HC Deb 15 March 1910 vol 15 cc321-2W
Mr. GOLDMAN

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he can give the membership of the Friendly Society of Operative Masons in each of the last ten years; and whether he can state what is the amount of this society's superannuation allowance at present and five years ago?

Beef. Mutton. Pork. Meat unenumerated (except Rabbits). Total.
Cwts. Cwts. Cwts. Cwts. Cwts.
Chilled 2,663,573 469 878 4,100 2,669,020
Frozen 3,415,214 4,567,947 13,030 392,365 8,388,556
Total 6,078,787 4,568,416 13,908 396,465 11,057,576

Mr. BUXTON:

Returns received by the Board of Trade from the Operative Stonemasons' Society of England and Wales show that the membership at end of each year 1899-1908 was as follows:—

Year. Membership (exclusive of widows).
1899 19,079
1900 19,419
1901 18,684
1902 17,805
1903 17,140
1904 16,303
1905 14,981
1906 13,245
1907 11,442
1908 9,596

The returns for 1909 have not yet been received.

The rates fixed by the society's latest revised rules for superannuation allowance are:—4s. per week for members of 30 years' standing, and 5s. per week for members of 40 years' standing.

The rates according to rules in force five years ago were:—

5s. per week for members of 20 years standing

6s. per week for members of 25 years standing

7s. per week for members of 30 years standing

8s. per week for members of 35 years standing and

9s. per week for members of 40 years standing