§ MR. CLOUGH (Yorkshire, W.R., Skipton)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether steps are being token to test the legality of the poll taken on 24th June, 1908, with regard to the conversion of the Royal London Friendly Society into a mutual insurance company; and whether the Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies will undertake that the resolutions in favour of conversion said to have been carried by such poll shall not take effect until the legality of the poll has been established.
§ MR. HOBHOUSEWe have no power to take steps to test the legality of the poll of a meeting of any friendly society, neither has the Chief Registrar of friendly societies any jurisdiction as to the legality of the poll, which is a matter that can only be settled by an action in the King's Bench Division of the High Court. He has, however, to be satisfied that the resolutions of such meetings have been passed in accordance with the provisions of the Friendly Societies Act before he can give effect to them.