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1935. NEW ZEALAND.

FRIENDLY SOCIETIES AND TRADE-UNIONS. FIFTY-EIGHTH ANNUAL REPORT BY THE REGISTRAR OF FRIENDLY SOCIETIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st DECEMBER, 1934.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly pursuant to the Friendly Societies Act, 1909, Section 9, and the Trade-unions Act, 1908, Section 16.

The Registrar of Friendly Societies to the Hon. the Minister. Sir, — Wellington, Ist July, 1935. I have the honour to submit the annual report of this Office for the year ended 31st December 1934, in accordance with the provisions of the Friendly Societies Act, 1909, section 9, and the Tradeunions Act, 1908, section 16. I have, &c., R. Witheeord, Registrar of Friendly Societies.

REPORT.

General. The membership of friendly societies increased during the year from 100,237 to 100,708, representing a gain of 471, equal to 0-47 per cent. Total accumulated funds of societies increased from £4,538,095 to £4,676,427, the average capital per member being now £46 Bs. 9d., as compared with £45 ss. 6d. at the end of 1933. Net interest credited to the Sick and Funeral Funds during the year totalled £166,797, equal to a rate of £4 Bs. lid. per cent., as compared with £4 7s. 6d. per cent, during the previous year. The average contributions and interest per member credited to the Sick and Funeral Funds increased from £3 7s. sd. to £3 9s. 5d., while the cost of sickness and funeral benefits increased from £1 18s. to £2 os. lid. The total net gain in these particular funds for the year amounted to 18s. 9d. per member. The number of members who died was 935, equal to 9-26 per thousand members at risk, as compared with 852 and 8-39 respectively during 1933. Registrations. There were registered during the past year seventeen new branches, as follows : M.U.1.0.0.F. : Loyal Whakatane Lodge and Loyal Kaitaia Lodge (Auckland District) ; Loyal Opunake Lodge (Taranaki District). 1.0.0. F. : Star of Naumai Rebekah Lodge, Bond of Friendship Rebekali Lodge, Ruapehu Rebekah Lodge, Pride of Bluff Rebekah Lodge, and Clematis Rebekah Lodge. UA.O.D. : Edgecumbe Lodge (Grand Lodge of the North Island of New Zealand). H.A.C.B.S. : St. Patrick's Branch (Opunake), St. Patrick's Branch (Ngaio), St. Francis de Sales Branch (Auckland), St. Joseph's Branch (Upper Hutt), St. Thomas's Branch (Kilbirnie), St. Patrick's Branch (Patea), and St. Joseph's Branch (Wellington), (New Zealand District). P.A.F.S.A. : Southern Cross Lodge. There was also one new society registered : Northern (N.Z.) District of the Hibernian-Australasian Catholic Benefit Society. The following registrations were cancelled by request: 1.0.0. F. : Chertsey Lodge and Waimakariri Lodge. U.A.O.D. : Gonville Lodge (Grand Lodge of the North Island of New Zealand). H.A.C.B.S. : Robert Emmett Branch (Hokitika), (New Zealand Branch). I.F.S : Hawke's Bay United Friendly Societies' Council. I—H. 1.