§ MR. ALDERMAN LUSKsaid, he wished to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, If the Lords of the Treasury in December 1865 received a Petition from the Clerks of the Convict Prisons, praying that their salaries might be increased, the same being recommended by the Governor Colonel Henderson; and if in December 1866 their Lordships received a further Petition from the same parties with the same prayer, and whether any decision has yet been come to regarding it, and if there is any hope that their expectations may be realized?
§ MR. HUNT, in reply, said, the present Question was nearly identical in its terms with one which the hon. Member put to him three weeks ago, and which he then answered. The petition sent in at the end of 1866 was received and the matter referred to another Department, and it was still under consideration. But he wished to point out to the hon. Gentleman that every question of that nature was, more or less, a remonstrance against the control exercised by the 392 Treasury over public expenditure. Since he had held office at the Treasury they had had applications from almost every branch of the Civil Service for an increase of salary; and if every such application was to be followed up in that House by the putting of Questions like the present, it would be exceedingly difficult for any person in his position to retain a proper control over the public expenditure.