Friday's newspapers contain an announcement that a com- plete agreement
has been secured between the Government and the Friendly Societies, and that the representatives of those societies have pledged themselves to support the Govern- ment owing to Mr. Lloyd George's promise to concede almost the whole of their demands. The chief changes in the Bill accepted by Mr. Lloyd George are: (1) Any society, including the Trade Unions, may become approved whatever its mem- bership. Thus the small societies will not lose their inde- pendence. (2) Societies will be able in future to invest as they choose four-sevenths of their funds in the case of men and one-half in the case of women. (3) In cases where the employer pays the wages of the employee during sickness for at least six weeks, the contribution of the employer, with the consent of the Insurance Commissioners, will be diminished by one penny in the case of men and a halfpenny in the case of women. In both cases the employees will pay a penny less.
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