"No proprietary club can be registered under any of these Acts.". The words in brackets are added by me.

Captain the Hon. G. Anson, Chief Constable of Staffordshire, mentioned in his evidence [22nd July 1896, Minutes, vol. I., p. 292, qq. 7092, &c.] a case of a registered working men's club, the name of which he did not disclose, which was tied to the brewery, just like any public house. This and other complaints were answered by Mr. B. T. Hall, the secretary of the Working Men's Club and Institute Union The Commissioners observe that Mr. Hall, "who gave his evidence with remarkable lucidity and ability, spoke very "strongly of the many social and educational advantages which arose from "properly conducted working men's clubs."

We have never been able to detect from the returns made to this Office any great mischief as attaching to the working of registered clubs. The Commissioners "believe that such clubs can and will do much to meet the needs "awakened among the working classes by education and general improvement "of conditions for some better means of social intercourse and recreation than "those provided by the public-house."

The final recommendations, as stated in the majority report, are:

1. All clubs in which intoxicants are supplied should be registered

2. The onus of proving bona fides should be placed on the club applying for registration.

3. No club should be registered unless the club property be vested in all the members of the club or in trustees, and unless no individual member is interested directly in the sale of exciseable liquors on the club premises.

4. The registering authority should examine the rules and satisfy itself that the club is not formed solely for the purpose of sale and consumption of intoxicating liquors, and that some check is placed on the election of members, the privileges of honorary membership, and on the introduction of friends by members.

5. The sale of intoxicating liquors for consumption off the premises should be strictly prohibited.

6. No person under 18 years of age should be admitted as a member of a club in which intoxicants are sold.

The minority report recommends further conditions to be laid down as

necessary.

With regard to the registering authority, the majority of the Commissioners recommend that it should be the stipendiary magistrate in cities and towns where such an officer exists, and in other localities a court of petty sessions, consisting of not less than three justices.

The minority recommend that the registrar should be the clerk of the peace in counties, or the clerk of the peace, town clerk, or clerk to the justices elsewhere, and that his functions should be purely ministerial.

Private Bills.

Reports from this Office on the following private Bills were made to the Treasury, and transmitted to the Lord Chairman of Committees of the House of Lords and the Chairman of Ways and Means of the House of Commons:

The Belfast and Northern Counties Railway Bill (c. Ixiv.).

The Committee on this Bill reported that the clause referred to

had in consequence been struck out by the Promoters.

The Great Northern Railway Bill (c. ccii.).

The Bill was amended in the House of Lords so as to carry out the recommendations of the Report.

The Bootle Corporation Bill (c. ccxxxv.).

The Police and Sanitary Committee resolved in this case to follow the precedent of the Cardiff Corporation Act as recommended in the Report, and the Bill was amended accordingly.

The Belfast Corporation Bill (c. ccxlvi.).

In this case the House of Lords required the precedent of the Cardiff Corporation Act to be followed as recommended.

Friendly Societies and the Medical Profession.

The National Conference of Friendly Societies at its meeting on 13th April adopted the following Resolutions, on the proposition of Mr. J. L. Stead:

(1.) That this Conference of Friendly Societies agrees to the principle of a Conciliation Board having for its object the mutual settlement of disputes between Friendly Societies and their branches and medical officers engaged by such societies or branches.

(2.) That this Conference is of opinion that such Conciliation Board should consist of five representatives appointed by the National Conference of Friendly Societies and five representatives appointed by the General Medical Council.

(3.) That an independent Chairman be elected by the aforesaid ten representatives.

(4.) That no case of dispute be referred to the Conciliation Board unless the parties concerned express in writing their willingness to abide by the decision of the Board.

These Resolutions having been communicated to the General Medical Council, that body passed a resolution accepting the principle of the proposed Conciliation Board, but having been advised that it was not within its statutory province to appoint the medical members, directed the matter to be referred to the voluntary associations which represent the medical profession. It is understood that the British Medical Association has under consideration the appointment of the medical representatives.

A desire having been expressed for a further conference on the matter, I had the pleasure of receiving at this Office, on the 30th November, Sir Wm. Turner, Dr. Glover, Dr. Bruce, Mr. Bryant, and Mr. Teale, of the General Medical Council, and Mr. Cleveland, Mr. Stead, Mr. Stockall, and Mr. Chapman, the Friendly Society representatives, when a satisfactory interchange of views took place.

New South Wales.

An Act to amend the law relating to Friendly Societies in this Colony received the Royal Assent through the Lieutenant-Governor on 5th December 1899, and a copy thereof has been furnished to the Registrar by the Colonial Office. With the under-mentioned exceptions it follows very closely the precedent of the Imperial Friendly Societies Act of 1896.

The purpose of providing medical attendance and medicine (which is held to be included in that of relief in sickness under the Imperial Act) is specified as a separate purpose.

Specially authorised societies are limited to such societies as are for any purpose of mutual benefit and advantage to the member only.

The designations of the branches are to be specified in the acknowledgment of registry of a society having branches.

An actuarial certificate is required for every society which assures to any member thereof a certain annuity or certain superannuation, deferred or immediate, or any sum or sums payable as endowment or in case of sickness or death, or in pursuance of any other object authorised by the Act which is susceptible of calculation by way of average.

After three months' notice to a member in arrear of his subscription, an action may be brought to recover not more than six months' arrears; but a member

may resign at any time, and shall only be liable for arrears up to the date of the resignation.

The Registrar, if he finds it necessary in connection with the annual returns or valuation of a Society or at the request of its trustees, may require production of its books for inspection by himself or any person he may authorise; and the Registrar may obtain from any bank a statement of the amount deposited with it by any Friendly Society.

Every society must have at least three trustees.

The auditors are expressly directed to examine the securities held by the Society, and if they make a special Report, to accompany it by a corrected balance sheet.

The annual return is to contain a list of the members, together with the age of cach, and the periods of sickness, deaths, and other contingencies in respect of which benefits are given by the Society experienced during the year, specifying the members by whom such sickness, deaths, or contingencies have been experienced, and such other information as the Registrar with the approval of the Governor may prescribe.

All valuations are to be made by the actuary attached to the office of the Registrar, and no fees are to be payable in respect of such valuations, or of any audit by a public auditor.

Balance sheets and valuations are not required to be kept hung up at the registered office, but are to be open to inspection by any member at all

reasonable hours.

The provision as to transfer of stock by authority of the Registrar is extended to any funds belonging to the Society.

The minimum age of membership is three years instead of one year.

The total sick pay a member is to receive from one or more Societies is limited to 42s. a week.

The land to be held by a Society is limited (by Section 43) to the purpose of holding its meetings and transacting its business, (but is not so limited by Section 40, which is in the same terms as Section 44 of the Imperial Act)

The vesting effected by the receipt endorsed on a mortgage is to be to the uses and upon the trusts to or upon which the equity of redemption at the date of such receipt stood limited.

If no claim of any person against a Society on account of the death of a member is made within six years, the balance due, after payment of funeral expenses, reverts to the Society.

Provision for the reference of disputes by consent to the Registrar is not made.

The approval of the Registrar is required for the terms of every amalgamation or transfer of engagements, but the assents required by the Imperial Act are dispensed with.

The Registrar may cancel the registry of a Society where it fails to comply with any requirement made by the Registrar, with the advice of the actuary, in reference to the adequacy of its contributions.

Provision is made for the central body of a Society taking over branches which are reduced in number or dissolved.

Signatures to an instrument of dissolution may be given by proxy.

The applicants for an investigation with a view to an award of dissolution are to deposit the costs, but not out of the funds of the Society.

Whosoever being a member of the committee of management of any Society formed after the commencement of the Act for any of the purposes of a Friendly

Society takes any money or value in consideration of the allotment of any shares or interest in that Society before it is registered, shall be liable to a fine of 201. A member guilty of making a false declaration may be expelled, without prejudice to his liability to prosecution.

Existing Societies are to be deemed to be registered under the Act for 12 months, and no longer.

So much of the Friendly Societies Act, 1873, as relates to Benefit, Building, Loan, and Investment Societies, and to Co-operative, Trading, and Industrial Societies, continues in force. As no time appears to be fixed for the commencement of the Act, it is presumed that it took effect on the date of the Governor's

assent.

It is worthy of note that the Legislature of New South Wales should have thought necessary to make so many important modifications in the law relating to Friendly Societies as it exists in this country; though the principal new provisions of the Colonial Act would not be applicable to the circumstances of Friendly Societies in England.

Paris Exposition of 1900.

A considerable number of objects of interest have been sent by Societies for exhibition, more probably than can be displayed in the space available.

Five interesting diagrams have been prepared for me by Mr. Tozer, reduced copies of which are contained in this Report. See after p. 36. In connection with the Exposition, an International Mutualist Congress will be held in June next.

Federal Insurance Scheme in Switzerland.

This project, which has been frequently referred to in the Reports of my predecessor and myself, has now passed through the legislative chambers, and awaits the final verdict of a referendum, which has been fixed for the 20th May. In Appendix (E) to this Report will be found a very able and interesting sketch of the Statute for national insurance in its amended shape, together with an appreciation of the leading principles of the more importaut alterations introduced into the former scheme, which has been most kindly contributed by Dr. Kursteiner, of Gais.

II. GENERAL STATEMENT OF THE BUSINESS OF THE CENTRAL OFFICE IN 1899.

The number of Societies and Branches registered in 1899 under the Friendly Societies Acts increased by 173 over those registered in the previous year; that of Societies registered under the Industrial and Provident Societies Act by 7; that of Trade Unions by 16; and that of Scientific Societies by 6. The number of new Building Societies registered and Workmen's Compensation Schemes certified showed a diminution. The total new registries were 944 as against 795.

The number of amendments registered increased from 3,245 to 3,315.

The total number of rules, amendments of rules, appointments, removals, and special resolutions registered, increased from 9,326 to 9,833.

The fees received and paid into the Exchequer during the financial year 1898-99 were 7731.

The weight of correspondence carried for the Central Office during the year ended 31st March 1899 is stated in the Postmaster-General's Report to have been 153,176 ounces, an increase of 2,672 ounces over that of the previous year, and an average of 500 ounces for every working day.

PROCEEDINGS of the CHIEF REGISTRAR under certain Sections of the Friendly Societies Act, the Trade Union Acts, and the Industrial and Provident Societies Acts, during the Year 1899.

Certificate of Exemption

2

Collecting Societies Act, 1896

Industrial and Provident Societies Act, Cancelling of Registry