The Wairarapa Daily. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1, 1883. FRIENDLY SOCIETIES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1445, 1 August 1883, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1, 1883. FRIENDLY SOCIETIES.

The brief article which we published under the above heading on Monday last has been followed by some interesting letters in our open columns. One of then writing under thunomde plume of " Forester" asserts that the Government valuation is inaccurate, being constructed on an erroneous basis, He alleges that the actuary does not recognise the distinction' betweon Courts and Districts, Courts; ho says, have certain assets and liabilities, and Districts have others, and it is evident that any valuation to be accepted by the Order must distinguish the one from the other, and not debit the Courts with the liabilities of the Districts. Our correspondent "P" whose letter appears in another column of this issue, contends on the contrary that the Foresters are wrong, and that their periodical contributions a'ro insufficient to meet the obligations'.which they'undertake. The question "which is right" it a serious one, and might with advantage engago the attention of a .parliamentary committee. The Legislature has deemed it expedient to pass a" Friendly Societies Act" and such a measure if properly administered should be a security and a benefit to every member of every friendly society in the colony. It is' obvious, however, that the administration of the Act is not satisfactory to the societies. They refuse in many instances to register under it, they dispute its valuations, and poke fun at the Eegistrar-General. It must not be assumed that all the intelligence and actuarial knowledge is the cxolu : sive property of the.Department and of the Registrar. The leading members of friendly societies aye in many instances extremely capable men with a special knowledge of the principles and working of benefit societies, which entitles.their, opinions to be received with consideration. ' When one of them, as in the case of our correspondent "Forester," Asserts that the Government valuation has been made on an erroneous basis, 'and gives his reasons for making such a statement, we are disposed to atjiac)) considerable credit to the charge pfe: ferred. Is is quite evident that tho Government jn its,' administration of

the Friendly Societies' Act has not the confidence of the Sooietics themselves, and the first thing it should do ought to be to put itself right' with: them. The; object of -the. Act is a'good' one, but if, as is apparently: the case,;it is not attained, the result must be unsatisfactory. If the/Friendly Societies can be proved; to be conducting their business on a wrong basis, they should be compelled to make changes, but first of all the counter-charge of the societies that the Government actuarial inquiry is unreliable .should be disposed of, A parliamentary investigation, as we have suggested would be the best method of determining the doubt. No doubt representatives of the Friendly Societies would willingly give evidence before a Parliamentary Committee, and when once it was ascertained clearly whether tho department or the societies are to blame, the evil might be remedied, and a measure which is now practically ' inoperative mit[hfc become efficient and beneficial,