The Strength of Trade Unions.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 23, 5 June 1902, Page 6

The Strength of Trade Unions.

The total number of registered trade unionp, according to the latest Government report, is 745 ; of these 603 nr* 1 in En/land and Wales, 100 in Ireland, and -12 in Scotland. The aggregate number of members is 1,572,861 ; of these 1,4t>7,527 are in England and Wales, 63,422 in Scotland, and 11 i»I2 111 Ireland. The aggregate funds in all the registered unions amount to £4.137, 0fi0. Of that amount £3,957,435 belongs to the unions in Kngland and Wales, £103 024 in Scotland, and £17 201 in Irel.md. As regards the area in which trado unions montly fl iiirish. Loi d n «tandn first, with lt>2 unions, 438 794 uvnibers, and £1,187.(142 in funds ; Lancashire second, w:lh 162 unions, 331t,817 m-miers £1.017,04(5 aceun.nlatid funds; Durham and Northumberland have 46 unions, with 212,02^ members, and £744/'3!> in funds ; Yorkshire bap C<2 unions, with 117,") 14 memberp, and £380,74.") in funds; Derbyshire has 10 unions, wilh 28,379 members, and £lu7.t>y2m funds. Tue reason why Lane ish ire comes out with so small a proportion of uniuus and members i«, that so many of the unions m the te-xtile trailes are not rcgi-tert d under the Friendly Societies Act. Otherwise Lancashire would have beaten London. Though numerous unions are still unregistered, three-fourths of the aggregate of trade unionists are to be found in those that are registered