Friendly Societies 1842-1938 - New Zealand Journal of History ...
Friendly Societies 1842-1938 - New Zealand Journal of History ...
Friendly Societies 1842-1938 - New Zealand Journal of History ...
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
142 JENNIFER CARL YON<br />
Considering this multiplicity <strong>of</strong> benefits and their pr<strong>of</strong>iciency in meeting the<br />
ever evolving and increasing medical needs <strong>of</strong> their members it is apparent that<br />
the friendly societies managed successfully to supply significant relief to those<br />
members for 100 years. They protected their members from the devastating<br />
effects <strong>of</strong> illness or accidents, allowed them to make provision for a decent and<br />
dignified burial, and gave them some relief in old age or times <strong>of</strong> unemployment.<br />
Of necessity though, their membership was confined to the better-paid worker<br />
who could afford the monthly fixed contributions. But just because they could<br />
not meet the needs <strong>of</strong> the working class as a whole does not mean they should<br />
be dismissed as irrelevant. Neither should they be held up as a complete<br />
alternative form <strong>of</strong> welfare provision. They were an extremely effective bulwark<br />
against the effects <strong>of</strong> adversity for a significant group <strong>of</strong> working people.<br />
The University <strong>of</strong> Auckland<br />
JENNIFER CARLYON
Change language