§ MR. F. S. STEVENSON (Suffolk, Eye)asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether, as the result of the exhaustive inquiry which the Chancellor of the Exchequer undertook to make during the Recess into the question of Friendly Societies, it is the intention of the Government either to propose the appointment of a Royal Commission, or to introduce in the course of the present Session any legislation dealing with the subject?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Mr. GOSCHEN) (St. George's, Hanover Square)Perhaps I may be allowed to answer the Question. As the hon. Member's Question indicates, I have given this subject considerable attention during the Recess. My inquiries have convinced me that, in any action we may take, a broad line of distinction must be maintained between the so-called Collecting Friendly Societies—which are nearly akin to the Industrial Assurance Companies—and the Friendly Societies proper. These two classes of Societies are essentially distinct in constitution and methods; and they must be dealt with on different principles. The need and the demand for reforms seem to be mainly on the side of the former—that is to say, the Collecting Friendly Societies. On the other hand, I am not at this moment prepared to propose further legislation with reference to such Bodies as the Affiliated Orders, Bodies which 260 have shown such remarkable powers of healthy growth and self-government, though the Government would carefully consider suggestions made to them on the subject generally. With regard to the Collecting Friendly Societies, the last step in the proceedings which have taken place was that a deputation representing a Congress of these Bodies recently waited on mo. It then appeared that a Bill embodying the proposals of these Societies for their own reform was about to be introduced by the hon. Member for the University of London (Sir John Lubbock), and I undertook that if the measure were confined to the Collecting Societies the Government would agree to a second reading on condition of the Bill being referred to a Select Committee, where the whole subject might be fully threshed out.