870 



REPORT — 1884. 



have reported in favour of the more general establishment of deposit friendly 

 societies. They were led to this by certain defects of the more common system. 

 One of the chief of these relates to lapses, by which a member who thus withdraws 

 forfeits the whole balance of his previous contributions as well as future benefits. 

 The percentage of members lapsing varies between 3 aud 50 per cent, of the total 

 number. In one society, however, which has a deposit as well as a benefit branch, 

 the percentage of secessions in the former is only half that in the latter ; yet were it 

 otherwise the loss to those withdrawing would be comparatively slight, as the chief 

 part of then deposit balance would be recoverable. Some steps in the direction of 

 making allowance for paid premiums will have to be made sooner or later to give 

 this form of thrift fair play, and those societies will be the wisest which do not 

 hesitate to increase their contributions with the view of doing full justice to their 

 members. 



The average duration of sick pay in deposit and friendly societies also presents 

 a marked contrast. In the society on the dual basis already alluded to, the average 

 sickness in the deposit branch, which admits female and even unhealthy members, 

 was less than one-half of that at the benefit branch, which is confined more ex- 

 clusively to healthy members. This, which tallies with more general experience, 

 shows that the deposit system practically discourages malingering, and so protects 

 a man against the unscrupulous action of others in this respect. 



It does not, however, protect him against himself. Members have occasionally 

 exhausted their deposits, and consequently been unable to claim sick pay when 

 they have required it, while the fact that a large number withdraw even from 

 deposit societies proves that a man's fund in them is insecure against himself. 



This, though a comparatively slight evil, makes one hesitate to press the general 

 establishment of deposit societies, and to some extent accounts for the slow progress 

 they have hitherto made. Other causes also have contributed to this result, among 

 which may be noted the necessary complication of the rules, the absence of the social 

 element in most of those at present existing, and the slight interest which the 

 members have been led to take in their management. 



It seems therefore desirable that instead of establishing new deposit clubs in 

 competition with existing benefit societies, endeavours should be made to induce 

 the latter to adopt the dual basis, if proper safeguards can be provided, and to learn 

 from experience the respective merits of the two systems. 



5. The Commercial Relations of Canada ivith Spain and her Colonies. 

 By Don Artuko de Makcoaetu. 



The following statement of the imports and exports between the Dominion 

 with Spain and her colonies in America (Cuba and Porto Eico) and in the Pacific 

 Ocean (Philippine Islands) shows the increase of this international trade in spite 

 of very heavy tariffs on both sides — 



Imports op the Dominion of Canada from the following Countries. 



