57

X.—l

no case may the allowance exceed two-thirds of that salary: under the former Acts the basis had been one-sixtieth of the total salary received by the contributor during the period of contributing to the fund (or, in other words, onesixtieth of his average salary for each year of service during the whole period of contribution), and, in addition, in the case of original members, one one-hundred-and-twentieth of the salary during the years of service between Ist January, 1878, and Ist January, 1906, with a further proviso that in no case should an original member receive a retiring-allowance of less than £52, per annum. By the same Act of 1908 the right of persons employed on Ist January, 1906, as teachers in public schools or under the Education Department to be admitted at a future date was taken away. At the end of 1909 — The number of contributors was .... .... .... .... .... 3,152 Of whom members under Part IX of Education A.ct, 1908, number 144 The annual rate of contribution paid as at the end of the year was over £35,500. The number of retiring-allowances in force was 216, representing an annual charge of over £9,500. Of these — Ordinary allowances were .... .... .... 120, representing £7,316 Allowances in medically unfit cases .... .... 17, „ 1,013 Allowances to widows .... .... .... .... 38, ~ 689 Allowances to children .... .... .... .... 41, ~ 533 The balance at the credit of the fund and invested by the Public Trustee at the end of the year was .... .... .... £118,615 The average rate of interest earned by the investments at the end of the year was 4-78 per cent. Public Libraries. Parliament did not appropriate any sum in 1909 10 for payment of subsidies to public libraries.

B—E. 1,