Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

SECTION 1. The town of Methuen is hereby authorized to increase the allowance of former employees retired under the noncontributory retirement laws for accidental disability, by a two-thirds vote of the city council and with approval of the mayor. Said increase in the retirement allowance of any such former employee may be increased to an amount not exceeding one-half the rate of regular compensation payable to employees of said town holding similar positions at the time of increasing such allowance, in the same grade or classification occupied by such former employee at the time of his retirement.

SECTION 2. The town of Methuen is hereby authorized to increase the allowance of former employees retired under the noncontributory retirement laws on account of superannuation after having served said town for a period of not less than 25 years, by a two-thirds vote of the city council and with approval of the mayor. Said increase in the retirement allowance of any such former employee may be increased to an amount not exceeding one-half the rate of regular compensation payable to employees of said town holding similar positions at the time of increasing such allowance, in the same grade or classification occupied by such former employee at the time of his retirement.

SECTION 3. The town of Methuen is hereby authorized to increase the allowance of former employees retired under the noncontributory retirement laws for ordinary disability after having served such town for a period of not less than 25 years, by a two-thirds vote of the city council and with approval of the mayor. Said increase in the retirement allowance of any such former employee may be increased to an amount not exceeding one-half the rate of regular compensation payable to employees of said town holding similar positions at the time of increasing such allowance, in the same grade or classification occupied by such former employee at the time of his retirement.

SECTION 4. If the classification under which any former employee described in section 1, 2 or 3 has been abolished since his retirement, the town of Methuen, by a two-thirds vote of the city council and with the approval of the mayor, may increase the retirement allowance of such employee to an amount as nearly equal as possible to the increases which have been made and which shall be made in the retirement allowance of employees who are retired in the same grade as such former employee, regardless of classification.

SECTION 5. This act shall take effect upon its passage.