H.—l.

A.O.F. —Auckland District; Hawke's Bay District; Court Inglewood Forest and Court Opunake (Taranaki District) ; Wellington District; Court Southern Cross (South Canterbury District); United Otago District; Court Enterprise (Court out of District). U.A.O.D. —The Grand Lodge of the North Island of New Zealand. I.O.R.—The New Zealand Central District No. 86. o.s.T.—The National Division. H.A.C.B.S.—The New Zealand District. P.A.F.S.A.—The Protestant Alliance Friendly Society of Australasia. G.U.0.0.F. —The Grand United Order of Oddfellows Friendly Society of New Zealand. I.F.S. —Denniston Collieries Medical and Accident Relief Association ; The Huntly Collieries and District Medical Association; Millerton Colliery Medical and Accident Relief Association ; Christchurch United Friendly Societies' Dispensary ; Stockton Colliery Medical and Accident Relief Association ; Eden Temperance Benefit Friendly Society ; Wellington Corporation Tramways and Electric Lighting Friendly Society ; The Petorxe United Friendly Societies' Dispensary ; The Canterbury (N.Z.) Seed Company, Limited, Employees' Sick and Benefit Friendly Society ; The Waiuta Miners' Medical Association (2) ; Hikurangi and Wilson's Coal-miners' Medical Club; Okaihau Railway Construction Workers' Medical Association ; The Dannevirke United Friendly Societies' Dispensary ; Auckland City Council Employees' Voluntary Sick and Accident Society ; The Mokihinui Valley Medical Association. W.M.C. —Ashburton Clubs and Mutual School of Arts ; Blenheim Working-men's Club. 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, 1933. Name of Society. Bodies' ® ranc^es * M.U.1.0.0.F. .. .. .. .. 5 1.0.0. F. .. .. .. .. .. .... 16 A.O.F. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..2 9 A.O.S. .. .. .. .. .. .. .... 1 U.A.O.D 22 1.0. R. .. .. .. .. .... 8 O.S.T. .. .. .. .. ..1 H.A.C.B.S. .. .. .. .. 1 26 P.A.F.S.A. .. .. .. .. .. 1 2 G.U.0.0.F. .. .. .. 1 2 T.F.S., &c. .. .. .. .. .. .... 28 6 119 125~ Statistics of Membership and Funds. The following table shows the membership of 912 lodges* of the Dominion for the year 1932 :— Number of members, Ist January .. .. .. .. 105,660 Number admitted by— Initiation, &c. .. .. .. .. .. 5,028 Clearance .. .. .. .. .. .. 927 5,955 111,615 Number who died .. .. .. .. .. 834 Number who left byClearance .. .. .. .. .. .. 996 Arrears, &c. .. .. .. .. .. 7,733 9,563 Number of-members, 31st December .. .. .. 102,052 The above figures show a decrease in membership equal to 3-41 per cent., as compared with 1-41 per cent, for 1931. The total funds of the societies and branches as at the 31st December, 1932, amounted to £4,398,158, made up as follows : Sick and Funeral Funds (inclusive of amounts transferred to special funds out of surplus), £4,081,413 ; Medical and Management Funds, goods, &c., £316,745. 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 £43 Is. lid.

* 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. 1*

3