H.—l.

A detailed valuation report was supplied to each society, but the following summary may be of general interest: — Southland District, M.U.I.O.O.F.—This society consisted of fourteen lodges, each being responsible for the actual cost of sickness benefits paid to its own members, but combining for the purpose of distributing the costs of funeral benefits over the whole district. Seven of the lodges disclosed surpluses aggregating £13,149, while the total deficiencies of the remainder was £6,878. The net surplus over the district was £6,271, an improvement of £9,490 for the period under review after allowing for surplus appropriations during the quinquennium. Sickness claims of male members were 11-7 per cent, below the standard table, while that of female members was 58-6 per cent, above the same standard. The average annual rate of interest over the whole district was 4-80 per cent. Auckland Provincial District, N.I.O.O.F.—The valuation of this society, which comprises two lodges, disclosed a deficiency of £2,579, as against £3,744 at the previous valuation. Although the amount of the deficiency was reduced, there was only a small increase in the ratio of solvency, due to the proportionately large decrease in membership. The average annual rate of interest credited was 3-86 per cent., while the sickness claims, although heavier than in the previous period, were still below the standard adopted in the valuation. Hawke's Bay District, A.O.F. —This district, which consisted of fourteen courts, disclosed a surplus of £9,467, and as the whole of the surplus declared at the previous valuation was used for the purpose of consolidating the securities the improvement during the quinquennium is represented by the amount of surplus now shown. Sickness claims were somewhat heavier than in the previous period, but were still below those expected by the standard table, while the average rate of interest credited was 5 per cent, per annum. South Canterbury District, A.O.F. —The four courts comprising this district each controls its own Sick and Funeral Fund, but reassures funeral benefits with the District Funeral Fund. Three of the courts had surpluses aggregating £11,812, one court a deficiency of £428, and the District Funeral Fund a surplus of £572. This net surplus of £11,956 over the district as a whole was £6,548 better than at the previous valuation, having regard to surplus appropriated during the period. Light sickness claims were experienced, to which three of the four courts contributed, while the average annual rate of interest credited to all benefit funds was 4-84 per cent. New Zealand Central District, I.O.R.—The valuation of this society, which consisted of forty-six tents, disclosed a surplus of £31,530, an improvement of £18,394 after allowing for surplus appropriations during the period. The sickness experienced by male members was 12 per cent, below the standard table, while that of female members exceeded the same standard by 62-5 per cent. The average annual rate of interest credited to the consolidated Sick and Funeral Fund as a whole was 5-31 per cent. New Zealand District, H.A.C.B.S. —Consisting of sixty-six branches, this society showed a surplus of £43,434, this being an improvement of £20,461 after taking into account appropriations during the quinquennium. The average annual rate of interest credited to the consolidated Sick and Funeral Fund as a whole was 5-13 per cent. The sickness claims exceeded those expected by the standard tables by 5-2 per cent, in the case of male members and by 24-9 per cent, in the case of female members, approximately one-half of the branches experiencing heavy claims. Wellington Corporation Tramways and Electric Lighting Friendly Society. —The valuation disclosed a surplus of £2,181, which is £1,542 better than the position at the beginning of the quinquennium, after allowing for surplus appropriations. The favourable sickness experience—l 2-8 per cent, below the standard —was similar to that of the previous period, while the average annual rate of interest credited was 5-25 per cent. Wellington Municipal Employees' Sick Benefit and Death Levy Society. —This society, which was valued for the first time, showed a deficiency of £1,183, due mainly to unfavourable sickness and mortality experience. Had it not been for considerable fluctuation in membership a much greater deficiency would probably have been disclosed. PART lI.—TRADE-UNIONS. One new trade-union was registered during the year —viz., Puponga Coal Miners Society. The registrations of twenty-one unions were cancelled during the year —viz., Christchurch Operative Bootmakers' Society ; New Zealand Union of the Federated Stewards' and Cooks' Union of Australasia ; Wellington Operative Bootmakers' Society ; Grey Valley Coal Miners' Association; New Zealand Federated Wharf Carters', Expressmen's, and Storemen's Union ; Hawke's Bay Operative Bootmakers' Union ; Wellington Eight Hour Federated Union ; West Coast Workers' Trade Union ; The Whangarei Coal Miners' Trade Union ; The Lyttelton Stevedores' Trade Union ; The Wellington Waterside Workers' Union ; The Hikurangi Coal Miners' Trade Union of Workers ; Taratahi Meat Works Employees' Union ; The Auckland Waterside Trade-union of Workers ; The Point Elizabeth State Miners' Trade Union; The Westport Waterside Workers' Union ; The Northern Fishermen's Union ; Wellington Municipal Employees Trade Union ; The Wellington General Merchants Employees Trade Union ; The Taranaki Stock and Station Agents Clerical Employees Trade Union ; The Otago and Southland Stock and Station Agents' Clerical Employees' Trade Union. The following change of name was approved : " Hawke's Bay Accountants' and Sharebrokers' Employees' Guild " to " Hawke's Bay Public Accountants' and Sharebrokers' Employees' Guild." Three partial amendments were registered: New Zealand Locomotive Engineers, Firemen, and Cleaners' Association; The New Zealand Workers' Union ; Hawke's Bay Public Accountants' and Sharebrokers' Employees' Guild. There were twenty unions on the register at the end of the year.

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