§ COLONEL FRENCHsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of Stale for War, Whether Barrack-Masters, of late employed as Public Accountants, Bankers, and Lawyers, having charge of Public Property, paying and receiving Rents, undergo any examination as to their fitness to carry out so many professions, never before united in the same person; whether assistance is given them by educated clerks or by men taken promiscuously from the ranks at 2s. per diem; and whether the Accountant lately appointed to Pimlico with a very large salary has relieved those officers in Western London of their Financial Duties?
SIR GEORGE LEWISsaid, in reply, that barrack-masters had always been employed as public accountants, and in that capacity had been intrusted with the duty of paying and receiving rents; but they had never been employed either as lawyers or as bankers. They were not required to undergo any examination in regard to their fitness as accountants They received the assistance of certain officials, called barrack-clerks, and also of non-commissioned officers, whose pay averaged about 5s. a day. An accountant had lately been appointed at the Pimlico establishment, with a salary of £410 a year, but his duties were exclusively confined to that establishment, and he had not relieved any officers in Western London of their financial duties.