2.

Functions of the central office.

3. Functions of assistant registrars generally.

4. Functions of assistant registrars for Scotland and Ireland.

5. Salaries and expenses.

6. Report of the chief registrar.

7. Deposit of documents.

Registry of Societies.

8. Societies which may be registered.

9. Conditions of registration.

10. Name of society.

11. Acknowledgment of registry.

12. Appeals from refusal to register.

13. Registry of amendments of rules.

14. Registry of societies carrying on business in more than one part of

the United Kingdom.

15. Registry of dividing societies.

16. Registry of societies assuring annuities.

Privileges of Registered Societies.

32. Exception of societies from corresponding Societies Acts, &c.

33. Exemptions from stamp duty.

34. Transfer of stock standing in name of trustee.

35. Priority on death, bankruptcy, &c. of officer.

36. Membership of minors.

37. Subscriptions to hospitals.

51. Description in legal proceedings.

52. Investments with the National Debt Commissioners.

53. Discharge of mortgages by receipt endorsed.

Officers in Receipt or Charge of Money.

54. Security by officers.

55. Accounts of officers.

Payments on Death generally.

56. Power of member to dispose of sums payable on his death by nomination.

57. Proceedings on death of a nominator.

58. Intestacy.

59. Estate duty to be paid when the whole estate exceeds one hundred pounds.

Change of Name, Amalgamation, and Conversion of Societies.

69. Power to change name.

70. Amalgamation and transfer of engagements.

71. Conversion of society into company.

72. Saving for right of creditors.

73. Conversion of society into branch.

74. Meaning of special resolution.

75. Registration of special resolutions.

Inspection: Cancelling and Suspension of Registry: Dissolution.

76. Inspectors and special meetings.

77. Cancelling and suspension of registry.

78. Dissolution of societies.

79. Instrument of dissolution.

83.

Notice of proceedings or order to set aside dissolution.

84. Offences.

Offences, Penalties, and Legal Proceedings.

85. Offences by societies to be also offences by officers, &c.

86. Continuing offences.

87. Punishment of fraud, false declarations, and misappropriations. 88. Fine for falsification.

89. Fine for ordinary offences.

90. Special offences in the case of friendly societies.

91. Recovery of fines.

92. Jurisdiction of court of summary jurisdiction.

93. Appeals.

94. Legal proceedings.

Fees: Forms: Regulations: Evidence.

95. Remuneration of county court officers.

96. Fees.

97. Fees payable to registrar of births and deaths.

98. Forms.

99. Regulations for carrying out Act.

100. Evidence of documents.

Application of Act.

101. Application to existing societies.

102. Application to Scotland.

103. Application to the Isle of Man.

104. Application to Channel Islands.

105. Payment to representatives in Channel Islands and Isle of Man.

CHAPTER 25.

An Act to consolidate the Law relating to Friendly and other Societies. A.D. 1896. [7th August, 1896.]

BE

E it enacted by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

The Registry Office.

1.—(1.) There shall continue to be a chief registrar of friendly societies The registry (in this Act called " the chief registrar"), and one or more assistant office. registrars of friendly societies for England (in this Act called "assistant registrars for England"), and the chief registrar and assistant registrars for England shall continue to constitute the central office of the registry of friendly societies.

(2.) There shall continue to be an assistant registrar of friendly societies for Scotland (in this Act called "assistant registrar for Scotland"), and an assistant registrar of friendly societies for Ireland (in this Act called "assistant registrar for Ireland ").

(3.) Every chief registrar and assistant registrar shall be appointed by and shall hold his office during the pleasure of the Treasury.

(4.) The chief registrar shall be a barrister of not less than twelve years standing, and one at least of the assistant registrars for England, and the assistant registrar for Ireland, shall be a barrister or solicitor of not less than seven years standing, and the assistant registrar for Scotland shall be an advocate, writer to the signet, or solicitor of not less than seven years standing.

(5.) The central office may, with the approval of the Treasury, have attached to it such assistants skilled in the business of an actuary and an accountant as may be required for discharging the duties imposed on the office by this Act.

2. (1.) The central office shall continue to exercise the functions and Functions powers formerly vested

of the central

(a) as respects trade unions, in the registrar of friendly societies in office. England; and

(b) as respects building societies, in the registrar of building societies in England; and

(c) as respects unincorporated benefit building societies, loan societies, and societies instituted for purposes of science literature or the fine arts, in the barristers appointed to certify the rules of savings banks or friendly societies,

and shall be entitled to receive all fees payable to those registrars and barristers; and all enactments relating to those registrars and barristers shall, so far as respects trade unions and such societies as aforesaid, be construed as applying to the central office.