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Statistics of The following table shows the membership of 727 lodges* of the Dominion, for the year 1916 : — Number of members, Ist January .. .. .. .. 7.3,027 Number admitted by— Initiation, &c. .. .. .. .. .. 2,037 Clearance .. .. ... .. .. .. 541 2,578 75,605 Number who died .. .. .. .. .. 077 Number left by— Clearance .. .. . . .. . . . . 566 Arrears, &c. .. .. .. .. .. 3,702 5,245 Number of members at 31st December .. . i .. .. 70,360 These figures show therefore a decrease in membership equal to 3'7 per cent, for the year, which is characteristic of the movement in all countries at the present time, due to the diversion of young lives to active service and the restricted initiation policy operating in societies. The total funds of the societies and branches as on the 31st December, 1916, amounted to £1,9.54,940, made up as follows : Sick and Funeral Funds (inclusive of amounts transferred to special funds out of surplus), £1,782,635 ; Medical and Management Funds, goods, &c, £172,305. Dividing the total funds by the number of members at the end of the year it is found the average capital per member is now £27 15s. Bd. Taking the several years 1907-1916, the number of lodges whose returns were tabulated, the number of members, total funds, and average capital per member at the end of each year were as under :■ —

The above figures include the latest statistics received from lodges. The following statement shows the, disposal of the total funds (including those of the centra bodies) as on 31st December, 1916 : —

The next table shows the number of members of friendly societies, the amount of their accumulated capital, and the average capital per member, in each of the Australian States and in the Dominion of New Zealand, according to the latest received statistics, arranged in order of membership:—

The average capital per member lias been steadily increasing of late, but, though satisfactory from oertain standpoints, this can hardly bo regarded as a healthy sign- -the increase being contemporaneous with the general drop in membership.

* The word "lodge," when applied to all societies, is to be understood as embracing the synonymous terms " court," " tent," <fcc, as used in the various orders.

1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 Year. Number of Lodges tabulated. 516 505 567 009 658 664 081 717 728 727 Number of Membors. 56,817 58,517 64,428 68,000 71,771 73,243 73,601 74,074 73,027 70,360 Total Funds. e 1,118,217 1,123,886 1,260,297 1,307,282 1,441,353 1,553,3311 1,043,177 1,744,456 1,852,855 1,954,910 Average Capital. ii s. d. 19 18 7 19 i 1 19 18 1 20 2 1 20 1 8 21 4 2 22 0 0 23 11 0 25 7 1 27 15 8

Funds. Assets. Sick and Funeral Funds Surplus Appropriation Funds, &c. .. Management Funds, goods, &c. Widow and Orphans' Funds Distress, Benovolent Funds, &c. £ .. 1,727,583 55,052 01,005 15,235 65,405 investments at, interest Value of land and buildings Cash not bearing interest.. Valuo of goods Other assets Owing by Management Fund Total £ .. 1,051,856 199,417 61,622 14,119 24,971 2,955 .. £1,954,940 Total .. .. £1,954,940 I

State or Dominion. Date of Return. I Date of Return. Number of Lodges. Number of Members. Amount of Funds. Capital per Member. i New South Wales .. Victoria New Zealand South Australia Queensland Tasmania.. Western Australia .. .. 31st December, 1915 1915 1915 1915 1915 1915 1915 1,880 1,533 728 574 563 207 291 178,705 157,750 73,027 65,801 52,082 22,881 19,339 £ 1,870,827 2,775,787 1,852,355 1,220,090 797,969 247,420 251,741 £ s. d. 10 10 1 17 11 11 25 7 4 18 12 8 15 0 5 10 10 3 13 0 4