108 
Farm Labourers, their Friendly Societies, 
till he reaches the a^e of 70 years. He should then commence 
as a recipient of old-age pay. An insurance securing him 4^. 
a week for life would receive from the surplus fund an additional 
2s. or 2s. %d. When this admirable application of surplus 
money was first made, which was on the suggestion of the 
founder of the society, the directors allowed it to commence 
from the date of the next preceding valuation. In some cases, 
payments of 10?. or 12?. thus became due to old men and 
women who had never had so much money in their lives, and 
who shed tears of joy when it was placed, without any previous 
intimation, in their hands, and they were further informed of 
additions to be made to their future weekly allowances. It is 
right to add that, with the exception of a small amount which 
was in the early days of the society subscribed by honorary 
members and benevolent people, under the impression that a 
friendly society is a charity, the capital is the accumulation of 
the contributions of the benefit members, together with the 
savings in the management, which is upwards of 30 per cent, 
within the margin allowed for expenditure. With reference 
to the sickness pay ceasing at 70 years of age, it may be noted 
that this is as far as such a provision can go. Of late, the 
Registrar of Friendly Societies and some actuaries have recom- 
mended 65 years as the limit, against which there is nothing to 
be said unless that the earlier date of 65 strengthens the foolish 
prejudice, carefully fanned by the managers of pauperising 
public-house clubs, who tell their dupes that sickness pay should 
be available in a good club for the term of their natural lives ! 
We cannot, however, insure sickness pay for the breaking up of 
the constitution in old age. " The days of our age are three- 
score years and ten, and though men be so strong that they 
come to fourscore years, yet is their strength then but labour 
and sorrow." The insurance against sickness must cease at the 
common limit, and those who survive it should be provided 
with the superannuation allowance. 
The " endowment " insurance is but little used by the farm 
labourer. Women servants, however, have a fancy for it. An 
endowment of 10/. to be paid at the end of 7 years costs 2s. 2d. 
a month, a sum which a careful servant is oftentimes able to save. 
The same amount payable at the end of ten years from com- 
mencement of the insurance costs l.v. 6f/. a month. Here is an 
opportunity for a labourer's daughter who gets into a good place, 
which is often turned to account, and by and bye the girl reaps 
the benefit of her forethought by the possession of a little dowry. 
The probability is that a girl who saves something of her wages, 
instead of wasting them in dress and trinkets composing the re- 
quisites of fashionable life below stairs, becomes a prudent wife 
