H.—l

4

The number of members sick was 2,586, or 13'9 per cent.—a percentage almost identical with that of 1881. The total amount of sickness, 16,972 weeks 6 days, gives an average of rather more than 09 week per member, and of 6-6 weeks per member sick. The comparison of these results with corresponding averages obtained from the experience of eight of the earliest-established lodges of the Manchester Unity affords, like the similar comparisons instituted in the Registrar's former reports, striking proof of the rapid rate at which the sickness experience of a society increases with increasing age. The average ago of these eight lodges was 36 years, and the number of members sick was 16-5 per cent. The average sickness was 1-83 week per member, and above 11 weeks per member sick. The sickness experience for the years 1881 and 1882, when classified so that acute attacks may be distinguished from sickness more or less chronic, is divided as follows: — *First Six Months. fSecond Six Months. {After Twelve Months. 1881 ... ... ... 67-53 9-17 23-30 1882 ... ... ■ ... 66-44 8-89 24-67 —showing an exceedingly slight variation; but the experience of the eight lodges above mentioned is of a very different character, being 45-66 per cent, for the first six months, 12-01 per cent, for the second six months, and 42-33 per cent, after twelve months, the increase in the proportion of chronic sickness being thus very marked. The number of lodges which had sickness experience extending beyond the first six months of continuous sickness was 29-41 per cent, in 1882, as against 39-64 per cent, in 1881; and the number which had sickness experience extending beyond twelve months was 21-32 per cent., as against 31-36 per cent, in 1881. The diminished percentage is, of course, due to the inclusion of a large number of recently-established lodges in the tables for 1882. 17. Table 111. shows the number of members classified according to age and conjugal condition. The proportion of married to unmarried was very nearly as 13 to 7, the married members comprising 64-76 of the total number. From the columns relating to age, it will be seen that 808 or 4-21 per cent, of the members were under 20 years of age, 7,047 or 36'69 per cent, were between 20 and 30, 6,481 or 33-74 per cent, between 30 and 40, 3,784 or 19-70 per cent, between 40 and 50, 749 or 3-90 per cent, between 50 and 60, 95 or -49 per cent, between 60 and 70, and 16 or -08 per cent, over 70, while the ages of 226 or 1-17 per cent, of the members could not be ascertained. On the other hand, in the eight lodges established before the year 1850, it will be seen that, out of 1,727 members, 43 or 2-49 per cent, were under 20 years of age, 525 or 30-40 per cent, were between 20 and 30, 525 or the same percentage between 30 and 40, 396 or 22-93 per cent, between 40 and 50, 158 or 9-09 per cent, between 50 and 60, 54 or 3-13 per cent, between 60 and 70, and 11 or -69 per cent, over 70 years of age, while the ages of 15 or -87 per cent, were not specified. It will thus be seen that the percentage of members over 60 was between 6 and 7 times greater in these old lodges than in the societies taken altogether, while the percentage of members over 70 was between 8 and 9 times as great. Nevertheless, it must be admitted that the absolute number of aged members in the long-established lodges is exceedingly small, and this result is doubtless due to the large number of secessions which have taken place. The secession-rate in the colonies is very high, and the average duration of -membership is consequently small (notwithstanding a lower mortality) as compared with that in English societies. 18. Table IV. deals with the Benefit Funds of the various societies, giving the particulars of the annual receipts and expenditure, together with the amount of the fund in each lodge at the beginning and end of the year. The contributions to this fund amounted to £25,177 os. 9d., being an average of £1 7s. per member. This average is nearly the same as that of the three previous years. Although several societies have increased their rate during that period, the effect on the statistical tables has been neutralized by the registration of a large number of Druid lodges with very low rates of contributions. The receipts from entrance and clearance fees were £1,766 17s. 3d., or 10s. sd. per member admitted. The average for the year 1881 was 10s. 9d. The total amount paid as sick benefits during the year was £13,738 12s. 3d., or 14s. 9d. per member, and £5 6s. 2d. per member sick, as compared with 15s. 6d. and £5 13s. 3d. in the year 1881; and the average weekly pay, which has been nearly constant for four years, was 16s. 2d. The funeral benefits amounted to £2,853 Bs. The amount of levies to the District Funeral Funds was £3,942 3s. lid., or an average of 4s. 6d. per member in those societies which have a District Funeral Fund. In 1881 the average was 4s. sd. The total receipts of the Sick and Funeral Funds were £46,459 9s. 4d., or £2 9s. lOd. per member, as against £2 10s. 3d. in the previous year. The total payments were £23,452 Bs. 10d., or £1 ss. 2d. per member. The expenditure, therefore, was, as in 1881, a little more than 50 per cent, of the receipts. 19. Table V. exhibits the transactions of the Medical and Management Expenses Funds. In each lodge there is a single fund, usually called tho "Incidental" or tho "Management" Fund, from which medical and management expenses are jointly defrayed. The total amount of expenditure from this fund, for all the lodges, was £31,567 Is. lid., distributed as follows : —■

* 1.e., sickness which had not yet lasted more than six months since the commencement of the attack. t Sickness which had already lasted more than six months, but not more than twelve months. For such sickness societies usually make a weekly allowance at a reduced rate. J Sickness which had already been protracted beyond twelve months. When illness is protracted beyond this, point, the weekly allowance is usually still further reduced.