1908.] 



Insurance of Live Stock. 



33 



Gazette, December, 1907) it appears that only 58 of these 

 insurance societies were registered under the Friendly 

 Societies Act in 1906. These had a membership of 3,718, or 

 about 64 to each society. The members' contributions during 

 the year amounted to £1,758 and the compensation paid to 

 about the same sum. The funds in hand at the end of the year 

 were £7,899, or about £136 for each society. From an account 

 of the cow and pig clubs in Lincolnshire given in this 

 Journal in May, 1905, it seems that the subscription 

 to the society is usually a fixed amount, such as 6s. per 

 head per annum in the case of cows regardless of value, and 

 this sum together with entrance fees is found sufficient to pay 

 compensation at the rate of 75 per cent, and to accumulate 

 a reserve fund. The average number of deaths during the year 

 is about 3 per cent. In the case of pig clubs about id. a week 

 per pig is usually paid, but an extra charge is made for breeding 

 sows while sucking pigs are not insured. The compensation 

 paid varies from three-fourths to the full value. The societies 

 are formed for and rely entirely on mutual help, though their 

 income is frequently augmented to a small extent by subscrip- 

 tions from honorary members. 



The extension in the provision of allotments and small hold- 

 ings in England, which is likely to take place in the near future, 

 will make the establishment of societies of this type of still 

 greater importance, and it is to be hoped that this simple and 

 effective form of co-operation, which is well known and under- 

 stood in the rural districts of England, will be largely adopted. 



It may be of some assistance in this connection to give a 

 brief description of the methods which have been successfully 

 adopted abroad. 



The system of co-operative insurance of live stock against 

 losses by death or compulsory slaughter exists in almost every 

 Continental country, and in many it is very widespread. The 

 methods adopted, however, vary very materially. In some 

 countries, such as Holland, insurance societies have grown up 

 without official intervention or State aid ; elsewhere, as in 

 France, for example, mutual insurance has only gained ground 

 since the State began to foster and encourage its development. 

 In Germany, again, local insurance associations have not been 

 found adequate to meet the requirements of owners of live 

 (3288) c 



