H.—l

3

G.U.0.0.F. —The G-rand United Order of Oddfellows, Friendly Society of New Zealand. I.F.S.—Blackball Colliery Accident Relief Fund Society ; The Ashburton United Friendly Societies' Association ; The Fountain of Friendship Lodge Friendly Society ; The Masterton United Friendly Societies' Dispensary; The Swankers' Club The Waiuta Miners' Medical Association. W.M.C. —Wellington Working-men's Club and Literary Institute. 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, 1925. Name of Society. Bodies' J B ran °hes. M.U.1.0.0.F. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 6 1.0.0. F. .. 26 A.O.F. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2 13 U.A.O.D .. . .1 6 1.0. R. .. .. .. .. .. .. .... 6 H.A.C.B.S. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 21 G.U.0.0.F 1 4 1.F.5., &c 32 6 114 120 Statistics of Membership and Funds. The following table shows the membership of 782 lodges* of the Dominion for the year 1924 Number of members, Ist January .. .. .. .. .. 84,228 Number admitted by — Initiation, &c. .. .. .. .. .. 8,4-94 Clearance .. .. .. .. .. 1,024 9,518 93,746 Number who died .. .. .. .. .. 674 Number who left by— Clearance .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,113 Arrears, &c. .. .. .. .. .. .. 4,526 6,313 Number of members at 31st December .. .. .. 87,433 The above figures show an increase in membership equal to 3-81 per cent., as compared with 4-27 per cent, for 1923. The total funds of the societies and branches as on the 31st December, 1924, amounted to £2,955,340, made up as follows : Sick and Funeral Funds (inclusive of amounts transferred to special funds out of surplus, £2,753,971 ; Medical and Management Funds, goods, &e., £201,369. 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 £33 16s. Taking the several years 1915-1924, the number of lodges whose returns were tabulated, the number of members, total funds, and average capital per member at the end of each year were as under :—

These sums are, of course, held against the societies' liabilities under their sickness and fnneral insurances, and the actuarial reports issued from time to time indicate how far they are sufficient or otherwise. The above figures include the latest statistics received from lodges.

* 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.

NU i& 0 atea° age8 of Members. Total Funds. Average Capital. £ £ s. a. 1915 .. .. .. 728 73,027 1,852,355 25 7 4 1916 .. .. .. 727 70,360 1,954,940 27 15 8 1917 .. .. .. 730 68,771 2,052,753 29 17 0 1918 .. .. .. 731 67,527 2,100,443 31 2 1 1919 .. .. .. 735 70,598 2,184,653 30 18 11 1920 .. .. .. 732 74,210 2,321,176 31 5 7 1921 .. .. .. 731 77,814 2,445,843 31 8 8 1922 .. .. .. 746 80,777 2,593,692 32 2 2 1923 .. .. .. 774 84,228 2,747,952 32 12 6 1924 .. .. .. 782 87,433 2,955,340 33 16 0