MAJORITY REPORT. 
2,3C 
Ancient Order of Foresters (Q. 4389-4390) recommend the reten- 
tion of the waiting period on the ground that ** it is a healthy 
condition of things that a member, entering a Society, should 
serve a certain period, approximating to the quinquennium, 
before he becomes entitled to such additional benefits as the 
Society he joins is paying. It is true that a person entering 
insurance for the first time and a person transferring from 
another Society are not on the same footing in that respect. 
But I think that is covered by the fact that nobody is really 
compelled to transfer, although it may be to their advantage 
and convenience.” The National Conference of Industrial 
Assurance Approved Societies (Q. 5236-5238) are of the same 
opinion, and think that there is no evidence of hardship resulting 
from loss of additional benefits on transfer. The Independent 
Order of Oddfellows, Manchester Unity (Q. 5738-5741, 5982- 
5983, 6088-6097), also say that they have no complaints, and 
think that any loading of the transfer value would lead to great 
complications. The United Women’s Insurance Society favour 
the abolition of the waiting period and consider that there is no 
objection to a loaded transfer value for the cash benefits, and 
state that the ordinary transfer value would be accepted by 
them for the non-cash benefits. (App. XXIV, 13; Q. 10,186- 
10,188, 10,197-10,199, 10,239.) The Stock Exchange Clerks’ 
Health Insurance Society (App. XV, 5; Q. 8446-8447, 8481- 
8486, 8553-8565) are also in favour of immediate title in 
the new Society to additional benefits on the scale of the old 
Society. The Independent Order of Rechabites (App. VIII, 36) 
are willing to have a modification in the case of transfers between 
Branches of the same Societies. The Public Dental Service 
Association (Q. 9794) point out that the five years’ waiting 
period is a serious handicap to good dentition. The National 
Association of Trade Union Approved Societies state (Q. 22,073) 
that ** there is no freedom of choice of Society while the insured 
person forfeits his right to additional benefits. As most Societies 
are giving additional benefits, transfers are almost impossible.’ 
The Standing Joint Committee of Scottish Insured Women 
suggest (App. XLVI, 27; Q. 14,550-14,551) that the waiting 
period should be reduced to two years. 
584. The evidence from the Ministry of Health was to the 
effect that, on the whole, the difficulties of the loaded transfer 
value and the administration of different scales of cash benefit 
are so great that, in spite of the hardship, the present Scheme 
should be retained, so far as the cash benefits are concerned ; 
but they suggest that the title to treatment benefits, in the case 
of those entering into insurance for the first time or transferring 
from one Society to another, should mature at the beginning 
of the third year, thus giving a 2% years’ waiting period, on the 
average. A Society has a limited fund for treatment benefits,