In 1795 an act was passed which ex tended the privileges of Mr. Rose's act to other "benevolent and charitable insti tutions and societies formed in this king dom for the purpose of relieving widows, orphans, and families of the clergy and others in distressed circumstances.' Several other acts were passed between 1795 and 1817 affecting the proceedings of these societies, but not in any matter of importance.
In 1817 the Savings-Bank Act' was passed, and under its provisions the offi cers of friendly societies were allowed to deposit their funds in any savings bank, by which means they got security for their property and a higher rate of in terest than they could otherwise obtain. This act has been of essential benefit to these associations.
In 1819 another law was passed, ma king provisions for the further protection and encouragement of friendly societies, and for preventing frauds and abuses in their management; but as this and all other acts previously passed with the same object were repealed and superseded by the act of 1829 (10 Geo. IV. C. 56) which, with two acts passed in 1832 and 1834 (2 Wm. IV. c. 37, and 4 & 5 Wm. IV. c. 40), contain the law as it now stands for the regulation of friendly societies, it is unnecessary to detail here the alterations effected in 1819.
In the years 1825 and 1827 select committees were appointed by the House of Commons to consider the laws relating to friendly societies. The reports made by these committees prepared the way for the enactment of 1829, already men tioned, which, with the subsequent acts of 1832, 1834, and 1846, we now pro ceed to analyze.
The law of 1829 (10 Geo. IV. C. 561, in the first place, authorizes anew the establishment of societies within the United Kingdom, for raising funds for the mutual relief and maintenance of the members. The members of such societies are to meet together to make such rules for the government of the same as shall not be contrary to the intent of the act nor repugnant to the laws of the realm, and to impose such reasonable fines upon the members who offend against any of such rules as may be necessary for en forcing them; and these rules, which must be passed by a majority of the members present, may be altered and amended from time to time by the same authority.
But before these original or amended rules shall be confirmed by the justices of . the county at the general quarter-sessions, they must have inserted in them adeclara tion of the purposes for which the society is established, and the uses to which its funds shall be applied, stating in what shares and proportions, and under what circumstances uny member of the society or other person shall be entitled to the same.
The above statute and the 5 Wm. IV. are amended by an act of 1846, the 9 & 10 Viet. c. 27. Under this act the pur poses for which friendly societies may be formed have been more fully defined and multiplied. In general they may be established for any object, the contin gency of which the probability may be calculated by way of average, and the legality of which the law officers of the crown will certify.
According to this act members may withdraw from societies at any time, if the rules do not prohibit such with drawal, by the payment of arrears and the forfeit of future claims on the funds. In lieu of a barrister a registrar of friendly societies for England, Ireland, and Scotland is appointed to certify rules, and be paid a salary in lieu of fees. Returns of the rates of sickness and mortality, assets and liabilities, to be sent to the registrar every five years, under a penalty of bd on the officer neglecting. Rules, &c., heretofore filed with clerks of the peace, to be returned to the registrar. Registrar not to cer tify the rules of societies established sub sequent to July 3, 1846, unless society has adopted tables of sickness and mor tality certified by the actuary of the Na tional Debt Office, or of some person who has been for five years an actuary to a Life Insurance Company in London, Edinburgh, or Dublin.
Before these directions are complied with, no society is entitled to enjoy any of the privileges or advantages commu nicated by the act; but when the rules shall have been enrolled, and until they shall have been altered and the like con firmation shall have attended such alter ation, they shall be binding upon the members of the society, and a certified copy of them shall be received in evi dence in all cases. The treasurer of each society must give bond to the clerk of the peace for the comity, with two suffi cient sureties, for the faithful perform ance of his trust, and must, on the de mand of the society, render his accounts and assign over the funds of the society at the demand of a meeting of the mem bers. The property of the society is to be vested in the treasurer or trustees of the society, who may bring and defend actions, "criminal as well as civil, in law or in equity," concerning the property, right, or claim of the society, provided they shall be authorized to do so by the vote of a majority at a meeting of the members.