ABSTRACT
A study of Mutual Aid is largely a study of the field covered by the Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies, either under that name or under some other title, held always by the same official. The trade unions, like the friendly societies, could register themselves with the Chief Registrar, but were under no compulsion to do so, and very many of the smaller unions remain unregistered, as appears from the figures for certain years. There has never been any question of the State taking responsibility for any of the activities of trade unions as there was in the case of the friendly societies. Housing societies can get priority and subsidy only for new houses and not for reconditioning old ones. This raises the general issue of reconditioning as against building new houses in the present difficult conditions of the country.
