§ MR. AUGUSTUS SMITHcalled attention to the enormous amount to which the superannuations had of late years run up. It is true that they were asked to Vote this year only £185,000; but it appeared, by a Return moved for by the hon. Member for Lambeth, that the real amount which the House was paying away under the head of pensions and superannuations 588 in the public offices was £874,000; but that did not include all the superannuations; for by account No. 56 it appeared there were heavy items for retiring allowances, compensations, &c., amongst which there was £10,000 for the Woods and Forest Departments; £447,000 under the head of Excise, Customs, Stamps, and Taxes; £687,000 for Civil Allowances; £121,000 for the Probate Act, &c.; being in the whole about £1,200,000. To this was to be added the charge for non-effectives for the army and navy, and it would be found there were altogether granted out of the revenue for non-effective services no less a sum than £5,500,000. He was quite sure that the time must come when Parliament would have to take the question up with a view to put some check on the enormous expenditure which was now going on from year to year under the head of superannuations.
§ SIR HENRY WILLOUGHBYbelieved, that the amount would be found to reach nearer £7,000,000 than £6,000,000. The truth was, law reform was a frightful subject to promote, inasmuch as it involved always an enormous burden upon the country for compensation and allowances. He wished the Chancellor of the Exchequer to explain how the last China Vote, extending to about £1,000,000 differed from the other Votes of Credit passed in the years 1859, 1860, and 1861. It appeared to him that a considerable expenditure had taken place without the direct authority of this House. Where, he asked, would be the objection to place on the table Estimates of the extraordinary expenses of the naval and military armaments in China up to the Treaty of Pekin, so that the House would have a clear view of the extent of the burden thrown upon the country? He further wished to know up to what date the Indian accounts for that war had been balanced.
SIR GEORGE LEWISsaid, the system of accounting for the Indian army would be changed this year. A new arrangement had been made, by which the system of making advances without the authority of Parliament, which was previously practised, would be changed. With regard to the precise point up to which the accounts had been balanced, he was unable to say without inquiry.
MR. PEELsaid, he was not aware that a different principle had been acted on this year in respect to Votes of Credit for China than had been previously pursued.