, as the continuance of the legal relations between districts and lodges which subsisted before the passing of the Act of 1877 is extremely unsatisfactory. 5. Cancellations op Eegistht, Dissolutions, etc. As already mentioned 13 societies have had their registry cancelled during the year under section 23 of the Act, for the purpose of being registered as branches of the registered districts of which they were already de facto branches. Besides this, 4 other bodies had their registrations cancelled, namely, the Arrow Lodge, 1.0.0.F., M.U.; the Green Island and Point Lodges, 1.0.0.F.; and the Central Volunteer Fire Brigade, Wellington. The ground of cancellation in each of these cases was the dissolution of the society or branch. II.—CONTRIBUTIONS AND BENEPITS. A fairly satisfactory scale of contributions and benefits is established by the rules of the newlyregistered district of the Manchester Unity of Odd Fellows, namely, the Ashley District. It is as follows :— Age at Entry Payments to Benefit Pund. last Birthday. Entrance Pees. Portnightly Contributions. Scale of Benefits. £ s. d. s. d. 18 ... 0 6 8 ... 1 3 ... \ 19 ... 0 6 8 ... 13 ... \ 20 ... 0 6 8 ... 1 3 21 ... 0 6 8 ... 1 4 22 ... 0 7 0 ... 1 4 23 ' ... 0 7 0 ... 1 4 24 ... 0 7 8 ... 1 5 25 ... 0 7 8 .., 1 5 - 26 ... 0 8 8 ... 1 6 ... £1 per week during the first 27 .. 088 ... 16 ... 6 months of sickness, 28 ... 0 10 0 ... 16 ... 10s. per week during the 29 ... 0 10 0 ... 17 ... second 6 months of con--30 ... 0 11 8 ... 17 ... tinuous sickness, and ss. 31 ... 013 8 ... 18 ... \ per week during con--32 ... 0 16 0 ... 19 ... tinued sickness after the 33 ... 018 8 ... 19 ... above period. £20 on 34 ... 118 ... 1 10 ... the death of a member, 35 ... 15 0 ... 1 10 ... and £10 on that of a 36 ... 18 8 ... 1 11 ... member's wife. 37 ... 1 12 8 ... 2 0 38 ... 1 17 0 ... 2 1 39 ... 2 18 ... 2 2 40 ... 2 6 8 ... 2 2 41 ... 2 12 0 ... 2 3 42 ... 2 17 8 ... 2 4 43 ... 3 3 8 ... 2 5 ... 44 ... 310 0 ... 2 6 ... / A few other New Zealand districts of the same great Order have equally satisfactory scales of contributions and benefits, and it is greatly to be desired that all other districts of this and other orders should follow their example.