9

H.—2

Over one-half of your members thus join the society under twenty-five years of age, and it is for this period of life likewise that withdrawals are at their greatest intensity, though the lapses for the next ten years are considerable. It is a tolerably general experience in friendly societies that the withdrawal rate is always the highest at that period of life at which the entrants predominate. Thus, whilst 80-5 per cent, of your members become free to benefits under age thirty-five, no less than 76-5 per cent, of the withdrawals occur in respect of the same group of ages. Not until the age forty-five is attained do the withdrawals become an unimportant factor in your society. As regards sickness-claimants, the proportion of these in early life is certainly high, and this feature should receive your careful attention. For mature life the sick-claims are not excessive in number. In the practical management of a friendly society it is most useful to be enabled to form an opinion of how many members per annum should be expected to claim the sickness-allow-ance, and another most useful aid is the average annual duration of these attacks of disablement. This latter information is afforded in the last column of the foregoing abstract. The duration of these attacks of sickness is not materially different from what represents the normal experience. That the intensity of attacks of sickness increases rapidly with advancing life is clear. In order that the broad results of this inquiry may be compared with those of other investigations into the health and longevity of the working-classes of this country, there is presented in the following table a summary of the results deduced from the two most recent inquiries of this character. The sickness and mortality experience of the working population of this country have been examined by several authorities during the last fifty years; but, taking the investigations in chronological order, the two most recent and complete researches have been— (a.) The experience of the Manchester Unity of Odd Fellows for the five years 1866-70; (6.) The experience of the Ancient Order of Foresters for the five years 1871-75. Accordingly, the broad results brought out by these two investigations have been recast as regards the age-distribution of their members, so as to make them comparable with the facts now adduced in connection with your own experience.

Summary of the Mortality and Sickness-experience of Members of Friendly Societies (Males).

To compare the results, and to draw deductions as to their being either favourable or the reverse, implies, of course, some standard of measurement, but it is doubtful whether any exact standard of sickness and mortality of the industrial classes of this country really exists. For such a comparison to truly apply it is essential that the condition of the two things to be measured 2—H. 2,

Number of Years of Life exposed to Risk. Weeks of Sicknessclaim. Mortality per Cent. per Annum. Weeks of Sicknessclaim per Member per Annum. Ages. Deaths. The Mar. nchcster Unity nchcster Unity of Oddfello. 1,283 3,986 3,048 3,111 3,235 1,7,56 261 '('.s, 1866-70. 18 — 25 — 35 — 45 — 55 — 65 — 75 and upwards 202,910 506,053 278,604 188,850 112,431 29,707 2,493 202,910 506,053 278,604 188,850 112,431 29,707 2,493 150,465 435,982 319,003 359,855 411,788 253,657 44,283 0-632 0-788 1-094 1-647 2-877 5-911 10-469 0-742 0-862 1-145 1-905 3-663 8-539 17-763 Totals 1,321,048 1,321,048 16,680 1,975,033 1-263 1-495 The A indent Order of Foresters 1871-75. 18 — 25 — 35 — 45 — 55 — 65 — 75 and upwards I ... j L 191,854-0 518,203-5 363,326-0 1,56,309-5 54,019-5 16,790-0 1,663-5 1,445 4,182 4,266 2,816 1,775 1,093 238 159,431 471,643 452,370 299,161 201,623 154,722 30,086 0-753 0-807 1-174 1-802 3-286 6-510 14-307 0-831 0-910 1-245 1-914 3-732 9-215 18-086 Totals 1,302,166-0 15,815 1,769,036 1-214 1-358 The Independent Order of Bee. Order of Bee, 36,836-5 42,4690 26,161-0 14,474-5 5,378-5 1,651-0 299-0 habites, Salj "ord Unity, 18 38,947 43,270 35,279 26,991 15,684 13,969 6,070 '8-87. 18 — 25 — 35 — 45 — 55 — 65 — 75 and upwards ... j 36,836-5 42,4690 26,161-0 14,474-5 5,378-5 1,651-0 299-0 222 216 162 162 125 96 57 0-603 0-509 0-619 1-119 2-325 5-815 19-063 1-057 1-019 1-349 1-866 2-915 8-463 20-300 Totals 127,269-5 127,269-5 1,040 180,210 0-817 1-416