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1916. NEW ZEALAND

FRIENDLY SOCIETIES AND TRADE-UNIONS. THIRTY-NINTH ANNUAL REPORT BY THE REGISTRAR OF FRIENDLY SOCIETIES, FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st DECEMBER, 1915.

Presented to both Bouses of the General Assembly pursuant to the Friendly Societies Act, 1909, Section 9, and the Trade-unions Act, 1908, Section 16.

The Registrab oi? Friendly Societies to the Hon. the Minister. Sib — Wellington, Ist July, 1916. I have the honour to submit herewith, in accordance with the Act, the annual report of this Office for the year ended 31st December, 1915. I have, &c, R. E. Hayes, Registrar of Friendly Societies.

Friendly Societies' Conference. In accordance with the recommendations of the Petitions Committee of the House last session delegates from the different orders were invited by the Minister (the Hon. J. A. Hanan) to meet the Government and discuss the relations between the societies and the National Provident, Fund. The Conference met at Parliament Buildings, Wellington, on the 13th April, 1916, at which the Hon. J. A. Hanan (Minister in Charge of the Friendly Societies Department) presiding, the Hon. Arthur M. Myers (Minister in Charge of the National Provident Fund), Mr. R. E. Hayes (Registrar of Friendly Societies and Superintendent of National Provident Fund), and Mr. A. T. Traversi (Actuary to the Department) were present. The following delegates of the friendly societies attended :■ — M.U.l.O.O.F.—Messrs. J. Smith, J. H. F. Hamel, J. McLeod, T. J. Archbold, J. Kershaw, I. Salek, J. A. Hopcraft, and A. J. Ibbotson. A.0.F.--J. Shaldrick, R. Darlow, J. Redshaw, R. Dixon, W. D. Marks, and J. Hope. U.A.O.D.—R. Fletcher, M.P., J. N. Grant, A. Thompson, A. Mewburn, .1. W. Baty, and J. B. Steele. 1.0.0.F.—C. J. Talbot, M.P., R. Robb, and William Reid. 1.0.R.—J. W. Foster, J. J. Wesncy, and T. Fathers. H.A.C.B.S.—Hon. W. Beehan, M.L.C. P.A.F.S.A.—W. H. Frith. Small societies (combined) —J. F. Hosking. After welcoming the delegates and delivering addresses explanatory of the Government's policy on the questions under discussion, the Ministers invited delegates to consider proposals for the adoption of an annuity scheme for members of societies, at rates representing contributions equal to one-half of the amounts set out in the National Provident Fund Act, 1910. After considerable discussion in committee with, tho Department's officers, tho delegates reported to the Ministers that, while appreciating the offer, the proposals did not ensure to the societies the immediate help they desired, and they eventually carried the following resolution unanimously : " Believing that the offer of a Government-subsidized superannuation proposal by the Minister is an earnest endeavour to grant a measure of relief to friendly societies, this meeting accepts such proposal on an optional basis, relying on the statement made by the Hon. Mi.-. Myers that the representations of this meeting whereby immediate relief is strongly urged for friendly societies (more particularly in the form of maternity benefits) shall be taken into consideration by the Hon, Mr. Myers in conjunction with the Hon. Mr. Hanan."

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