The Sun.
London, England, 1855-03-14 00:00:00

FRIENDLY SOCIETIES BILL.

On the motion for going into committee on this bill,
Mr. P. SCROPE said he had no objection to that
part of the bill which consolidated the law relating to
friendly societies, but he could not assent to the appoint-
ment of a commission, which the bill proposed, for the
regulation of these societies. Many of these societies,
which entered into distinct engagements, ought not to
have the prestige conferred upon them of being sanc-
tioned by act of Parliament. His own opinion was,
that they ought merely to sanction societies affording
relief in case of sickness, and supported by monthly sub-
scriptions, but he strongly objected to lending the au-
thority of Parliament to societies which took money from
their members upon the condition of pensioning them off
at some very distant period. In the first case the loss
would be lightly felt if the society miscarried either from
defective calculations or mismanagement ; but in the
second case the loss would fall heavily indeed upon the
vast majority of the members.
Sir G. GREY thought the object of the bill wa3 most
useful. It proposed to consolidate the law of friendly
societies ; it was not a new bill, because a similar mea-
sure was before the house last session, when it was re-
ferred to a select committee, and this bill was the re-
sult of that inquiry.

Mr. BRIGHT said he had been too late to preEent
some petitions in favour of this bill, but perhaps he
might be allowed to state what was the purport of the
petitions. One was signed by 1,700 heads of families
connected with three friendly societies in Manchester,
and they approved of the bill asawhole..

Mr. A. PELLATT said the bill bad been some time
before the working-classes connected with these socie-

ties, who well knew how to take care of their own
affairs, and they cordially approved of the measure.
The house then went into committee on the bill.
Clauses from 1 to 5 inclusive were agreed to.
On clause six,
Mr. MITCHELL said the clause proposed to establish
a Board of Commissioners for regulating Friendly So-
cieties, but receiving no salaries the commissioners would
not be responsible to any one for the due performance of
their duties. It was quite sufficient that there should
be a registrar, and therefore he moved the omission of
this clause.

Mr. SOTHERON said he proposed so to limit the
functions of the commission, that its duties should be
confined to simply giving infirmation to friendly so-
cieties as to their powers and the construction of their
rules. The commission knowing what bad been done
by existing societies, would be able to advise the founders
of new societies as to the best mode of proceeding for
the attainment of the object they might, have in view.
Mr. BRINES thought the bill would be just as good
without this clause as with it, because it was exceedingly
doubtful whether an unpaid commissioner would effi-
ciently discharge its duties, even though thEly were con-
fined to simply giving advice and information. If,
however, the committee detertnined to retain the
spirit of the clause for the sake of establish-
ing a Board of Advice, tide wording of the clause
should Le regulated as to stop the duty of the commis-
sion with the mere giving of advice to those who might
choose to apply for it.
[LEFT SITTING.]