1826.] Remarks on Friendly Societici 487 



are likely to militate against the good produced by the Saving Banks> 

 we will, before we proceed, prove that they mutually co-operate 

 in support of each other, and thus both become a powerful means of 

 increasing the comfort, happiness, and moral condition of the people. 

 Suppose a labouring man, not a member of a friendly society, has 

 placed five pounds in the Savings Bank, and then falls sick : having no 

 other resource, he gradually diminishes this sum to procure medical 

 advice and medicine, and to support his family during the period he is 

 prevented from pursuing his daily labour, till at last it is all exhausted ; 

 he is then compelled to apply for relief to his parish, and on his recovery 

 has to labour hard to make good his loss, and provide for the future con- 

 tingency of sickness. How different would have been this man's condi- 

 tion if he had only subscribed, at stated periods, a few shillings to a 

 County Benefit Society. On his becoming unable to work, these few 

 shillings would have secured to him medical advice, medicine, and 

 several shillings a-week, until he was able to resume his daily labour ; 

 his savings in the bank would not have been exhausted, and he would 

 go again to his work, thankful that he had been provident enough to 

 secure his earnings, and also comfort, advice, medicine, and money. 

 He would see from personal experience, that these institutions, being 

 used by him at the same time, secured to him advantages which neither 

 could do singly, and thus they are shewn to mutually support each 

 other, and in so doing increase the advantages to the poor and to the 

 kingdom. 



The report from the Select Committee on the Laws respecting Friendly 

 Societies reflects the highest honour on the members who composed it^ 

 for they have elicited an immense mass of evidence on a very abstruse 

 and complicated subject, and stated it with great perspicuity, though 

 in so great detail as to be of little use to the general reader, but invalu- 

 able as a work of reference. 



We must now enter more generally on this part of our subject, since 

 our limits forbid us to yield to the wish tfl proceed more at length. 



It appears that the justices are by law required to satisfy themselves 

 that the formation of a friendly society in a district will be really benefi- 

 cial, " regard being had to the existence of any other society already 

 formed, under wholesome rulea^ within the same district, for the like 

 purposes." This is a necessary enactment, but which has not been 

 attended to. From the opinions of the greatest calculators who have 

 made these subjects their principal stud)', it is admitted that tlie Icixv of 

 average will not operate among a £ew individuals. It is deemed unsafe 

 for less than tzoo hundred to associate, even if the calculations for their 

 contributions are not erroneous. 



In the year 1819, the importance of the associations for niutua! 

 support again attracted the attention of the Government, which had 

 then been fully convinced of the necessity of trying to avert the mis- 

 chief which was becoming apparent from the defects in Mr. Rose's act ; 

 and provided that, justices were not to confirm any tables of payments 

 or benefits, or any rules dependant on or connected with the calculation 

 thereof, until they were satisfied that these tables and rules had been 

 ajjproved of by actuaries, and persons skilled in calculation. The Com- 

 mittee admitted the utility of the provision, and were of opinion that it 

 had been productive of good : but very wisely ask, " Who are professional 

 actuaries or persons skilled in calculation? In what way are the justices 



