§ Mr. ESSLEMONTasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the City of Glasgow Friendly Society are at present making application to the. Registrar of Friendly Societies for his approval to their making a complete amendment of their rules; if so, have the. Treasury satisfied themselves as to the legality of these rules, particularly that one which provides for the society holding meetings of members to elect delegates every three years instead of every year, as in other friendly societies; is the Treasury aware that from the district of Aberdeen a protest dealing with the manner in which the election of delegates from that district at a recent meeting convened for that purpose was carried out, signed by eighty-one members, was submitted to a meeting of delegates of the society; will inquiry be made into the delay in dealing with the matter and assistance afforded the members of safeguarding their interests; can any reason be given why so large a number of the members of this society are without policies; and will steps be taken to see that policies are supplied to the members in terms of the rules of the society?
§ Mr. MASTERMANThe City of Glasgow Friendly Society has applied to the. Assistant Registrar of Friendly Societies for Scotland to register a complete amendment of the society's rules, but it is understood that proceedings have been begun for a declaration that the complete' amendment was not properly adopted. In the Chief Registrar's opinion there is nothing illegal in the rule providing that the delegates should be elected for three years, which appeared in the old rules and is reproduced in the complete amendment. The Assistant Registrar for Scotland has received a copy of a protest signed by certain contributors in Aberdeen and district alleging that the meeting for the election of delegates for that neighbourhood was improperly carried out, but he is not aware whether the protest was submitted to a meeting of delegates of the society. The Assistant Registrar has no power to intervene except in manner provided by the Friendly Societies Act. He is unaware that a number of members of the society are without policies, but, if that be the case, he has no power to compel the society to carry out its rules as to the supply of policies to the members.