§ Mr. WILLIAM THORNEasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the fellowship porters of London, who work chiefly on the London riverside, have to make a payment to the City Corporation of £2 18s. 6d., and a further payment of £5 5s., besides having to pay one-twelfth of their total earnings and a tax of £18 10s. per man per annum direct into the Corporation funds; and if he intends taking any action thereon?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI am informed by the City Solicitor that during the existence of the fellowship referred to by the hon. Member, which was disbanded in 1894, the only sum which was paid to the Corporation by members of the fellowship was the fee for taking up the freedom of the City, a necessary qualification for admission to the fellowship, that this fee for many years amounted to £2 6s. 8d. per member, and that the money thus obtained was allocated by the Corporation to the support of the Freemen's Orphan School, for admission to which the children of deceased members of the fellowship were eligible.