§ Mr. BYRNEasked the Comptroller of the Household, as representing the National Health Insurance. Commissioners, when the Irish Insurance Commissioners began to receive notice from the St. Coman Branch, Irish National Foresters Insurance Society, members that they wished to be transferred; whether in August, 1917, the Commissioners sent out Form A. S. 174 asking for special reasons within fourteen days, otherwise the transfers would not be granted till after the War; why the Commissioners then investigated the matter, if it was necessary to wait to be registered as a friendly society, seeing that the Foresters were an approved society after the National Insurance Act was passed; and if, seeing that the branch has been registered three months, he will state definitely when those transfers will be granted in order to avoid legal proceedings, in order that those members claims can be enforced?
§ Sir E. CORNWALLThe Irish Insurance Commissioners first received notice in August, 1917, that certain members of the County Roscommon Approved Society desired to transfer from that society to a proposed new branch of the Irish National Foresters Society. The former society objected to the transfers taking effect, and it became the duty of the Commissioners under the National Insurance Acts to investigate the grounds of objection. As a result, it appeared that a number of the insured persons for whose transfer application had been made were willing either to withdraw their applications altogether, or to postpone them. Certain irregularities on the part of the new branch in connection with the collection of contribution cards were also revealed, and will have to be dealt with, but the Commissioners will take all possible steps to expedite the matter with a view to any transfers which are allowed taking place at the earliest possible date.