140
FRIENDLY SOCIETIES NOT REGISTERED.
altered by 31 & 32 Viet. c. 116 (commonly called “Russell
Gurney’s Act”), which provides as follows :—■
31 & 32 VICT. Cap. 116.
An Act to amend the Law relating to Larceny and Embezzle
ment. [31st July, 1868.]
“ Whereas it is is expedient to provide for the better se
curity of the property of copartnerships and other joint
beneficial owners against offences by part owners thereof,
and further to amend the law relating to embezzlement:
Be it enacted by the Queen’s most excellent Majesty, by
and with the advice and consent of the Lords spiritual
and temporal, and Commons, in this present parliament
assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows :—
“ 1. Member of copartnership guilty of converting to his own
use, &c., property of copartnership, liable to be tried as if not
such member.—If any person, being a member of any co
partnership, or being one of two or more beneficial owners
of any money, goods, or effects, bills, notes, securities, or
other property, shall steal or embezzle any such money,
goods, or effects, bills, notes, securities, or other property
of or belonging to any such copartnership, or to such joint
beneficial oivners, every such person shall be liable to be
dealt with, tried, convicted, and punished for the same as
if such person had not been or was not a member of such
copartnership, or one of such beneficial owners.”
Section 2 extended the provisions of 18 & 19 Viet. c. 126,
<! An Act for diminishing Expense and delay in the Admi
nistration of Criminal Justice in certain Cases,” to embezzle
ment by clerks or servants; but the section is repealed,
and other provision made (so far as regards England) by
the Summary Jurisdiction Act, 1879.
The Act does not extend to Scotland.
Her Majesty’s Friendly Societies Commissioners, in their
fourth Report, pp. clxxvii-viii, in a notice of the remarks on
this head in the eighth edition of the present work, pointed
out the classes of friendly societies which, by the operation of
the statute law, are made absolutely unlawful in default of
registration. These are (1st) those having for object the
acquisition of gain by the society or its members; (2nd)
