The Sun.
London, England, 1832-11-26 00:00:00

BENEFIT SOCIETIES.

THE KING v. THE JUSTICES OF SOMERSETSHIRE..

Mr. EARLE appeared to show cause against a rule which
had been obtained by Mr. Pratt, for a mandamus, command'
ing the Justices of Somerset, at their Quarter Sessions, to enrol
the rules of a certain benefit society. The rule was granted o°
the affidavit of William Moxon, who stated, that in 1781, a so'
ciety, called the Marksbury and Stanton Priory Benefit SocietY.
was established, and that the rules were regularly enrolled
1794; that in pursuance of the last Friendly Society Act, the
10th George IV., the deponent applied to the Justices at the
Quarter Sessions, to have the rules enrolled, and that he re'
ceived the rules back, with a letter from the Clerk of the
Peace, stating, that the Justices had refused to allow and con',
firm them, unless tables were annexed of the payments lY
members, and of the benefits arising from the society; Ind
also a certificate from certain persons therein stated, to pro`'
to the Justices that such tables might be adopted with safety
all the parties concerned, according to the sixth section of the
Act of Parliament. In answer to the application, he (Mr'
Earle) had the affidavit of the Right Hon. Henry Hobbouse, i
Chairman of the Somerset Quarter Sessions, stating, that n
April last, when a motion was made by Counsel to enrol the
rules of the said society, the Court refused to enrol them, be:
cause the tables of payments and benefits did not appear to tb,.
Justices to be safe to all parties concerned. The question Ow
at issue was, whether old societies that existed before the
passing of the Act of the 10 Geo. IV, were required to C 00:
form to the sixth section of that Act. The sixth secto„
stated, that no rules ofiany society " hereafter to be formed,
(and those were the words upon which the doubt arose on the
part of the society) should be allowed, unless it appeared to the.
Justices that the tables of payments and benefits could b`
adopted with safety to all the parties concerned, lie C3l',:
Earle) had to contend, that although the words " hereafter t;
be formed" were in the sixth section, by the 39th and 4°t o
sections, the Act was meant to include the old societies, as We

as those formed after the passing of the Act.
Their LORDSHIPS interposed by stating, that this 14;
case of considerable public interest, and therefore it vu'd
be better to enlarge the rule until next term, when it COO
receive a more deliberate consideration.
Mr. EARLE had no objection, for the question involved
the consideration of two or three Acts of Parliament.
Mr. PRATT on the other side consented, and the rule 05
enlarged until next term.
IN RE THE EARL OF LONSDALE. had
Mr. ARMSTRONG applied to enlarge a rule which
been obtained by Sir James Scarlett for a criminal information
against the printer and publisher of a Whitehaven Paper, for.A
libel on the Earl of Lonsdale. The Learned Counsel apPlir-te
to enlarge the rule until next term, when he hoped to be 31'`_,
to state such circumstances, and enter into such an explanati;
as would probably satisfy the noble prosecutor, and induce 10

not to press the prosecution. of,
sir J. SCARLETT had no objection to the postponenle'
but wished it to be understood that he did not pledge himie
to ony particular course.
The rule was then enlarged until next term.