ASSISTANCE OFFERED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 April 1938, Page 8

ASSISTANCE OFFERED

N.Z. FRIENDLY SOCIETIES & HEALTH SCHEME. SUGGESTION TO COMMITTEE. WELLINGTON, This Day. Stating that the national health scheme would be an extension of the operations of the Friendly Societies of New Zealand, Messrs W. J. Gregory (president) and A. G. Shrimpton (secretary) suggested to the Select Committee on National Health and State Superannuation that -the experience of the Dominion Council of Friendly Societies and its constituent branches should be used when the health proposals were, put into effect. They quoted figures to show that large sums were administered by the societies at very low cost. Mr Shrimpton outlined the activities of the Friendly Societies. He said they were representing eleven lodges, with membership of 112,000. These members were contained in a thousand branches throughout the Dominion and this network of agencies could very well carry out the distribution of benefits of any other section of the national insurance scheme. The societies considered that a * national scheme would be but an extension of their work and offered the Government the advantage of their experience. Mr Shrimpton outlined the funeral and sickness benefits receivable by members. He said applicants for admission to a society had to pass a medical examination and, generally speaking, they were between the ages of sixteen and forty-five. On an average, a young recruit paid in more than he drew out, while an older member, joining at the age of twenty, would pay an annual contribution of £1 18s Bd. To assure the payment of benefits at all times, the societies in New Zealand had accumulated £4,116,121 in a sick and funeral fund and had also surplus appropriation funds of £455,242, a total of £4,571,363. This had been made possible by sound actuarial calculations and investment of funds. The societies in New Zealand had capital to the extent of £46 9s per member.