HC Deb 16 May 1912 vol 38 cc1284-5
Mr. GLADSTONE

asked the Secretary to the Treasury, with reference to the state of matters disclosed by the inspector's Report on his investigation into the affairs and management of the City of Glasgow Friendly Society, whether he is aware that the board of management of the society has since printed and issued to the delegates of the society a set of proposed new rules, many of which would, if adopted, have diminished to a serious extent the control of the members of the society over the management of its affairs-and would have made the board of management more autocratic than at present, and that the meeting of delegates convened to consider the new rules was interdicted by the Court of Session, and also that ten delegates elected at a recent meeting of members for the Motherwell district were subsequently interdicted by the Court of Session from acting as such as not having been duly elected, the ground of interdict in each case being irregularities on the part of the board of management in the calling or conduct of the said meetings, whereby the society has been put to very considerable and unnecessary expense; and what steps the Government are now prepared to take to terminate the present management of the affairs of the society?

Mr. BARNES

asked if two inquiries have taken place into the affairs of the City of Glasgow Friendly Society, in which grave charges of mismanagement were found proved, and that the management have been recently taken four times into the Court of Session and twice into the sheriff courts at the instance of private members and found guilty in all cases, except one still sub judice, of irregularities; and, if so, what steps it is proposed to take to end this state of affairs and relieve the present members from further action?

Mr. MASTERMAN

I understand that the Assistant Registrar of Friendly Societies for Scotland has not received any application for the registration of an amendment of the rules since the inspector made his Report. The Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies is making inquiries with regard to the interdicts referred to, but I am informed that, except in the case of misapplication of funds, any action to be taken as a consequence of the inspector's Report must be taken at the instance of the members of the society, and that under the Friendly Societies' Act the Chief Registrar has no power to intervene.