§ MR. WISEsaid, he wished to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether it is intended to abolish the system of deductions being made by certain officials at the Foreign Office from the salaries paid to Her Majesty's Diplomatic and Consular Servants abroad?
MR. WILSONsaid, that the form in which the question of the hon. Gentleman was put was calculated to mislead. There was no compulsory deduction made from the salaries of the consuls, but the consuls sometimes appointed certain gentlemen in the Foreign Office as their agents, who performed every description of duty for them, received their salaries, forwarded their letters, and did all the business which a foreign Minister required. The foreign Ministers need not appoint agents unless they pleased. But the system had appeared to the Government to be an objectionable one as regarded the officials at the Foreign Office standing in the relation of agents to foreign Ministers, and the matter had been under the consideration of Government. It was in the interest of the foreign Ministers that the system should not be entirely abolished; if it were, they must consider what substitute they could provide for it.
§ MR. WISEsaid, he wished to know whether the system, as it existed, was not an injury to foreign Ministers?
MR. WILSONsaid, he could not see how having an agent could in any way injure the foreign Minister, particularly as the arrangement was quite voluntary.