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Typo: A Monthly Newspaper and Literary Review, Volume 5
[Reciprocity of Mortality Allowance]
Reciprocity of Mortality Allowance.—Reciprocity of mortality allowance is not a new proposition. A general mortality fund was first mooted about two years since, and last year a scheme was submitted to the delegate meeting of the Union and adopted, subject to the approval of the different societies. Two or three societies have since sent in their approval of the scheme, but the others have taken no action in the matter, and the Council, in view of the slight interest taken, had no option but to hold the rule relating to the subject in abeyance for a time, until the question had been further ventilated. The scheme approved by the delegate meeting last year is as follows:
Upon the death of a member of twelve months' standing in any one of the societies affiliated with the Union, who shall not be more than 10s 6d in arrears, his nominee or widow shall be entitled to the sum of £25, such sum to be paid at once by the local society. Information and proof of such death to be immediately forwarded to the secretary of the Union. The total sum expended in connexion with this fund to be defrayed annually by the whole of such affiliated societies upon a per capita basis of calculation.
The scheme is simplicity itself, and, as will readily be seen, besides carrying the principle into places where it is not possible for the society to have a fund of its own, provides that a member's allowance shall follow him wherever he goes. This is a very necessary consideration. Under the present system of local funds, a member leaving a district and joining a society where there is a separate fund, leaves his allowance behind him, and is not eligible to participation in the mortality fund of the society he has joined for twelve months. For example: A member of the Melbourne Typographical Society at the present time may be entitled to £36, he paying into that fund since its inception. It becomes necessary for that member to remove to Sydney or elsewhere, and he, as a consequence, retires from the Melbourne Society; if he were to die in the course of a month or so he would be entitled to nothing at all. This is most unsatisfactory, and amounts to nothing short of an injustice. Under the scheme provided for in the Union rules, £25 will follow the member wherever he goes, and whenever he dies that amount will be available. An impression appears to prevail in some directions that under the general scheme the accumulated funds already in existence would be claimed by the Union. This impression is altogether erroneous; societies having these funds would still retain them, to be used at their discretions. The bonus question would also remain a strictly local matter. The £1 per year bonus would not be interfered with in any way under the general scheme, which would simply provide for the £25 minimum being reciprocal among the affiliated societies, anything beyond this being left entirely to local societies. The scheme of a general mortality fund speaks for itself, and the Council are convinced that its adoption by the affiliated societies would be followed by a material strengthening of their ranks—would bring about a better bond of unity, thereby improving the position of societies throughout Australasia. The Council cordially submits the scheme to societies, feeling confident that the result of its consideration will be that the Council will be placed in the position of being able to bring the rule into operation in the immediate future.