§ SIR HENRY PEEKasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether it is true as stated in an evening paper, that the allowance for lodgings for Officers of Convict Prisons having been raised in July last, the rent of the officers who reside in Government quarters has been raised by precisely the same amount, whence the gain is, in these cases to the men nothing, and the extra concession by the Government also nothing; if he would state to the House what rate of lodging allowance was paid to subordinate officers in the Convict Service, not living in Government Quarters before July 1873, and what has been paid since that date; what rent was paid by officers who live in Government quarters before July 1873, and what has been paid since that date; what extra charge has been thrown on the public this year by the increase in the lodging allowance to Officers in the Convict Service; what were the rates of pay of Warders in the Convict Service before July 1873, and what since that date; and, what was the allowance for rations before July 1873, and what since that date?
MR. ASSHETON CROSS, in reply, said, he had made inquiry of the Director of Convict Prisons, and he found that the allowance for officers who resided in Government quarters had not been 617 raised either before or since July last, nor had the officers in Government quarters paid any rent at all. The amount charged for the current year would show an increase of £3,500.