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H—l

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 in the respective societies was as follows : — Annual Returns outstanding at 31st March, 1920. Name of Society. Bodies Branches. M.U.1.0.0.F. .. .. ' .. .. .. 3 ' 57 1.0.0. F. .. .. .. .. .. .... 24 N.1.0.0.F. .. .. .. ■',-. .. '.. .... 1 A.O.F. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..3 18 U.A.O.D. .. .. .. .. .... 11 1.0. E. .. .. .. .. .. .. .... 23 S.D.T. .. ..*' .. ..' .. .. .... 1 H.A.C.B.S. .. .. .. •• •• -- --1 28 P.A.F.S.A ..1 1.F.5., &c. .. .. ...• .. .. .. .... 30 8 193 201 Statistics ok Membership and Funds. The following table shows the membership of 735 lodges* of the Dominion for the year 1919 : — Number of members, Ist January .. .. .. .. .. 67,527 Number admitted by— Initiation, &c. .. .. .. 5,883 Clearance .. .. .. .. . . .. 497 6,380 73,907 Number who died .. .. .. .. .. 762 Number left by — Clearance .. .. . . .. .. .. 612 Arrears, &c. .. .. .. .. .. 1,935 3,309 Number of members at 31st December .. .. .. .. 70,598 * The word "lodge," when applied to all societies, is to be understood as embracing the synonymous terms ■"court," "tent," &c.,as used in tho various orders. The above figures show an increase in membership equal to 4*55 per cent., the highest since 1908. This is no doubt in part due to demobilization, as the generous treatment of soldier members by societies must have impressed many men who hitherto had not heard of or realized the benefits of society membership. The percentage increase in the principal societies is as follows : 1.0.0. F., 11*61; M.U.1.0.0.F.. 4*74; U.A.0.D., 4*47; A.0.F., 3*84; H.A.C.8.5., 1*69; 1.0. R., 0*45; P.A.F.S.A., o*l2. The societies are to be congratulated on these excellent results; and it is interesting to note that the consolidated societies, with slightly over one-half the total membership, secured 75 per cent, of the gain. Most of the non-attached and small societies show no increase. A table setting out the incidence of initiations and lapses for the past eight years is given below, showing the " peak load " of strain reached in 1916 and the sudden relief in 1919. The societies will now require to watch lapses very carefully. The low percentage in 1919 will be difficult to maintain, as these figures are probably due to the fact that the previous war years have drained the societies of the normal lapses. They will probably increase, concurrent with a high entrance-rate, unless special measures are taken to check the loss.

Proportion of Lapses to Initiations.

The total funds of the societies and branches as on the 31st December, 1919, amounted to £2,184,653, made up as follows : Sick and Funeral Funds (inclusive of amounts transferred to special funds out of surplus), £2,018,815; Medical and Management Funds, goods, km, £165,838. 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 £30 18s. lid.

Year. Initiations. I Lapses by Arrears. Percentage increase or Decrease in Membership. Percentage of Lapses to Initiations. 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 6,926 6,048 5,064 3,881 2,037 2,038 2,473 5,883 4,788 5,333 5,047 4,452 3,702 2,620 1,893 1,935 4,788 5,333 5,047 4,452 3,702 2,620 1,893 1,935 +2*20 +0-15 -0-76 —1'8 -3*7 -2-7 -1*8 +4-55 69*1 88-2 99-6 114-7 181-7 128-5 76-5 32-9