H.—l

3

Partial Amendments of Rules registered. Partial amendments for the following were made : — M.U.l.o.o.F.—Ashley District ; Nelson District; Auckland District; Ashburton District; Motueka District; Wanganui District; Marlborough District; Otago District; Southland District; Combination Lodge, Masterton Lodge, Petone Lodge, Rose, of the Valley Lodge (Wellington District); Whangnrei Lodge, Hauraki Lodge (Auckland District); Ashburton Lodge (Ashburton District) ; Albion Lodge, Hand and Heart Lodge (Otago District). I.O.O.F.—Grand Lodge of New Zealand (2). N.1.0.0.F.— Auckland District. A.O.F.—Taranaki District; Nelson District; South Canterbury District; United Otago I District; Court Sherwood Forest (Nelson District); Court Enterprise; Court Pride ■Afol Parnell. U.A.O.D. —Grand Lodge of Canterbury ; Grand Lodge of Otago and Southland ; Timaru 1 tLodge (2) (Grand Lodge of Canterbury). I.O.R.—New Zealand District (2) ; New Zealand Central District. S.D.T.—National Division ; Antidote Division. H.A.C.B.S.—New Zealand District. I.F.S. —The Huntly Collieries' Medical and Accident Relief Association ; Millerton Colliery Medical and Accident Relief Association (2) ; Point Elizabeth Accident Relief Fund ; Nightcaps Collieries' Medical, Sick, and Accident Relief Association ; Eden Temperance Benefit Friendly Society ; Puketniro Medical Society (2). Annual Returns op 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, 1922. Name of Society. j. ~' Branches. M.U.1.0.0.F. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..2 II 1.0.0.F 31 A.O.F. .. .. .. .... .. ..2 10 U.A.O.D 11 1.0.R. .. .. .. .. .. .. .... 10 S.D.T. .. .. .. .. .. .. .... 1 H.A.C.B.S. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 26 1.F.5., &c. .. .. .. .. .. .. '.. .. 30 5 130 < , ' 135 Statistics op Membership and Funds. The following table shows the membership of 731 lodges* of the Dominion for the year 1921 : — Number of members, Ist January .. .. .. .. .. 74,210 Number admitted by— Initiation, &c. .. .. .. .. .. 7,858 Clearance .. ... .. .. .. .. 1,025 —— 8,883 83,093 Number who died . . .. .. .. . . 615 Number left by — Clearance .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,016 Arrears, &c... .. .. .. .. .. 3,648 5,279 Number of members at 31st December .. .. .. .. 77,814 The above figures show an increase in membership equal to 4-86 per cent., as compared with 5-12 per cent, for 1920. The total funds of the societies and branches as on the 31st December, 1921, amounted to £2,445,843, made up as follows : Sick and Funeral Funds (inclusive of amounts transferred to special funds out of surplus), £2,279,979; Medical and Management Funds, goods, &c, £165,864. Dividing the total funds by the number of members at the .end of the year if is found the average, capital per member is now £31 Bs. Bd.

* 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.