283

H.—2

7. A branch of this society shall be established at each refinery and sugar-mill of the Colonial Sugar-refining Company (Limited), for the convenience of the subscribers, and such branch shall be managed by a district committee acting under these rules. Each district committee shall consist of six members, elected annually by the local subscribers, but, if necessary, the number of members of such district committee may be increased up to a maximum of twelve. Half the members of each district committee shall retire in rotation every six months, but shall be eligible for re-election. Candidates shall be nominated at least one week before the date of election, and no nomination shall be made without the consent of the candidate. Kach district committee shall elect from among themselves a chairman, secretary, and treasurer, also sick visitors, as may be required. Should any local office become vacant through death or resignation, the remaining members of the district committee shall elect another officer, who shall retire at the expiration of his predecessor's term of office. Any local officer absenting himself from three consecutive district committee meetings without giving reasonable cause shall be held to have resigned his office. 8. Meetings of the district committees shall be held not less than once in each month, at which four shall form a quorum. Every question shall be decided by a majority of the votes, and, should the votes be equally divided, the chairman shall, in addition to his ordinary vote, have a easting-vote. 9. The district committees shall have power to enrol members, and to admit new employes of the Colonial Sugarrefining Company (Limited), after three months' service, to full participation in the benefits of the society, if satisfied as to their health and general habits ; but it shall be lawful for a district committee, on a two-thirds majority of their votes, to refuse further contributions from such members, and to refund all amounts paid by them to the society, provided that they have received no sick-pay, or to refund the amounts paid by such members since last in receipt of sick-pay, when they shall have no further claim on the society. The district committees shall not be called upon to give their reasons for excluding any such new employes from permanent membership except to the trustees, to whom they shall report monthly the names of those excluded, and their reasons for excluding them. 10. In the event of the disbursements at any one branch exceeding the amount of the local receipts for the current year the district committee, if in need of further funds, shall make application for the same to the trustees; but, unless under exceptional circumstances, no district committee shall be entitled to assistance from the trustees if the funds of their branch have not exceeded a sum equivalent to 12s. per head of the local members subsequent to their last application for assistance, if any. Should the payments for sick-pay made by any one branch be considered by the trustees excessive and unjustifiable, assistance from the general funds may be refused by the trustees, or, at their discretion, the rate of sick-pay at such branch may be temporarily reduced for a period of six months. 11. Any branch issuing a clearance shall, for a period of twenty-six weeks from date of issue, be responsible for all disbursements for sick-pay, funeral allowanoe, or hospital subsidy made by any other branch of the society on behalf of the member in question. 12. The district chairman shall summon all district committee meetings and, upon a requisition signed by five members, call a special meeting. In the absence of any person entitled to recive funeral benefits on behalf of a deceased member, he shall take charge of the funeral, and render full account to the district committee at its next regular meeting. All personal expenses incurred by the district chairman in carrying out the same shall be defrayed from the funds of the society. He shall sign all clearances and orders for payment. In the absence of the chairman the chair shall be taken by any member of the district committee the meeting may appoint. 13. The district secretary shall enter the minutes of all proceedings, furnish the trustees with a list of the subscribers, and credit the payments made in the members' contribution-books. He shall receive all amounts which may be paid for the registration of the relatives of members, or for the sale of books of rules or otherwise, and shall pay over to the treasurer within forty-eight hours all sums so received without any deduction whatever. He shall keep a record of the names and addresses of members, dates of certificates of sickness, and amount of allowances to sick members, countersign all orders for payment and all clearances, and conduct other clerical work appertaining to his office. He shall furnish the medical officer and the trustees with all particulars as to the local members, shall pay all claims on the local branch of the society on the usual day of payment of wages, and, in conjunction with the district treasurer, shall prepare a balance-sheet to be submitted to the half-yearly general meeting of the local subscribers, which, on being audited by two members appointed for the purpose, and certified as correct by the other members of the district committee, shall be forwarded to the trustees. He shall receive half-yearly such remuneration as may be determined by the local members, with the approval of the trustees. 14. The district treasurer shall receive members' subscriptions, give receipt for all sums received from the district secretary, and pay in to the credit of the society all amounts so received without any deduction whatever. He shall hold in safe keeping all vouchers and documents, which, with the deposit book, he shall deliver up when ordered to do so by a resolution of the other members of the district -committee. He shall issue to the district secretary, on orders signed by the district chairman and countersigned by the district secretary, such sums as may be required for the purposes of the society, but not exceeding the amount of the local receipts for the current year, without special authority from the trustees. 15. Each district committee shall arrange among themselves for each sick member to be visited by one of their number at least once in every week. The sick visitors shall pay sick benefits when due, obtaining receipts for the same, and shall report to the district committee as to the condition of the members on sick-pay visited by them, and give particulars of any fresh application for relief, as hereafter provided. All personal expenses incurred by the members of the district committee in visiting the sick members shall be defrayed from the funds of the society, and (at branches where it is held to be warranted) they shall receive half-yearly such remuneration as may be determined by the local members, with the approval of the trustees. 16. There shall be a half-yearly general meeting of the subscribers at each branch in the first week of January and July of each year, for the purpose of receiving the local accounts for the preceding half-year, and at such meeting the members of the district committee shall be elected by ballot, and the remuneration of the district secretary and of the district sick visitors for the past half-year shall be voted. The first duty of the new district committee shall be the appointment, if required, of a medical officer for the ensuing half-year. 17. Special meetings of the members of the branches may be held when considered necessary on one month's notice being given to the chairman of the district committee by at least five of the local members. 18. The committee of management shall keep proper books of account dealing with each fund separately, and shall once every year prepare a balance-sheet showing the working of each branch separately, and the total receipts and expenditure, and the assets and liabilities of the society, together with a statement of the affairs of the society since the last report, which balance-sheet and statement shall be audited and signed by the accountant of the Colonial Sugar-refining Company (Limited). The books and accounts of the society shall be open to the inspection of any member at all reasonable times, and every member shall be entitled to a copy of such statement and report. 19. Copies of these rules shall be exhibited in prominent positions at each of the branches, and books of rules shall be provided free to each member on joining. 20. Membership of this society shall be restricted to employes of the Colonial Sugar-refining Company (Limited), and of such other persons as come within the provisions of Rule 32. Contractors with their men, who are employed at the refineries or sugar-mills belonging to the Colonial Sugar-refining Company (Limited), shall be deemed employes for the purposes of these rules. Every applicant for membership shall sign an application in the form contained in Schedule I. to these rules. The district committee may require any employe at present in the service of the Colonial Sugar-refining Company (Limited) who does not join the society within three months from the date hereof, or any new entrant, to produce a certificate of good health to their satisfaction from a medical man appointed by them before admitting to full membership. Employes receiving wages of less than £1 weekly may, at their option, contribute at half-rates and receive half benefits. Members other than those temporarily engaged at the mills shall be immediately eligible for all benefits under these rules, but subject to the limitation of sick-pay to be granted to new members during the first quarter of membership, and subject to the approval of the district committee after three months' service. Members temporarily engaged at the mills shall be at once eligible for full benefits without any