SECOND READING. (Hansard, 13 July 1882)

§ MR. HERBERT GLADSTONE
said, the object of the Bill, as stated in the Preamble, was the repeal of that part of the Friendly Societies Act of 1875 which obliged the Societies to furnish Quinquennial Returns of their sickness and mortality. In the opinion of the authorities of the Registrar's Office sufficient data had been furnished for the calculation of the required Tables. The Returns now available extended over a period of 25 years, and gave, on the lowest calculation, 10,000,000 years of life from which to construct the Tables. The purposes of that part of the Act of 1875 to which this Bill referred being fulfilled, there was now no occasion to continue what had been a heavy, but necessary, burden on the Societies. It was only fair to the officers of the Societies to say that the Returns had been furnished with great regularity, and with much neatness and accuracy. He begged to move that the Bill be now read a second time.

§ MR. W. H. JAMES
said, he believed the Bill would meet with general approbation, not only from Registered Friendly Societies, but from all Friendly Societies throughout the country. Would the hon. Gentleman state when the Report of the Registrar of last year was likely to be published? The last Report they had received from the Registrar of Friendly Societies was in the year 1880, and in that Report the desirability of bringing forward a measure was pointed out, not only in regard to Quinquennial Returns of mortality and sickness, but in regard also to the large questions which it was impossible to include in the draught of this Bill—namely, improvements, alterations, and amendments in the law, which some of the Societies considered necessary. It was very desirable that the opinions of the Societies should be known on this important matter, and that they should be laid before Parliament and the public. At that time of night it was not possible to go into the question; but he should like to know when the Return of which he spoke would be laid on the Table? Great complaint had been made by the officials of the Societies, that pressure was brought to bear upon them if they were irregular or late in making their Returns; and he thought he, on the other hand, had a right to make some complaint in the House of the Registrar being so much behindhand in publishing his annual Return.

§ MR. COURTNEY
said, the Return in question was of an involved and intricate character. He would make inquiries with a view of ascertaining whether its production could not be expedited.