§ MR. R. DUNCAN () Lanarkshire, GovanI beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade, if he can inform the House of the general practice of the trade unions and trade societies of New York in regard to allowances for out-of-work benefit.
§ MR. LLOYD-GEORGEAccording to information furnished by His Majesty's Consul-General at New York, the only trade unions in New York which pay out of-work benefit are the cigar makers, the window glass workers, and the German-American branch of the Typographical Union. The maximum allowances in the first of these cases are said to be three dollars per week for eighteen weeks to members of at least two years' standing. It is possible that there may be some other instances, but I understand that the subject of out-of-work benefits paid by trade unions has not been investigated in the United States in recent years.
§ *MR. R. DUNCANMust we infer that the great building trades in New York have no out-of-work benefit?
§ MR. LLOYD-GEORGEwas understood to reply in the affirmative.