Benefit or Friendly Societies. 139 



(col. 16.) to the society than they would have been at 21,— it is evident, that, 

 to receive equal benefit with those members who entered at that age, he should 

 either pay upon entry an equalizing sum of L. 5.2234 (coL 14.), which each of 

 the others has already accumulated, and the standard yearly contribution of 

 L. 1 afterwards,— or an increased annual contribution of L. 1.31650 (coL 17.)» 

 —or receive a reduced allowance of only L. 0.782168 (coL 18.) 



As formerly remarked, it was resolved by the Committee of the Highland 

 Society, from the returns affording no proper data for calculating, with any 

 degree of accuracy, the rate of sickness above 70, to terminate the sickness 

 scheme at that age, and to provide for an annuity to such members as should 

 survive it. By column 3. it will be perceived, that, according to the rate of 

 mortality adopted, no less than 313 of the original 1000 members would still 

 remain alive at the age of 71? and who consequently would be left unprovided 

 for in old age and infirmity, had they not also contributed to the annuity 

 scheme. This is wished to be particularly remarked, as very considerable dif- 

 ficulty has been experienced in attempting to convince society members of 

 the necessity of contributing for an annuity, to commence even at the earlier 

 ages of 60 or 65, — at the former of which ages there would be alive out of the 

 1000 who commenced contributing at 21 no less than 528, and at the latter 

 age 443. This reluctance to contribute for an annuity, arises from its being 

 supposed that few, if any, of the working classes will survive these advanced 

 ages ; but, in refutation of this erroneous idea, and in confirmation of the ac- 

 curacy of the table, we need only refer to the great number of old pensioners 

 from the army and navy, notwithstanding the innumerable dangers of sea and 

 war ; and of others, both males and females, who annually become inmates and 

 out-pensioners of the work -houses and other public charities. 



Having thus endeavoured to exhibit the ojjerations of the Sickness Scheme, 

 we might next proceed to trace in the same manner those of the Annuity and 

 Funeral Schemes, but as this would be tedious, and perhaps also unnecessary, 

 the contributions for each of these benefits being the same as the one for sick- 

 ness, there shall be merely shewn the progress]of the total and individual capi- 

 tal of each of these funds. 



It may be premised, that the number of members stated to be annually 

 alive in the Annuity and Funeral Schemes, is somewhat different from that 

 given in the Sickness Scheme. This arises from the number alive in the lat- 

 ter scheme being taken in the middle of the year, as was done by the Com- 

 mittee of the Highland Society for all the schemes ; while here, the number 

 alive in the Annuity and Funeral Schemes is calculated for the beginning of 

 each year, afler the 2l8t year of age. This has been done, with regard to the 

 funeral allowance, to avoid the discrepancy alluded to in the note at p. 263. 

 of the Report of the Highland Society, where it is said, " that the difference 

 betwixt the result by the common mode of calculation, and the one adopted 

 in the Report, is owing to the manner in which the average number of living 

 throughout the year is taken, by which it happens that the number of deaths 

 is not always the exact difference between the successive numbers of the li- 

 ving." The effect of this is to make the individual values less in the earlier 

 ages, and greater in the higher ones. The following Tables, with these divi- 

 sors, were found among the papers of the late Mr Skirving, accountant, which 

 have been kindly communicated to us by his widow. 



"1 



