The Waipawa Mail SATURDAY, OCTOBER ]9, 1878.

Waipawa Mail, Volume I, Issue 11, 19 October 1878, Page 2

The Waipawa Mail SATURDAY, OCTOBER ]9, 1878.

| The Friendly Societies Bill introduced j this session is a measure not very I important in itself, aw it only aims at ! a few slight amendments in the preI sent law. The only clause of any consequence in the Bill is the one designed to secure the solvency of the societies, which is to some extent endangered by Ihe too frequent practice of borrowing from one specific fund for the uses of another. Colonel Whitmore, in moving the second reading of the Bill in the 'Legislative Council, stated its object Mas to make the measure introduced last year workable by the removal of some objectionable impediments. For instance, under the Act of last year, all amendments of rules bad to be published in the Gazette, al; bough the rules themselves need not be inserted in that publication. Tbe present Bill will remove that anomaly. There is a. clause in the Bill whieli provides that information as to sickness, mortality, etc., shall be went to

the Registrar ami..ally in-t id of once in five years. This \v.- think is a very good provision, and will throw li;,l'e extra labor on the societies. \y e JMav here mention that the suggested amendments in the present law are tho result of communications which have •passed between the J.’egis. ,arGeneral and many of the feac'ing Friendly Societies in the colony. The Bill passed the Legislative Council w ithout much adverse criticism. The only speaker who took exception to its provisions was the Hon. Dr Pollen, who was of opinion that it was an exceedingly bad practice to keep tinkering at an Act which had to be interpreted by plain men who had no legal education. Jt appeared to him that i,, every instance in which it was proposed 10 make a verbal change, the change was i not an improvement, and in the only case in which it did make a change, it was a change of such a radical” and disadvantageous nature that the Council ought not to countenance it. By the societies themselves furnishing to the Registrar certain specified information annually, the quinquennial valuation is done away with. It was pointed out that the existing Act provides that the duty should not bo left m so ? iet 7- but to the valuer, who should, alter having made the necessary investigation a* to the condition ot the society, send—not to the secretary or the society— to the Registrar of the colony the report of his actual and real investigation. “That was a point,” said Dr. Poteen, “ which had long been contended for both in the colony and in England, and after

having been secured after a very hard and long fight, it ought not to be abandoned. No temporary inconvenience which the societies might 15e put to should weigh in the balance against the importance of such a provision as that, securing as it did an independent audit of the assets of these societies.” It is in the interest of every member of the societies that ample safeguards should be provided by law. The fact should be always borne in mind that the sole - object of legislation is to protect each and every member of the friendly associations from loss or fraud. These societies number a very large proportion of the adult male population of the colony. The societies which are in a weakly state are very adverse to any control being exercised over their finances. However, such supervision in the public interest is absolutely necessary, though any interference with the internal workings or arrangements of the societies should be strongly resisted. All that the Government is called upon to do is to protect the funds, and to see that the financial position is made public at certain before the lioin^^W 1 rfeprese ntat i ves it was severely criticised. Mr Ormond, in speaking on the measure, said he believed there was great objection to the rules being framed by the Government actuary, who knew nothing of the practical working of the Act, and the societies said it would be of no value to them until they were allowed an officer, to be appointed amongst themselves, to take the matter in hand. It is exceedingly difficult to ascertain what are ihe real wishes of the societies themselves, for in answer to Mr Ormond, Mr Stout repeated the statement of the Colonial Secretary in the Upper House to the effect that the Bill was the result of the advice of the most active member of friendly societies. Mr Rolleston, after paying a high tribute to the value of the work of the societies, suggested that the Government should invite a conference or delegates to meet during the recess. It is to be hoped that the Government, will Act on the suggestion, and tliai the conference w ill result in a permanent law on the subject. Patching and mending Acts of such a nature should be avoided as much as possible. If confusion is not to prevail, there must be permanency in the law. Major Atkinson pointed out that the section providing that the funds should be kept distinct would injuriously affect the Oddfellows. AVe are of opinion it is a wise provision that funds should not be diverted from the specific purposes for which they were subscribed. Mr Stout instanced the cases of certain societies who had I funeral funds on management ‘‘'and { °ther expenses. No doubt these j cases are exceptional, but they go to | show a great laxity exists in the pre- | sent law. The satisfactory working ami solvency of the numerous branches of the Friendly Societies throughout ! tho colony should be an object of solicitude with the people and Parliament, and if Mr Rolleston’s suggestion is acted upon, and a conference of delegates held during the recess, a Bill may be prepared by* next session which will meet with general approval, which cannot be said to be the case either in regard to the existing law or the Amending Act introduced this year.