Registration of societies and branches
7Societies which may be registered
1
Subject to subsections (2) and (3) below and also to section 9 below, the following societies may be registered under this Act, that is to say,—
a
societies (in this Act called " friendly societies") for the purpose of providing by voluntary subscriptions of the members, with or without the aid of donations, for any of the purposes specified in Schedule 1 to this Act;
b
societies (in this Act called " cattle insurance societies ") for the purpose of insurance to any amount against loss of cattle, sheep, lambs, swine, horses, and other animals by death from disease or otherwise;
c
societies (in this Act called " benevolent societies ") for any benevolent or charitable purpose;
d
societies (in this Act called "working men's clubs") for purposes of social intercourse, mutual helpfulness, mental and moral improvement and rational recreation;
e
societies (in this Act called " old people's home societies ") for the purpose of providing homes for the members and others at any age after fifty ;
f
societies (in this Act called " specially authorised societies ") for any purpose which the Treasury may authorise as a purpose to which the provisions of this Act, or such of them as are specified in the authority, ought to be extended.
2
A society may not be registered under this Act unless—
a
the rules of the society contain provisions in respect of the several matters mentioned in Part I of Schedule 2 to this Act and, in the case of a friendly society or cattle insurance society, also contain provisions in respect of the several matters mentioned in Part II of that Schedule; and
b
the place which under the society's rules is to be the society's registered office is situated in the central registration area or in Scotland ; and
c
the society consists of at least seven persons.
3
A friendly society or branch thereof may not be registered under this Act if it contracts with any person for the assurance of an annuity or of a gross sum in excess of the limits in section 64 below.
4
Where any provisions of this Act are specified in an authority given under paragraph (f) of subsection (1) above, those provisions only shall extend to a society which has been registered as a specially authorised society by virtue of that authority.