6 



Village Cluhs and Asssoeiatums. 



Registered and unregistered sick and benefit clul)s con- 

 fined to one village, or to one or two hamlets, were in the 

 process of formation and dissolution up to ID 10, The vitality 

 of the idea of mutual assurance amongst the inhabitants of a 

 small rural area has been amazing, and the vitality of many of 

 the clubs, considei-ing the small field for the calculation of 

 average risk, cannot fail to arouse surprise in candid students. 

 Critics of small village clubs, especially the friends of the large 

 " affiliated orders " of friendly societies have never failed to 

 point to the poor financial standing of these societies. Some 

 half-dozen registered clubs were dissolved in 1910. On the 

 other hand the Launton, Oxon., had a deficiency of 808/. in 

 1904, but by the next valuation in 1909, this was converted 

 into a surplus of 2\2l. And amongst larger societies the South 

 Bucks Friendly Society, and the Stoke and Melford Union 

 Association are notable for the accumulation of surplus funds.^ 

 Also some village societies have been more progressive than 

 even the great " affiliated orders." They have instituted com- 

 pulsoi'y superannuation at sixty-five years of age, and arranged 

 contributions accordingly — a reform much needed throughout 

 the whole friendly society movement. The Stoneleigh and 

 Ashow (Warwickshire), Kempston (Bedford), Wickambrook 

 (Suffolk), and the Hitchin societies are notable in this respect. 

 Further, it is well-known in the friendly society world that 

 villagers are '' better lives " for insurance purposes than indus- 

 trial workers. Recent evidence from several agriciiltural 

 counties proves this is as true to-day as when the Manchester 

 Unity drew up its first actuarial tables in 1844. The sickness 

 rates for all friendly societies compared with a group of village 

 societies show the following differences : — 



And it might be maintained that the failure of many village 

 clul)S is not so much due to inherent weakness of organisation 

 as to other causes, especially the small incomes of members. 

 The financial position of a group of societies in a typical 

 agricultural county may be given, 



' A surplus is any sum left after " the estimated present value of benefits," 

 and the "estimated present value of contributions," amount of accumulated 

 funds, and the rate of interest have been balanced aaainst each other. 



