Page:Public General Statutes 1896.djvu/300

280 of the society or branch and their families the benefits of the hospital, infirmary, or other institution, according to its roles.

38. Every registered society and branch shall deliver to every person on demand, on payment of a sum not exceeding one shilling, a copy of the rules of the society or branch.

39. Every registered society and branch shall supply gratuitously of copies of to every member or person interested in its funds, on his application, either

(a) a copy of the last annual return of the society or branch; or

(b) a balance sheet or other document duly audited containing the same particulars as to the receipts and expenditiure, funds, and effects, of the society or branch as are contained in the annual return.

40. A member or person having an interest in the funds of a registered society or branch may inspect the books at all reasonable hours at the Registered office of the society or branch, or at any place where the books are kept, except that the member or person shall not, unless he is an officer of the society or branch, or is specially authorised by a resolution of the society or branch to do so, have the right to inspect the loan account of any other member without the written consent of that member.

41.—(1.) A member, or person claiming through a member, of a registered friendly society or branch, shall not be entitled to receive more than two hundred pounds by way of gross sum, together with any bonuses or additions declared upon assurances not exceeding that amount, or (except as provided by this Act) fifty pounds a year by way of annuity, from any one or more such societies or branches.

(2.) Any such society or branch may require a member, or person claiming through a member, to make and sign a statutory declaration that the total amount to which that member or person is entitled from one or more such societies or branches does not exceed the sums aforesaid

42. The rules of a registered society or branch may provide for accumulating at interest, for the use of any member, any surplus of his contributions to the funds of the society or branch which may remain after providing for any assurance in respect of which they are paid and for the withdrawal of the accumulations.

43.—(1.) A person shall not, by reason of his enrolment or service in the militia or as a naval coast volunteer, Royal Naval volunteer, naval artillery volunteer, or in any corps of yeomanry or volunteers whatsoever, lose or forfeit any interest in a friendly society or branch whether registered or unregistered which he possesses at the time of his being so enrolled or serving, or be fined for absence from or non-attendance at any meeting of the society or branch, if his absence or non-attendance is occasioned by the discharge of his military or naval duty as certified by his commanding officer, any rules of the society or branch to the contrary notwithstanding.