H.—s.

CANCELLATIONS OF REGISTRY. The registry of the following societies was cancelled on the ground that they had ceased toexist:— Arowhenua Lodge, Manchester Unity Independent Order of Odd Fellows (Lyttelton District). Court Belle of the Isle, Ancient Order of Foresters (United Canterbury District). Hope of Hastings Tent, Independent Order of Rechabites (New Zealand Central District). Instruments of dissolution were registered in respect of —- Naseby Lodge, Manchester Unity Independent Order of Odd Fellows (Otago District). Court Hope, Ancient Order of Foresters (United Otago District). Greenstone Branch, Hibernian Australasian Catholic Benefit Society. Amalgamations were registered as follows : — Britannia Lodge, United Ancient Order of Druids, with Enterprise Lodge. Dawn of Light Division, Sons and Daughters of Temperance, with Antidote Division. Victoria Lodge, Protestant Alliance Friendly Society of Australasia, with Royal Victoria Lodge. STATISTICAL TABLES FOR 1883. Appended to this report are seven tables, compiled from the returns for 1883, showing the progress during that year as respects both membership and funds; the receipts and expenditure both of the Sick and Funeral Fund and of the Management Fund; the nature of the investments, with their respective rates of interest, &c. The number of societies and branches (exclusive of central bodies) dealt with in these tables is 243, distributed according to orders, as follows : — Manchester Unity Independent Order of Odd Fellows ... 105 Lodges. Independent Order of Odd Fellows (American) ... ... 10 Lodges. National Independent Order of Odd Fellows ... ... 2 Lodges. Ancient Order of Foresters ... ... ... ... 69 Courts. Ancient Order of Shepherds ... ... ... ... 2 Sanctuaries. United Ancient Order of Druids ... ... .. ... 23 Lodges. Loyal United Friends'Benefit Society ... ... ... 1 Lodge. Independent Order of Rechabites ... ... ... 7 Tents. Sons and Daughters of Temperance ... ... ... 5 Divisions. Hibernian Australasian Catholic Benefit Society ... ... 5 Branches. New Zealand Hibernian Catholic Benefit Society ... ... 5 Branches. Protestant Alliance Friendly Society of Australasia ... 6 Lodges. Railway Employes'Benefit Societies ... ... ... 2. Isolated Local Society ... ... ... ... ... 1. The number of members of the above-mentioned lodges* was 18,843. The total funds amounted to £232,321 3s. 9d., of which £205, 356 7s. 6d. belonged to the Sick and Funeral Fund. This gives an average of £12 6s. 7d. per member in respect of the total funds, and £10 18s. in respect of the Sick and Funeral Fund, and shows, as compared with the previous year, an increase in the former of 4s. 6d., and in the latter of 4s. 9d. The numerical progress, mortality, and sickness are shown in Table 11. The total number of admissions during 1883 was 3,271, of lapses (including transfers—styled " clearances " —toother lodges) 1,778, and of deaths 133, giving a net increase of 1,360. The following table gives a comparative view of the numbers of lodges varying in membership from under 50 to over 400:—

The average number of members in a lodge was 77'5. The number of deaths of members for the year was 133, or 7'32 per 1,000 members, as against 6-92 in the year 1882. The number of deaths of members' wives was 82, or 4-51 per 1,000 members, as against 3-65 in 1882. The number of members sick was 2,531, or 13-9 per cent.—a percentage which has varied very little during three consecutive years. The total amount of sickness, 16,465 weeks 4 days, gives an average of rather more than 0-9 week per member, and of 6-5 weeks per member sick—percentages almost identical with those of 1882. The sickness experience for 1882 and 1883, when classified so that acute attacks may be distinguished from sickness more or less chronic, is divided as follows : —

* The word " lodge " is to be understood throughout as embracing all synonymouß terms as court, tent, &c, asused respectively in the various affiliated orders.

IV

Total. Under 50. 50 to 100 to 100. 150. 150 to 200. 200 to 250. 250 to 300. 300 to 350. 350 to 400. 400 to 450. umber of lodges 243 109 75 31 12