(1) A registered society or branch or a meeting of a registered society or branch shall not be affected by any of the provisions of the Unlawful Societies Act, 1799, or of the Seditious Meetings Act, 1817, if in the society or branch or at the meeting no business is transacted other than that which directly and immediately relates to the objects of the society or branch as declared in the rules thereof; but the society or branch, and all officers thereof shall, on request in writing by two justices of the peace, give to such justices full information of the nature, objects, proceedings, and practices of the society or branch.

(2) If the society or branch when so required fails to give such information as aforesaid, the provisions of those Acts shall, so far as applicable, be in force in respect of the society or branch.