J 
MAJORITY REPORT. 
ele 
more particularly entertained by the smaller Societies. In the 
larger Societies the necessity for applying those provisions arises 
almost daily in the ordinary routine of business, and the officials 
of those Societies who deal with such cases have become so 
familiar with the work that it does not generally present any 
serious difficulties to them and, as a result, mistakes are com- 
paratively rare. In the smaller Societies, however, where the 
transfer to Class K is not a matter of every-day occurrence, it 
is probable that the administration of the present provisions 
does give rise to difficulty and that mistakes may from time to 
time occur. 
520. We now proceed to examine the two main proposals 
which have been placed before us for varying the present pro- 
visions of the Act with regard to the insured woman who 
marries. These are a marriage bonus and a free year’s insurance. 
© 591. The chief arguments advanced in support of the proposal 
to provide a bonus to all insured women who marry are, first, 
that it would be a popular benefit in a large proportion of cases 
and might be expected to lead to prompt notification of marriage, 
a consequence eminently desirable in the interests of proper 
administration ; and, secondly, that it would be very convenient 
from the point of view of simplicity of administration if the 
woman's previous insurance could be completely brought to an 
end by such a lump sum payment. We do not consider that the 
arguments in support of this proposal are sufficiently strong to 
justify a reversal of the decision of Parliament on the subject to 
which we have referred above, and we are of opinion that such an 
application of Health Insurance funds would be contrary to the 
general intention of the Act and would be out of place in a 
national scheme of Health Insurance. The proposal would, 
moreover, involve fresh waiting periods for benefits in the case 
of women who remain continuously in employment after 
marriage. We do not, therefore, recommend the adoption of 
this proposal. 
522. The proposal that insured women who cease work at cr 
about the time of marriage should be treated in exactly the same 
way as other insured persons who cease insurable employment 
is attractive from the point of view of simplicity of administra- 
tion. Tt would free Societies from the risk of making incorrect 
payments through the member's failure to notify her marriage ; 
and the ordinary procedure, with which all Societies are familiar 
and which can be followed automatically on the basis of the 
surrender or non-surrender of stamped cards, would be followed. 
Tor the reasons which we set out below, however, we do not 
consider that this plan is feasible and we are unable to recom- 
mend its adoption.. Marriage marks not only a change in the 
economic status of the woman who marries, but also a change in 
her liability to the risks against which she is insured; and for