ll.—l.

Rules. The rules of eighty-five societies and branches were amended during 1940, two by complete amendment, and eighty-three by partial amendment. 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, 1941. Name of Society. Bodi™ 1 Kranclles - M.U.1.0.0.F. — Marlborough District .. .. .. .. .... 3 Motueka District . . . . .. .. .. .... 5 United Westland District .. .. .. .. .... 1 Lyttelton District .. . . .. . . 1 1 South Canterbury District .. .. .. .. 1 5 Otago District . . . . . . . . . . 1 36 1.0.0. F. of New Zealand .. .. .. .. .... 23 A.O.F. — Auckland District . . . . .. .. .... 2 Taranaki District .. .. .. .. .. .... 2 Wellington District ~ . . . . . . .... 2 South Canterbury District .. .. .. .. 1 Courts out of district .. .. .. .. .... 2 U.A.O.D.— Grand Lodge of North Island . . . . . . .... 8 Grand Lodge of Otago and Southland .. .. .... 1 1.0. R. : New Zealand Central District .. .. .. .... 2 0.5. T. : National Division .. .. .. .. 1 1 H.A.C.B.S. — Northern (N.Z.) District .. .. . . .. .... 6 New Zealand District .. .. .. . . .. . . ' 10 1.F.5., &c. .. .. .. .. .. .. .... 26 5 136 141 Statistics of Membership and Funds. The following table shows the membership of 953 lodges* of the Dominion for the year 1940 : — Number of members, Ist January .. .. .. .. .. 109,059 Number admitted by — Initiation, &c. .. . . . . . . 2,474 Clearance .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,015 3,489 112,548 Number who died .. .. .. .. . .. 1,074 Number who left by — Clearance .. .. .. .. .. 1,058 Arrears, &c. .. .. .. .. .. 5,970 8,102 Number of members, 31st December .. .. .. 104,446 The above figures show a decrease in membership equal to 4-23 per cent., as compared with 4-09 per cent, for 1939. The total funds of the societies and branches as at the 31st December, 1940, amounted to £5,534,368, made up as follows : Sick and Funeral Funds (inclusive of amounts transferred to special funds out of surplus), £5,048,239 ; Medical and Management Funds, goods, &c., £486,129. 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 £52 19s. 9d. Taking the several years 1931—40 the number of lodges whoso 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 funeral 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.

2

Number, of Lodges Number I nw«i n n ™f 0 i iear - tabulated. of Members. Total Funds. Average Capital. £ £ s. d. 1931 .. .. .. 912 105,660 4,277,715 40 9 9 1932 .. .. .. 912 102,052 4,398,158 43 1 11 1933 .. .. .. 918 100,237 4,538,095 45 5 G 1934 .. .. .. 929 100,708 4,676,427 46 8 9 1935 .. .. .. 936 103,612 4,812,787 46 9 0 1936 .. .. .. 945 108,059 4,956,948 45 17 5 1937 .. .. .. 960 112,888 5,120,125 45 7 1 1938 .. .. .. 966 113,709 5,280,472 46 8 9 1939 .. .. .. 964 109,059 5,407,601 49 11 8 1940 .. .. .. 104,446 5,534,368 52 19 9