THE LOBBIES. [BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH, OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Friendly Societies' Report. Wellington, Last Night.

Waikato Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1407, 9 July 1881, Page 2

THE LOBBIES. [BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH, OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Friendly Societies' Report. Wellington, Last Night.

The Friendly Societies' repoit complains that the returns which are required by the Friendly Societies; Act are not dlwayn complied and that three prosecutions have been necessitated by neglect to furnish the required information after repeated applications. Twelve new societies have been registered during the six months. These comprise six lodges of the United Ancient Order of Druids ; two lodges of the English National Independent Order of Oddfellows; one Railway Benefit Society; The Sickness and Accident Mutual Insurance of New Zealand ; one Working Men's Club, and one specially authorised Society ; the Independent Order of Good Templars, with 84 subordinate lodges scattered over the length and breadth of the colony. The progress of registration is very satisfactory, as the highest number of registrations made since the first half-year of 1878 was only six. as compared with the twelve just mentioned. The following is a statement of the various affiliated orders represented in the register : — Manchester Unity of Oddfellows, 1 1 districts and 62 lodges ; Independent Order of Oddfellows, 1 grand lodge and 15 subordinate lodges ; National Independent Order of Oddfellows, 1 district and "2 lodges ; Ancient Order of Foresters, 6 districts and 45 courts ; Ancient Order of Shepherds, 1 sanctuary ; Ancient Order of Druids, 8 lodges ; Loyal Friends Benefit Society, 1 lodge ; Rechabites, 1 district, 3 tents ; Sons and Daughters of Temperance, 5 subordinate divisions; Hibernian C.itholic Benefit Society, 9 branches ; Good Templars, 1 grand lodge and 84 lodges. As regards the complete amendment of rules of the Wellington dishrict ot the Manchester Unity ot Independent Order of Oddfellows, the Registrar is pleased to report that it includes a new schedule of contributions based upon the standards recommended by the Government actuary. The 232 lodges which furnished complete returns and benefit funds amount in the aggregate to £150,450 17s 2Jd, or on an aveiage £64S 9s lid per lodge, and £9 2s skl per member. The nine lodges established prior to 1850 have an average of £16 4s 2fd per member. The total receipts of the sick and funeral funds for 1879 were £27,317 4s s}, or on an average of £233 18» 3d per lodge. During the same year the expenditure on the sick fund amounted to £S74S 2s Ski, and of funeral benefits to £1387 10s; the niedicdl expenses amounted to £10,429 5s 3d, and management to £7562 15s Bijd, and incidental expenses to £2389 os 8-\d. The assets and liabilities are thus summarised : —Liabilities ; Amount owinsr, £39.38 14s 2d; sick and funeral funds, £126,356 Us o }d ; management funds, £5879 7s 1 Ul : other funds and property, £3690 2s B}d : total, £142,864 2s Bfd. Assets : Deposits in P. O. Savings Bank, £2872 14s lid; ditto in other banks, £22,364 14s 2d; mortgages on freehold, £52,413 16s lid; other investments at interest, £6267 11s od : land and houso propeity, £45,6-53 19s 3',d : cahh not beanug interest, £8099 15s B}d; furniture, regalia, &c, £3566 19s 8d; other assets, £1621 3s od; total, £142,564 15s s|d.

The Coal Trade. The total output of coal for the year was 299,923 tons, of which 7021 tons was exported. The quantity imported was 123,298 tons, and presuming that there has been no material increase in dealers' stocks, the total consumption in the colony was therefore 410,200 tons, being an increase over the previous year of 34.101 tons. The quantity raised from the mines in 187S was 172,218 tons ; in 1879, 321,218 tons ; and in ISSI, as already stated, 299,923 tons. The latter year shows an increase in 1579 ol 68,705 tons. The imports have very steadily decreased. In 1878 they amounted to 171,148 tons; in 1879 to 138,096 tons, and in 1880 to 123,298 tons. A further return shows that the accidents in mines have not been of a serious nature. Two persons were killed, being one to 150,000 tons of coal raised and twenty injured (the majority very slightly). There has been one prosecution, being that first under the Act, the manager of ttie Wellington Company's Waimangaroa mine and the contractor for getting out the coal being entered -Co and £2 respectively with costs for neglect of the regulations, owing to which an explosion of fire-damp lesultmg in the injuiy of two men occurred.

Local Benefit Lodges. The following facts respecting the membership, fimch, &c , given in the Friendly Societies' Report, will be of local interest: — Hamilton M.U.1.0 0 Lodge, 36 ; benefit, membership, and funeral fund, £153 ; Duke of Cambridge, 25, £261 ; Delta, 13, £176.

Hamilton Bridge. To-day, Mr Whitalcer presentod a petition, signed by fifteen bundled le-i-dents of Waikato, praying foy concefcsion re the Hamilton Bridge.