thousand, embracing some two million of members, and possessing funds to the amount of more than nine millons(sic) of pounds. These figures are quite sufficient to show a strong desire on the part of the working classes to join such socities(sic), and their conviction of the value of the benefits which they are designed to supply. It is, however, a lamentable fact that unsound calculations, bad management and fraud cause many of these institutions to fail. In the last annual report of the Registrar of Friendly Societies it is stated that notices of dissolution have been received from 58 societies during the year 1858, and since that time the number has considerably increased; the causes of dissolution generally arising from the claims made on the funds of pensioners, the numbers of members being small and no increase of young members. Since the passing of the first Friendly Societies Act in 1793 to 1858 the number of enrolled and certified societies was 28,550, and of that number 6,850 had ceased to exist. Founded on incorrect principles they contained in themselves the elements of their own destruction, and when by the lapse of time the weight of their responsibilities began to press upon them, they were found unequal to the strain. The objects of Friendly Societies are the mutual relief and maintenance of members thereof, their wives and their children, or other relatives in sickness, infancy and old age, widowhood or any other natural contingency whereof the occurrence is susceptible of calculation by way of average. Now, in order to secure the permanent well-doing of any society formed for such purposes, it is essential that the contributions should be sufficient to provide the promised benefits. In too many instances, however, this all important rule is disregarded. Men who have a personal interest in the establishment of Benefit Societies too often accomplish their object by offering great advantages at a small cost; and the working man is easily caught by such a bait... The number of societies which have existed long enough to bring the sufficiency of their contributions to a test of experience bears a lamentably small proportion to the number which have become insolvent. In the early stages of such institutions the claims upon their funds are few. They usually start with the great mass of their members in the prime of life and robust health; so, that for awhile, all their receipts appear to be profits. It is only when advancing age, increased sickness or permanent infirmity, together with accelerated claims for funeral money press heavily on the funds that the inadequacy of the original contributions is discovered. The ruin which results from such a state of things falls most heavily on the old members – men, who for the best portion of -
