H.—l

4

Annual Returns of Receipts and Expenditure, etc. The Friendly Societies Act requires these returns to reach me on or before the 31st March in each year. The number outstanding at that date|is greater than previous year in the respective societies as given herewith :— Annual Returns Outstanding at 31st March, 1919. Name of Society. M.U.1.0.0.F.— < Body! Branohea - Auckland District .. .. .. .. .... 6 New Plymouth District .. .. .. .. 1 3 Wanganui District .. .. .. .. .... 3 Wellington District .. .. .. .. .... 1 Ashley District .. .. .. .. .. .... 2 North Canterbury District .. .. .. .. .... 2 Lyttelton District .. .. .. .. .. 1 2 Otago District .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 7 Southland District .. .. .. .. .... 1 1.0.0.F. of New Zealand .. .. .. .. .... 34 N.L0.0.F. .. .. ..1 2 A.O.F. of New Zealand .. .. .. .. .. I Auckland District .. .. .. .. .. 1 1 Hawke's Bay District .. .. .. .. .... 5 Taranaki District.. .. .. .. .. .... 5 Wellington District . . .. . . , . . .... 3 South Canterbury District .. .. .. .. .... 1 United Otago District .. .. .. .. 1 2 Courts not in any district .. .. .. .. .... 1 U.A.O.D.— Grand Lodge of the North Island of New Zealand .. .... 14 Grand Lodge of Canterbury District .. .. .... 3 Grand Lodge of Otago and Southland District .. .. 1 3 1.0.R.— New Zealand District .. .. .. .. 1 7 New Zealand Central District .. .. .. .... 17 S.D.T.— National Division of New Zealand .. .. ... .... 1 Divisions separately registered . . .. .. .... 1 H.A.C.B.S. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..1 35 P.A.F.S.A. .. ... .. .. .. .. ..1 1.F.5., &c. .. .. .. .. .. .. .... 36 11 198 > , ' 209 Statistics of Membership and Funds. The following table shows the membership of 731 lodges* of the Dominion for the year 1918 : — Number of members, Ist January .. .. .. .. .. 68,771 Number admitted by— Initiation, &c. .. .. .. .. .. 2,473 Clearance .. .. .. .. .. .. 324 2,797 71,568 Number who died .. .. .. .. .. 1,821 Number left by — Clearance .. .. .. .. .. .. 327 Arrears, &c. .. .. .. .. .. 1,893 4,041 Number of members at 31st December .. .. .. .. 67,527 Although these figures still show a slight decrease in membership, the percentage loss is reduced from 2-7 per cent, in 1917 to 1-8 per cent, in 1918. This is the first year "since 1914 with the initiations in excess of the exits through arrears, and the figures would have been still more favourable but for the epidemic mortality.

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