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It does not follow, of course, that all States take the same method of realizing their responsibilities in social insurance : for instance, in England and Germany the system is universal and compulsory, in Switzerland partially compulsory, in Belgium voluntary, in New South Wales and in New Zealand voluntary. In all cases the State takes part of the financial responsibility by subvention or otherwise. The object of the State in these various schemes is the same —viz., the insurance, on the principle of self-help, of all workers against sickness and suchlike contingencies. The guide to the adoption of a method is no doubt the extent of the evils to be cured. For instance, the Poor-law Commission of recent years in England disclosed sufficient reasons for the British Act since put into operation; and other States have now to consider the problem with a view to evolving a system either to meet present evils or to anticipate, on economic grounds, evils that arise in all civilized industrial, communities. The British Act, the Subvention of Friendly Societies Act in New South Wales, the National Provident Fund Act in New Zealand, are all illustrative of this widespread movement on national lines, and it is of special interest to briefly review these measures. The British Act is compulsory and universal, providing the whole population with medical attend" ance, allowances in sickness and in disability, as well as a payment in maternity. Special treatment for consumption is also included in the benefits. For these the worker has 4d. per week deducted from wages, the employer contributes 3d., and the State subsidizes to the extent of the remaining portion required for the benefits. The Act incorporates the frienldy societies as " approved " societies. The New South Wales Subvention Act, passed prior to the British Act, implies that compulsion need not yet be adopted in that State, and in subventing the societies, which provide the usual benefits of medical attendance, sick-pay, and funeral allowance, it lays a basis for the State's future action. In this case, instead of incurring right away the heavy financial liability of compulsory universal insurance, the scheme is meantime left on voluntary lines, and the societies, by receiving subsidies for certain benefits, are assisted in the effort to effect three important results : — (1.) Lower their contributions to enable a poorer class of worker to join, thus widening their scope. (2.) Reduce the lapse rate by applying surpluses to keep members financial during unemployment and in old age. (3.) Raise their financial status under actuarial valuation. How far short of the practical effect of the British system of compulsion this method will fall it is not yet possible to estimate, but I append in another place some interesting figures relating to the operation of the New South Wales Act since its inception in 1909. The New Zealand National Provident Fund Act of 1910 is a measure having more in common with the British, German, and Belgian schemes than that of New South Wales. Its scheme of benefits is outside or supplementary to those of the friendly societies, and, like the British and German schemes, it provides for the payment by the State of the administrative expenses as well as a subsidy to the contribution income. The Act as it stands at present has gone as far as it is possible without overlapping with the friendly societies ; but there still remains a vast field left untouched by either of these agencies. It is at this point that the State must, sooner or later, either ignore the friendly societies to their great harm or co-operate with them. The basis of national action in New Zealand is embodied in this Act, and its future lies in one of the following directions:— (1.) In extending its principles on compulsory and universal lines, as in Great Britain ; (2.) Adopting a semi-compulsory system to apply to local bodies, employers, &c.; or (3.) Leaving it voluntary in principle, but aiding the friendly societies to undertake what is being done elsewhere by compulsion. IMPERIAL NATIONAL INSURANCE ACT. The gradual bringing into operation of this measure has been now completed, and its difficulties have been largely overcome. The application of compulsion is by this time accepted as unavoidable, while the protracted struggle between the State and the medical profession has terminated in the latter accepting what must be admitted to be a considerably increased rate of remuneration as compared wdth the past. The beginning of the present year saw the Act in full operation, with all benefits payable except the disablement allowance, which does not become first due until 1914. In view of the doubts of the friendly societies in accepting the scheme it is of special interest to observe the part taken by the British societies in securing their quota of the millions of persons thus forced into insurance. Out of the 12,000,000 compulsorily insurable persons it appears that the approved friendly societies have enrolled about one-half, the rest having been secured by the industrial insurance companies. The increase in the voluntary membership of the Manchester Unity 1.0.0. F. during 1912, for instance, is published as 167,000, as compared wdth 33,000 in the previous year. The total increase in its membership, including both State and voluntary membership, is stated to have been 420,000. Out of the 6,000,000 State members in the approved societies a considerable proportion— about 80 per cent. —were already voluntary members of societies, so that the actual gain in State membership to these societies has been nothing as compared with the numbers taken by the industrial companies. On the other hand, a very large proportion of the old membership of societies, who automatically became State members, also continued their voluntary benefits, a result contrary to expectations and to estimates. Moreover, out of the new members who compulsorily joined the societies, it is estimated that one-third have taken up extra voluntary benefits. It would appear, therefore, that the Act has effected a welcome increase in the societies' membership, and considerably strengthened the voluntary side of their business.