H.—l.

Statistics op Membership and Funds. The following table shows the membership of 960 lodges* of the Dominion for the year 1937 :— Number of members, Ist January .. .. .. .. 108,059 Number admitted by — Initiation, &c. .. .. .. .. .. 9,903 Clearance .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,660 11,563 119,622 Number who died .. .. .. .. 1,007 Number who left by— Clearance .. .. .. .. . . 1,709 Arrears, &c. .. .. .. .. .. 4,018 6,734 Number of members, 31st December .. .. .. 112 ,888 The above figures show an increase in membership equal to 4-47 per cent., as compared with 4-29 per cent, for 1936. The total funds of the societies and branches as at the 31st December, 1937, amounted to £5,120,125, made up as follows : Sick and Funeral Funds (inclusive of amounts transferred to special funds out of surplus), £4,718,816 ; Medical and Management Funds, goods, &c., £401,309. Dividing the total funds by the number of members at the end of the year it is found the average capital per member it now £45 7s. Id. Taking the several years 1928-37, 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, 1937 : —

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, 1936, arranged in order of membership : —

4

Year. | | emitters. j Total Funds. j Average Capita,. £ £ s. d. 1928 . .. .. 885 100,928 3,728,087 36 18 9 1929 .. .. .. 900 105,154 3,927,433 37 7 0 1930 . .. •• 906 107,167 4,130,117 38 10 9 1931 . .. .. 912 105,660 4,277,715 40 9 9 1932 .. .. .. 912 102,052 4,398,158 43 1 11 1933 . .. .. 918 100,237 4,538,095 45 5 6 1934 .. .. 929 100,708 4,676,427 46 8 9 1935 .. .. .. 936 103,612 4,812,787 46 9 0 1936 .. .. .. 945 108,059 4,956,948 45 17 5 1937 .. .. .. 960 112,888 5,120,125 45 7 1

Funds. j Assets. £ j £ Sick and Funeral Funds .. .. 4,245,472 Investments at interest .. .. .. 4,409,471 Surplus Appropriation Funds, &c. .. .. 473,344 Value of land and buildings .. .. 499,783 Management Funds, goods, &c. .. .. 230,166 Cash not bearing interest .. .. 148,694 Widow and Orphans'Funds .. .. 34,325 Value of goods .. .. .. .. 22,370 Distress, Benevolent Funds, &c. .. .. 136,818 Other assets .. .. .. .. 34,814 Owing by Management Funds .. .. 4,993 Total .. .. .. .. £5,120,125 Total .. .. .. .. £5,120,125

Number Number Amount Capital State or Dominion. Date of Return. of of of per lodges. Members. Funds. Member. £ £ s. d. New South Wales.. 30th June, 1936 .. 2,428 206,857 4,581,385 22 2 11 Victoria .. .. .. .. „ „ 1,449 184,090 5,858,951 31 16 6 New Zealand .. .. .. 31st Dec., „ .. 945 108,059 4,956,948 45 17 5 South Australia .. .. .. 30th June, „ .. 740 89,886 2,668,315 29 13 9 Queensland .. •• „ 1935 .. 606 67,653 1,843,595 31 1 7 Tasmania .. .. • • • • 31st JJec., ,, .. 192 24,584 455,363 18 10 5 Western Australia .. .. .. 30th June, 1936 .. 340 24,203 599,830 24 15 8 * 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.