5

H.—3

Registration of Partial Amendments of Roles. 23. Registration of a partial amendment of rules was made in respect of the following societies and branches:— M.U.1.0.0.F.—G00d Intent Lodge (Auckland District), New Plymouth District, Waitara Lodge (New Plymouth District), Ashley District, North Canterbury District, South Rakaia Lodge (North Canterbury District), Naseby Lodge (Otago District); Valley Lodge (Otago District). A.O.F.—Auckland District, Wellington District, Court Sir George Grey (Wellington District), Court Loyal Feilding (Wellington District), Canterbury United District, Court Pride of Oamaru (United Otago District). U.A.O.D.—Enterprise Lodge, Otago Lodge, Excelsior Lodge, Star of New Zealand Lodge, Blenheim Mistletoe Lodge. S.D.T.—Grand Division. Otago Railway Employes' Benefit Society. Rational Sick and Burial Association. Christchurch Working-men's Club. Invercargill United Friendly Societies' Dispensary. Christchurch and Suburban Co-operative Money Club. Statistics for 1885. 24. The statistics compiled from the annual returns for 1885 are appended to this report (see page 41). The form of the tables has been in some respects varied from that of past years. Table I. contains a detailed statement of the membership and funds of each registered society and branch which sent in returns (with the exception of a few whose returns were inaccurate or received too late for publication); but in the next six tables district totals only are given for those societies whose central bodies are established within the colony. The lodges of the Druids, the sanctuaries of the Shepherds, and the benefit societies of the railway employes are similarly grouped. Particulars of the funds under the direct control of the central bodies are tabulated separately in Tables VIII. and IX. 25. The number of lodges* whose returns are tabulated is 302, and of central bodies 28, distributed according to orders as follows :—■

26. The number of members of these lodges at the end of the year was 22,794. 27. The following balance-sheet gives their total funds (including those of the central bodies) as at the 31st December, 1885 :— Funds. £ s. d. Assets. £ s. &. Sick and Funeral Funds .. .. 285,614 15 6 Investments at interest .. .. 192,398 18 5 Medical and Management Funds .. 23,806 2 9 Value of land and buildings .. ~ 100,772 6 9 Other funds and property .. .. 12,843 2 4 Cash not bearing interest .. .. 18,084 18 10 Value of goods .. .. .. 9,615 1 0 Other assets .. .. .. 1,392 15 7 Total .. .. ..£322,264 0 7 Total .. .. ..£322,264 0 7 28. The following summary shows the disposition of the various investments at interest, together with the respective average rates per cent.: —

29. Averages and percentages deduced from the tabulated returns for five consecutive years are given in Appendix VII.

• The word " lodge," when applied to all aooietio3, is to bo understood as embracing the synonymous terms court, tent, &c, as used m the various orders.

Society. Lodges. Central Bodies. Society. Lodges. Central Bodies. M.U.I.O.O.F. I.O.O.P. .. N.I.O.O.F... B.U.O.O.F. A.O.F. A.O.S. U.A.O.D. .. 114 14 2 1 80 2 32 13 1 1 7 L.U.F.B.S. .. I.O.R. S.D.T. H.A.C.B.S .. P.A.F.S.A. .. R.E.B.S. 1 26 6 11 11 2 i 1 2 1 1 1

Mode of Investment. Amount. Bate per cent. )n deposit with the Post-office Savings Bank ~)n deposit with other banks )n deposit with companies and building societies .. )n mortgage of freehold property .. ~.n Government and municipal debentures [n shares in companies .. )ther investments £ s. d. (8,552 0 10 '(3,401 3 6 33,015 2 10 6,509 11 2 124,207 2 4 10,772 0 0 3,873 4 0 2,068 13 9 4-5 4-0* 50 59 7-9 63 76 6-5 Total £192,398 18 5 70 * Interest on sums exceodinj £200 in the P.O.S.B. is at tho rate of 4 >er cent.