to run until application has been made in succession to all the bodies entitled to determine the dispute under the rules of the society or branch, so however that no rules shall require a greater delay than three months between each successive determination.
(7.) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Arbitration Act 1889 62 & 58 Vict. c. 49., or in any other Act, the court and the chief or other registrar or any arbitrator or umpire to whom a dispute is referred under the rules of a registered society or branch shall not be compelled to state a special case on any question of law arising in the case but the court, or chief or other registrar, may, at the request of either party, state a case for the opinion in England or Ireland of the Supreme Court, and in Scotland of either division of the Inner House of the Court of Session, on any question of law and may also grant to either party such discovery as to documents and otherwise, or such inspection of documents, and in Scotland may grant warrant for the recovery of documents and examination of havers, as might be granted by any court of law or equity, and the discovery shall be made on behalf of the society or branch by such officer thereof as the court or registrar may determine.
Change of Name, Amalgamation and Conversion of Societies.
Power to change name.69.—(1.) A registered society may, by special resolution, with change name, approval in writing of the chief registrar, or in the case of societies registered and doing business exclusively in Scotland or Ireland the assistant registrar for Scotland or Ireland respectively change its name, and shall not change its name in any other manner.
(2.) Any such change of name shall not affect any right or obligation of the society, or of any member thereof, and any pending legal proceedings may be continued by or against the trustees of the society, or any other officer who may sue or be sued on behalf of the society, notwithstanding its new name.
Amalgation and transfer of engagments.70.—(1.) Any two or more registered societies may, by special engagements, resolution of both or all such societies, become amalgamated together as one society, with or without any dissolution or division of the funds of those societies or either of them.
(2.) A registered society may, by special resolution, transfer its engagements to any other registered society which may undertake to fulfil the engagements of that society.
(3.) A special resolution by a registered friendly society for an amalgamation or transfer of engagements under this Act shall not be valid without —
(a) the assent thereto of five-sixths in value of the members, given either at the meetings at which the resolution is, according to the provisions of this Act, passed and confirmed, or at one of them, or, if the members were not present thereat, in writing; and
(b) the written consent of every person receiving or entitled to any relief, annuity, or other benefit from the funds of the society, unless the claim of that person is first duly satisfied, or adequate provision is made for satisfying that claim.
