asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he will explain the cause of the delay in publishing the report of the Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies for the year 1929 until October, 1930; whether he is aware that it was ordered to be printed on 21st May, 1930; and can he arrange for future annual reports of the Chief Registrar to be published at a date earlier than 10 months after the end of the year to which they refer?

The reports of the Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies contain material based on considerable statistical research, and I understand that in the case of Part I of the report for 1929, unexpected difficulties arose which caused considerable delay. I do not anticipate that a similar delay will occur in future.