a.—i.

Annual Returns of Receipts and Bxpendituee, 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, 1940. Name of Society. Bodies 1 Branchea - M.U.1.0.0.F.— Auckland District .. .. ~ .. .. ~ 4 Wellington District .. .. . . .. .. .. J 2 Motueka District .. .. . , .. ~ .... 1 South Canterbury District . . . . .. .. .... 1 Otago District .. .. .. .. ~ .. 1 37 Southland District .. .. .. ~ .. .... 5 I. 0.0. F. of New Zealand.. .. .. .. .. .... 24 A.O.F.— Auckland District .. .. ~ .. .. .... 1 Hawke's Bay District .. .. .. .. ..1 11 Taranaki District .. .. .. .. ~ .... 2 Wellington District .. .. . . . . .. .... 7 South Canterbury District .. .. . . .. . . 1 1 Courts out of District .. .. .. .. .... 3 U.A.O.D.— Grand Lodge of North Island. . . . . . .. .... 2 Grand Lodge of Canterbury . . . . . . .. .... 1 Grand Lodge of Otago and Southland . . . . .. .... 2 O.S.T. : National Division .. .. .. .. .. 1 8 H.A.C.B.S.— Northern (N.Z.) District .. .. .. .. .... 7 New Zealand District .. .. . . . . .... 4 P.A.F.S.A l 2 G.U.0.0.F 2 1.F.5..&C. .. 26 6 153 159 Statistics of Membership and Funds. The following table shows the membership of 964 lodges* of the Dominion for the year 1939 :— Number of members, Ist January .. . . . . .. 113,709 Number admitted by — Initiation, &e. .. .. .. .. .. 2,622 Clearance . . .. .. ~ .. ], 244 3,866 117,575 Number who died .. . . .. . , 1,060 Number who left by — Clearance . . .. .. .. ~ . . 1,302 Arrears, &c. .. ~ .. .. .. 6,154 8,516 , Number of members, 31st December .. .. .. 109,059 The above figures show a decrease in membership equal to 4-09 per cent., as compared with an increase of 0-73 per cent, for 1938. The total funds of the societies and branches as at the 31st December, 1939, amounted to £5,407,601, made up as follows : Sick and Funeral Funds (inclusive of amounts transferred to special funds out of surplus), £4,964,846 ; Medical and Management Funds, goods, &c, £442,755. 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 £49 11s. 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

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