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Statistics of Membership and Funds. The following table shows the membership of 885 lodges* of the Dominion for the year 1928 : — Number of members, Ist-January .. .. .. .. .. 98,251 Number admitted by — Initiation, &c. .. .. .. .. .. 9,098 Clearance .. . . .. .. .. 1,202 10,300 108,551 Number who died . . .. . . .. .. 756 Number who left by— Clearance .. . . .. .. . . .. 1,307 Arrears, &c. .. .. .. .. .. 5,560 7,623 Number of members, 31st December .. .. .. 100,928 The above figures show an increase in membership equal to 2-72 per cent., as compared with 3-01 per cent, for 1927. The total funds of the societies and branches as at the 31st December, 1928, amounted to £3,728,087, made up as follows: Sick and Funeral Funds (inclusive of amounts transferred to special funds out of surplus), £3,457,115. Medical and Management Funds, goods, &c., £270,972. 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 £36 18s. 9d. Taking the several years 1919-1928, 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 following statement shows the disposal of the total funds (including those of the central bodies) as at the 31st December, 1928 : —

The next table shows the number of members of friendly societies, the amount of their accumulated capital, and the average capital per member in each of the Australian States according to the latest received statistics, and in the Dominion of New Zealand as at the 31st December, 1927, arranged in order of membership : —

y„ nv i Number of Lodges Number Tnt.nl Fnnrla A™r»m Oonitnl * eal - ! tabulated. of Members. lotaliuncls. Average Capital. £ £ s. d. 1919 .. .. .. 735 70,598 2,184,653 30 18 11 1920 .. .. .. 732 74,210 2,321,176 31 5 7 1921 .. .. .. 731 77,814 2,445,843 31 8 8 1922 .. .. .. 74<i 80,777 2,593,692 32 2 2 1923 .. .. .. 774 84,228 2,747,952 32 12 6 1924 .. .. .. 782 87,433 2,955.340 33 16 0 1925 .. .. .. 817 91,353 3,136,237 34 6 7 1926 .. .. .. 843 94,467 3,337,683 35 6 8 1927 .. .. .. 804 i 98,251 3,526,717 35 17 11 1928 .. .. .. 885 ! 100,928 3,728,087 36 18 9

Funds. | As ets. £ £ Sick and Funeral Funds .. .. .. 3,214,131 Investments at interest •. .. 3,184,434 Surplus Appropriation Funds, &c... .. 242,984 Value of land and buildings .. .. 390,151 Management Funds, goods, &c. .. .. 103,785 Cash not bearing interest .. .. 107,743 Widow and Orphans'Funds .. .. 26,508 Value of goods .. .. .. .. 22,340 Distress, Benevolent Funds, &c. .. .. 80,679 Other assets .. .. .. .. 18,372 Owing by Management Funds .. .. 5,047 Total .. .. .. .. £3,728,087 Total .. .. .. .. £3,728,087

Number Number Amount Capital State or Dominion. ! Date of Beturn. of of of per Lodges. Members. Funds. Member. £ £ s. d. New South Wales .. .. .. 30th June, 1927 .. 2,396 240,502 , 3,480,767 14 9 6 Victoria .. .. .. .. ,, „ 1,473 160,411 ; 4,513,972 28 2 10 New Zealand .. .. 31st Dee., „ .. 864 98,251 3,526,717 35 17 11 South Australia .. .. .. „ 1926 .. 673 77,791 2,037,800 26 3 11 Queensland .. .. 30th June „ .. 561 65,204 1,405,300 21 11 0 Tasmania .. .. • • • ■ 31st Dec., ,, .. 183 24,614 i 359,756 14 12 4 Western Australia .. .. .. 30th June, 1927 ... 353 23,022 403,224 17 10 4 * 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.