5

H.—l

Annual Returns of Receipts and Expenditure, etc. Many societies failed to strictly comply with the Act, which requires the returns to reach me on or before the 31st March. The number outstanding at that date in each society was as follows ;— Annual Returns Outstanding at 31st March, 1916. Name of Sooiety. „ , Branches. M.U.10.0.F.— New Ply mouth JDistrict .. .. ... .. .. 1 Marlborough District . . .... . . . . 1 1 Ashley District .. .. .. .. .. .. 2 Ashburton District . . .. .. . . .. 1 3 Otago District .. .. .. ■ .. .. I 2 1.0.0. F. of New Zealand .. .. .. .. '.. .. 33 A.O.F.— Auckland District .. . . . . .. . . 1 Hawke's Bay District .. . . .. . . . . I Taranaki District . . . . .. . . . . . . 3 Wellington District . . .. .. . . . . . . 4 Canterbury United District ■• ■• •• ■• •• 13 South Canterbury District . . . . . . . . . . 3 United Otago District . . .. . . . . I 3 U.A.O.D.— Grand Lodge of the North Island of New Zealand .. .. 10 Grand Lodge of Canterbury .. .. .. . . .. 5 Grand Lodge of Otago and Southland .. .. .. 1 5 1.0. R- . Zealand District .. .. .. .. .. ... 3 New Zealand Central District . . . . . . . . . . 12 S.D.T.— National Division . . . . . . . . . . 1 Divisions separately registered .. .. .. .. .. 1 H.A.C.8.8. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 29 1.F.5., &c. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 34. 7 169 , 176 The above results are, I regret to state, not so satisfactory as last year. Statistics of Membership 1 and Funds. The following table shows the membership of 728 lodges* of the Dominion, for the year 1915 :— Number of members, Ist January .. .. .. .. 74,377 Number admitted by . , Initiation, &c. _ .. .. .. .. ..3,881 Clearance .. .. .. .. . . . . |[571 4,452 78,829 Number who died .. .. .. .. .. 767 Number left by— Clearance .. .. .. .. .. .. 583 Arrears, &c. .. .. .. .. .. 4,452 • ' 5,802 Number of members at 31st December .. .. .. .. 73,027 There is therefore on the whole a small decrease in membership equal to 1-8 per cent.- —a not unexpected result in view of the diversion of young lives to the war and the policy of societies in ceasing to initiate members of military age. The total funds of the societies and branches as on the 31st December, 1915, amounted to £1,852,355, made up as follows : Sick and Funeral Funds (inclusive of amounts transferred to special funds out of surplus), £1,699,79Q; Medical and Management Funds, goods, &c. £152,565. Dividing the total, funds by the number of members at the end of the year it is found the average capital per member is now £25 7s. 4d.

* The word "lodge," when applied to all societies, is to he understood as embracing the synonymous terms court," " tent," &0., as used in the various orders.