§ MR. RITCHIEasked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether there are not some writers in the Customs Department appointed prior to June 1870 whose annual increments of salary have been stopped for nearly three years; whether Writers of the same class at the Board of Trade and at the Admiralty have not within the last year had their position 1675 and prospects improved; if he would explain to the House why such improvement has been withheld from Writers in the Customs appointed prior to June 1870, notwithstanding that the Select Committee on Civil Service Writers distinctly recommended the restoration of increments of salary to such Writers; and, whether it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to place the Customs Writers on the same footing as the Writers in the Board of Trade and Admiralty.
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERThere are some writers in several Departments of the public service, including the Customs, who were appointed prior to 1870 and whose annual increments have been stopped by the Order in Council of August 19, 1871. I understand there has been no general alteration made with regard to the writers employed at the Board of Trade and the Admiralty, but that on the re-organization of the Board of Trade some opportunities occurred for providing upon the establishment for many gentlemen employed as writers, and at the Admirality there has been a new class recently added to the establishment into which writers have been taken. There is no intention to withhold from the writers in the Customs the same advantages given to writers, as such, in the public service; but the question is one which, as I said yesterday, has been referred to the Commission now just beginning to sit. Their attention has been directed to it and I hope satisfactory arrangements will be made.