H.—l.

U.A.O.D.—Grand Lodge of the North Island of New Zealand; Grand Lodge of Otago and Southland, New Zealand. I.O.R.—New Zealand District, No, 84. G.U.0.0.F. —The Grand United Order of Oddfellows Friendly Society of New Zealand. I.F.S. —The Auckland United Friendly Societies' Dispensary; The Stockton Colliery Medical and Accident Relief Association (2) ; The Wellington Corporation Tramways and Electric Lighting Friendly Society ; The South Otago Friendly Societies' Hospital Benefit Association. S.A.S.—Wellington United Friendly Societies' Dispensary. Annual Returns of Receipts and Expenditure, etc. The Friendly Societies Act requires these returns to reach me on or before the 31st March in each year. The number outstanding at that date in the respective societies was as follows Annual Returns outstanding at 31st March, 1936. Name of Society. Bod?' Branclies - M.U.1.0.0.F. .. .. .. . ° f S ' 40 1.0.0. F. .. " { 3 A.O.F. : 2 i 5 U.A.O.D. ...... 3 Ī.O.R. .. .. .. .. i 7 O.S.T. .. " i H.A.C.B.S. ...... . "7 P.A.F.S.A. .. .. .. .. .. .. ;; '1 5 1.F.5., &c. .. .. .. .. .. .. .... 23 5 114 - v > Statistics op Membership and Funds. 119 The following table shows the membership of 936 lodges* of the Dominion for the year 1935 Number of members, Ist January .. .. .. .. 100 708 Number admitted by— Initiation, &c. .. .. .. .. .. 7,859 Clearance . . .. .. .. . . .. 1 091 8,950 109,658 Number who died .. . . . . .. .. 887 Number who left by — Clearance .. .. ... . . .. • ■ 1,095 Arrears, &c. .. .. .. .. .. 4,064 — 6,046 Number of members, 31st December .. .. .. 103,612 The above figures show an increase in membership equal to 2-88 per cent., as compared with 0-47 per cent, for 1934. The total funds of the societies and branches as at the 31st December, 1935, amounted to £4,812,787, made up as follows : Sick and Funeral Funds (inclusive of amounts transferred to special funds out of surplus), £4,450,140 ; Medical and Management Funds, goods, &c., £362,647. 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 £46 9s. Taking the several years 1926-1935 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 : —

These sums are, of course, held against the societies' liabilities under their sickness and funeral insurances, and the actuarial reports issued from time to time indicate how far they are sufficient or otherwise. The above figures include the latest statistics received from lodges.

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

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y„„ r Number of Lodges Number _ , , _ , tabulated. of Members. Total Funds. Average Capital. 1926 •• •• 843 94,467 3,337,683 35 6 *8 1927 .. .. .. 864 98,251 3,526,717 35 17 11 1928 .. .. .. 885 100,928 3,728,087 36 18 9 1929 .. .. .. 900 105,154 3,927,433 37 7 0 1930 .. .. .. 906 107,167 4,130,117 38 10 9 1931 .. .. .. 912 105,660 4,277,715 40 9 9 1932 912 102,052 4,398,158 . 43 1 11 1933 .. .. .. 918 100,237 4,538,095 45 5 6 1934 .. .. .. 929 100,708 4,676,427 46 8 9 1935 .. .. .. 936 103,612 4,812,787 46 9 0