90 Mr W. Fraser o?i the Hidory and Constitution of 



premiums were calculated by the Northampton tables, and by 

 interest at 4 per cent., would take from a person insuring at the 

 age of S5, cither a single sum of £S67 : 15 : 5, or an annual pay- 

 ment during life of £2^:11 : 5, for <^ 1000 payable at death ; 

 while, by the Carlisle table, and assuming the rate of interest to 

 be also 4 per cent., one single payment of £ S82 : 17 : 8, or an 

 annual one of £ 15 : S : 5, would only be required. 



" Upon the whole, your Committee are of opinion, that the Carlisle Tablfes 

 may prudently be adopted for general purposes, including that now in view, 

 the valuation of an allowance in old age. Mr Finlaison's, which are the most 

 recent of all the Tables, Avould, in all cases, give a higher expectation of life, 

 and consequently require a larger payment from the members of a Friendly 

 Society ; but the objection arising from selection does apply, in a considerable 

 degree, to these Tables; and Mr Finlaison himself bears testimony to the 

 sufficiency of the Carlisle Tables." — Report, p. 8. 



This opinion, with the immense mass of documentary and 

 other evidence which has been obtained in the course of the late 

 inquiries, cannot fail to be of the utmost importance to all ranks 

 of the community, and to the higher classes in particular, as 

 shewing both their rate of mortality from their own experience, 

 and also the excessive premiums which they have usually been 

 charged for assurances at death. 



While, however, the mortality of those in the better ranks of 

 life has been found to correspond very nearly with that repre- 

 sented by the Carlisle tables, it is by no means clear that the 

 same rate prevails among the members of Friendly Societies. 

 Regarding this contingency, no results from their experience 

 have as yet been obtained ; but as sickness and accidents are 

 undeniably increased among the working classes, by noxious and 

 dangerous employments, by ill ventilated dwellings, scarcity of 

 food and clothing, and by many other causes, from all of which 

 the higher classes are in a great measure, if not altogether, free, 

 60 it necessarily follows that the mortality will be greater among 

 the members of these Societies than among those of T.ife Assu- 

 rance Associations. Nor can we reconcile the idea of a high rate 

 of sickness with that of a low rate of mortality, as has been 

 virtually done by Messrs Finlaison and Davies, in calculating 

 their proposed rates of contributions and benefits for the mem- 

 bers of Friendly Societies. 



