H.—l

2

A complete list of societies and branches on the register as at the end of 1902 is given in Appendix II. Complete Amendments of Rules Registered. The following societies and branches registered complete amendments of their rules during the year, viz.:— I.O.O.F.—Alexandrovna Lodge. I.O.R.—New Zealand District Independent Order of Rechabites. P.A.F.S.A.—The Protestant Alliance Friendly Society of Australasia. I.F.S.—Wellington Wharf Employees' Society; Wellington Friendly Societies' Jubilee Orphanage Society; Waikato Medical and Accident Society. W.M.C.—Palmerston North Working-men's Club. S.A.S.—Hawke's Bay United Friendly Societies' Dispensary. Partial Amendments of Rules Begistered. Partial amendments were made and registered in respect of the undermentioned: — M.U.I.O.O.F. —Auckland District —Fountain of Friendship and Waikato Lodges ; Hawke's Bay District; Wellington District —Sister Wallis and Rose of the Valley Lodges ; Nelson District —Howard and Nelson Lodges ; Lyttelton District—Pleasant Point and City of Norwich Lodges; Otago District —Mount Wendon Lodge. I.O.O.F.—Grand Lodge ; and Southern Cross Lodge. N.I.O.O.F.—Auckland Pioneer Lodge. U.A.O.D.—District Grand Lodge of the North Island of New Zealand; Grand Lodge of Canterbury ; and Albion Lodge. I.F.S.—Millerton Collieries Medical and Accident_ Relief Association; and Denniston Collieries Medical and Accident Relief Association. W.M.C.—Wellington, Christchurch, Oxford, Greytown, and Petone Working-men's Clubs. Cancellations by Dissolution, Etc. Registration of the societies and branches hereunder was cancelled : — I.O.O.F.—Te Ao Marama Lodge. B.U.O.O.F. —The British United Order of Odd Fellows, and Aorangi Lodge. H.A.C.B.S. —St. Patrick's (Rangiora), Invercargill, and Hokitika Branches. P.A.F.S.A.—Pioneer, and Pride of Ngapara Lodges. R.E.B.S.—New Zealand Railway Employees' Benefit Society. Conversions during the Year. M.U.I.O.O.F.—The Wellington District of the Manchester Unity Independent Order of Odd Fellows was converted into a district branch of the New Zealand. Branch of the Manchester Unity Independent Order of Odd Fellows. A.O.F.—Court Egmont of the Wellington District Ancient Order of Foresters became Court Opunake of the Taranaki District Ancient Order of Foresters. Changes of Trustees. During the year 123 notices of changes of trustees of the various organizations were received and dealt with. Returns and Statistics for 1901. By the Friendly Societies Act, all societies and branches registered under it are required to forward to the Registrar before the 1st April in each year a general statement of the receipts and expenditure, funds and effects of the society or branch, made out to the 31st December then last, termed the Annual Return; and, as respects friendly societies proper, they are required to supply at the same time a list of the members admitted, and the names and particulars of the periods of sickness, deaths, and other contingencies experienced by the members during the year. During the month of December, 1901, a supply of forms to contain the above information was sent to each of the societies with branches (with the exception of the I.O.G.T.) for the use of the same, and also to all the societies separately registered. These returns and lists, having been filled up and sent to this office, were examined and compared with the totals at the end of 1900, and entries found to be defective, incorrect, contradictory, or not in accordance with law were queried, for the purpose of having the necessary corrections made and an explanation given of the cause thereof.