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Teachers' Superannuation Fund— continued. 1926-27. 1927-28. £ £ Number of contributors at 31st January .. .. .. 8,371 8,680 Number of members admitted during period.. .. .. 967 841 Number retiring from the fund, during period .. .. 559 532 Net increase in membership at 31st January.. .. .. 408 309 Number of allowances in force at end of period .. .. 1,273 1,364 Representing an annual charge of .. .. .. .. £174,816 £192,635 Ordinary retiring-allowances .. .. .. ..768 £132,225 843 £149,554 Retiring-allowances under extended provisions of section 75 of the Act .. .. .. .. .. 110 £17,923 109 £17,504 Retiring-allowances in medically unfit cases .. .. 125 £16,720 128 £17,205 Allowances to widows .. .. .. ..183 £5,686 195 £6,058 Allowances to children .. .. .. ..87 £2,262 89 £2,314 Funds invested at 31st January — £ £ At 41per cent. .. .. .. .. .. 30,450 30,350 At 5 per cent. .. .. .. .. .. 12,920 12,920 At 5i per cent. .. .. .. .. .. 38,260 81,160 At 5J per cent. .. .. .. .. .. 12,000 At 6 per cent." ~ .. .. .. .. 771,613 935,487 At 6£per cent."! .. .. .. .. .. 169,419 73,127 Total .. .. .. .. .. £1,034,662 £1,133,044 Average rate of interest on investment at 31st January .. 5-99 per cent. 5-87 per cent. Subsidy to Public Libraries. The sum of £3,000 was distributed to public libraries in country districts on the basis of subsidy on moneys raised locally by voluntary contribution. Three hundred and twenty-five libraries participated in the grant, receiving amounts varying from £6 lis. to £.12 3s. The subsidy is not paid to libraries situated in towns or boroughs with a population exceeding fifteen hundred. Parliament will be asked to appropriate a further sum of £3,000 this year to enable the payment of subsidy to be continued.