76 
III.—CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES. 
made to the remuneration of the employees by the bonus on wages 
which they have received is shown in the Table below: —• 
Ratio of Bonus to Wages in Profit-sharing Retail 
Distributive (Store) Societies, 1899-1910. 
[Compiled from. Returns made to the Co-operative Union, to the Labour Department, 
and to the Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies.] 
Year. 
No. of Profit-sharing Employees at end 
of year. 
Patio of Bonus to Wages and 
Salaries. 
Distributive 
Departments. 
Productive 
Departments. 
Total. 
Distribu 
tive De 
partments 
Productive 
Depart 
ments. 
Both De 
partments 
together. 
1899 
12,101 
1,075 
13,176 
Per cent. 
6-1 
Per cent. 
6'7 
Per cent. 
6-2 
1900 
# 
# 
12,018 
* 
# 
5-2 
1901 
10,282 
1,903 
12,185 
5’3 
4-9 
5-3 
1902 
11,110 
1,931 
13,041 
5-4 
5-3 
5-3 
1903 
11,756 
2,314 
14,070 
5-4 
5-0 
5-4 
1904 
12,771 
2,448 
15,219 
5-5 
5-2 
5-4 
1905 
14,132 
2,465 
16,597 
5-3 
5-1 
5-2 
1906 
14,680 
2,738 
17,418 
5-1 
5-0 
5-1 
1907 
15,006 
2,736 
17,742 
5-1 
5-1 
5-1 
1908 
14,017 
2,905 
16,922 
5-0 
4-9 
5-0 
1909 
13,958 
2,792 
16,750 
4-6 
4-6 
4-6 
1910 
14,411 
2,829 
17,240 
4-5 
4-6 
4-5 
Note.—A Society is not included in the Tabic for any year in which it did not allot a 
sum to employees. 
* Cannot be stated. 
It will be seen that the ratio of bonus to wages in the distri 
butive and productive departments of these Societies respectively 
has varied but slightly during the twelve years covered by the 
Table, having during the greater part of this period been a little 
over 5 per cent., though it has fallen below this figure in the last 
two years. 
Shareholding by Employees. 
The membership of Retail Distributive Societies, as of Co 
operative Societies of every type, is invariably open, subject to 
election by the Committee of Management, so that there is no 
difficulty in the employees becoming shareholders, and it is believed 
that in most cases they do so. In regard to the extent of the 
control capable of being exercised by the employees at meetings 
of the shareholders, it must be borne in mind that the rule in these 
Societies is one member one vote, irrespective of the number of 
shares held by each. As to their direct influence upon the pro 
ceedings of the Committee of Management, it may be stated that 
it is very unlikely that in any appreciable number of cases em