and the Poor Law. 
Ill 
the certificate of the medical attendant, who states what the illness 
is. There arc some illnesses for which sickness pay cannot be 
claimed. At the expiration of one week from the day on which 
the agent receives the declaration full pay is due. So long as the 
medical certificate continues to be renewed from week to week, 
pay is to be made. This is remitted in the way most convenient 
to the member. The agent uses due vigilance, and if impo- 
sition were attempted, its chance of success is small indeed, 
while fraudulent claims would be dealt with according to law. 
As a rule, a sick man is but too glad to be sufficiently restored 
to health to be able to resume his work and to declare "off" the 
funds. The declarations often express very proper sentiments of 
gratitude to the Almighty for restoration to health, and their 
satisfaction at being no longer burdens on the fund. The per- 
centage of sick members in this society is commonly less than 
half the percentage of sick members in societies where the 
claimant is under the espionage of the stewards. So far from 
there being any argument in favour of espionage as compared 
with the system adopted, the weight of evidence is the other way. 
It is in favour of the medical certificate and due care on the part 
of the agent. 
Burial money is paid as directed by the Act, the provisions of 
which are incorporated in the rules of the society. Old-age pay- 
is remitted as sickness pay is made, the convenience of the 
recipient being taken into account. The agency of 100 or 150 
members is an office which can be conveniently and efficiently 
managed by country postmasters of ordinary intelligence, or 
other trustworthy persons able to keep accounts correctly. 
The cost of sickness pay for IO5. a week, together with 8?. 
burial money, in the case of a man 25 years of age at joining 
the society, is Is. 8(/. a month, or 1/. a year ; for Vis. a week and 
at death, he would pay 24s. a year. For the additional sum 
of 10s. a year, he would secure old-age pay, commencing at 70, 
and lasting for the remainder of his life. Under the present 
conditions of the society, he would receive about 2s. a week as 
a bonus, and in addition to his pension. 
If he preferred to wait till he was 35 before securing old-age 
provision, 5s. a week would cost him 16s. Ad. a year. That the 
amount of such contributions could be defrayed by labourers in 
districts where the wages are good is shown by the sums which 
they are at present lavishing on their beer-house clubs. 
With such advantages as those offered by the Kent Friendly So- 
ciety, it will be interesting to ask in what way the farm labourers 
of Kent avail themselves of them ? All able-bodied labourers in 
Kent have the opportunity of raising themselves by means of this 
