Friendly Societies (Amendment) Act 1932 (NSW)

FRIENDLY SOCIETIES

(AMENDMENT) ACT.

Act No. 43, 1932.

An Act to amend the law regarding subventions to Friendly Societies; and for this and other purposes to amend the Friendly Societies Act, 1912-1931, and certain other Acts; to repeal the Friendly Societies Sub­ vention Act, 1931; and for purposes connected therewith. [Assented to, 21st December, 1932.]

lative Council and Legislative Assembly of New South BE it enacted by the King's Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legis­

Wales in Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows :—

1. (1) This Act may be cited as the " Friendly Socie­ ties (Amendment) Act, 1932."

(2) In this Act the Friendly Societies Act, 1912- 1931, is referred to as the Principal Act.

(a) by omitting from section seventy-five all the words after the word "of " where firstly occur­ ring and by inserting in lieu thereof the words " moneys to be provided by Parliament (b)

(3) The Principal Act, as amended by this Act, may be cited as the Friendly Societies Act, 1912-1932.

(1) This section shall be deemed to have commenced

on the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred and
thirty.

2 .

(2) The Principal Act is amended—

(b) by inserting after section seventy-seven the fol­ lowing new section:—

77A. Friendly societies desirous of obtaining the advantages of this Par t shall apply for the same through their trustees, in the form pre­ scribed by regulation, to the Registrar, who shall investigate such claims, and make recommenda­ tions thereon to the Minister.

(c)	by omitting section seventy-nine and by insert­ ing in lieu thereof the following section:—
79. There shall be paid to the trustees of every applicant society by way of subvention—

(a)	forty per centum of the cost to the society for the years ending the thirtieth day of June, one thousand nine hundred and thirty-one, and the thirtieth day of June, one thousand nine hundred and thirty-two, respectively, for sick pay, according to its rules, in respect of the period of sickness after twelve months from the commencement of each case of continuous sickness, for all male members less than sixty-five years of age and for all female members less than sixty years of age;
(b)	eighty per centum of the cost to the society for the years ending the thirtieth day of June, one thousand nine hundred and
thirty-one, and the thirtieth day of June,
one thousand nine hundred and thirty- two, respectively, for sick pay, according to its rules, in respect of all male mem­ bers aged sixty-five years and over and of all female members aged sixty years and over:

Provided that the amount payable by the State under this section shall not exceed four shillings for each week of sickness included in any claim made thereunder.

(d)

(d) by omitting section eighty and by inserting in lieu thereof the following section:—

80. (1) There shall be paid to the trustees of each applicant society an amount equal to eighty per centum of the contributions chargeable for the years ending the thirtieth day of June, one thousand nine hundred and thirty-one, and the thirtieth day of June, one thousand nine hundred and thirty-two, respectively, under the rules of the society—

(a)	to provide the benefits of medical atten­ dance and medicine; and
(b)	to assure the payment of the funeral dona­ tions according to its rules, in respect of all male members aged sixty-five years and over, all female members aged sixty years and over and all widows and widowed mothers of deceased members where such widows or widowed mothers are aged sixty years and over.

(2) The payments to any one or more societies in respect of the funeral donation or donations of any one person shall not exceed the sum payable in respect of a funeral donation of fifty pounds, and if claim is made in respect of contributions for a donation or donations in excess of such amount the amount payable as subvention shall be paid to such societies and in such proportions as the Registrar may deem equitable.

(3) Any amount paid by the State under the provisions of the Friendly Societies Subven­ tion Act, 1931, or by way of special grant since the thirtieth day of June, one thousand nine hundred and thirty, shall be deducted from the amounts payable under section seventy-nine and section eighty of this Act.

(4) The amounts paid to an applicant society under section seventy-nine and section eighty of this Act in respect of any year shall be used by the society for the purposes firstly of

paying

paying the contributions for that year in respect of funeral donations and/or medical attendance and medicine for male members aged sixty-five years and over, female members aged sixty years and over and widows and widowed mothers of deceased members where such widows or widowed mothers are aged sixty years and over, and secondly for the purposes of its sick and funeral fund for that year, and for no other purpose.

(e) by omitting section eighty-one and by inserting in lieu thereof the following section:—

81. (1) There shall be paid annually to the trustees of each applicant society in respect of each year subsequent to that ending on the thirtieth day of June, one thousand nine hun­ dred and thirty-two, an amount equal to the total contributions chargeable under the rules of the society to assure the payment of sickness benefits and funeral donations according to its rules and to provide the benefits of medical attendance and medicine in respect of all male members aged sixty-five years and over, all female members aged sixty years and over and all widows and widowed mothers of deceased members where such widows or widowed mothers are aged sixty years and over.

(2) In each year subsequent to the year
ending the thirtieth day of June, one thousand

nine hundred and thirty-three, there shall be paid to each applicant society in each of the months of September, December, March and June, as an

advance against the payments due under this section of this Act in respect of that year, an amount equal to twenty per centum of the total contributions chargeable under the rules of such society for the benefits of medical attendance and medicine in respect of all male members aged sixty-five years and over, all female members aged sixty years and over and all widows and widowed mothers of deceased members where

such

such widows or widowed mothers are aged sixty years and over during the last preceding year for which payment had been made under this Act.

(3) Payments under this section shall be

made only in respect of—

(a)	a person who was a member of the society on the thirtieth day of June, one thou­ sand nine hundred and thirty-two, and in respect of a benefit which he was contri­ buting for or eligible to receive at that date, or, being without regular employ­ ment at that date in respect of a benefit which it is proved to the satisfaction of the Registrar he had been contributing for or had been eligible to receive prior to that date and at the date when he ceased to be regularly employed, and who, at the date of the application for subvention had been a member of the society for a con­ tinuous period of fifteen years in respect of such benefit; or
(b)	a person over sixty years of age, being the widow or widowed mother of any deceased member who was a member of the society on the thirtieth day of June, one thousand nine hundred and thirty- two, and who had been a member of the society for a continuous period of fifteen years, in respect of any benefit for which
being the widow or widowed mother of she was eligible by the rules of the society, and a person over sixty years of age,

any deceased member, and who at the thirtieth day of June, one thousand nine hundred and thirty-two, was eligible for the benefits of medical attendance and medicine and/or a funeral donation in accordance with the rules of the society.

Provided that no payment shall be made on
account of any person under paragraphs (a) and

(b) of this subsection in respect of any sickness

benefit

benefit or funeral donation in excess of the amount of sickness benefit or funeral donation which such person was contributing for or eligible to receive on the thirtieth day of June, one thousand nine hundred and thirty-two.

(f) by inserting after section eighty-one the follow­ ing new section :—

81A. The moneys received by the trustees of a registered society under this Pa r t of this Act shall be paid by them into the respective funds which, according to the rules of the society, are charged with providing the sickness, medical or funeral benefits of the society or branch, as the case may be.

The trustees shall supply, in the form pre­ scribed by regulation, a statement in adjustment in proof of the due performance of the require­ ments of this section.

(g) by omitting section eighty-six and by inserting in lieu thereof the following section:—

86. Claims in respect of subvention payable under this Par t of this Act shall be in respect of the periods covered by the returns submitted in accordance with section twenty-seven, and shall not be paid unless preferred within six months after the close of the period in respect of which they are payable:

Provided that claims in respect of the years
ending on the thirtieth day of June, one thousand

nine hundred and thirty-one, and the thirtieth

clay of June, one thousand nine hundred and thirty-two, may be made up to the thirtieth day of June, one thousand nine hundred and thirty- three.

3. The Principal Act is further amended—

(a) by omitting from subsection two of section thirty- eight the word " f o u r " wherever occurring and by inserting in lieu thereof the words " three and one-half " ;

(b)

(b) by inserting in subsection one of section one hundred and sixteen after the word " Act " where firstly occurring the words " or any regu- lation made thereunder or by the rules of the society or branch."

4 . (1) The Friendly Societies Subvention Act, 1931,

is hereby repealed.

(2) The Friendly Societies (Further Amendment) Act, 1931, is amended by omitting paragraphs (a), (d), (e) and (h) of subsection two of section two.