INSPECTION.
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INSPECTION.
Insteuctions to inspectors appointed under the Friendly
Societies Act, 1875.
The inspector’s business is confined to the two followingfunctions
:—
1. Examining into the affairs of the society.
2. Reporting thereon to the chief registrar, or, as the casemay
be ; the assistant registrar for Scotland or Ireland.
The inspector is in no wise an arbitrator, still less a judge,
and has no power to decide disputed questions of law or of
fact, nor has he to fulfil the duties of auditor or valuer.
The inspection primarily concerns only the society and
its members ; strangers have no right to be present, and
should only be admitted if the inspector thinks it desirable,
and with the consent of both parties to the inquiry, viz.,,
the applicants and the society.
For the due discharge of his functions, however, he is
invested with certain important powers :—
(1.) He may require the production of all or any of the
books and documents of the society.
(2.) He may examine on oath any—
(a.) Officer,
(&.) Member,
(c.) Agent, or
(d.) Servant
of the society in relation to its business, administering the
oath himself (sect. 23, sub-sect. 1).
The word “ officer,” by the definition in sect. 4, “ extends
to any trustee, treasurer, secretary, or member of the
committee of management of a society, or person appointed
by the society to sue and be sued on its behalf.”
In conducting his inquiries the inspector should, in the
first instance, put the applicants or their representatives
upon the proof of their allegations. Bearing, however, in
mind that his task is to examine and report upon the
affairs of the society, he is in no wise bound to limit his
inquiries to the proof or disproof of the specific allegations
made. On the other hand, he should not admit to examination
all persons who tender themselves as witnesses
irrespective of the matters to be proved.
He will at all times use his discretion as to examining
