§ MR. GRAYasked the Secretary to the Treasury, Whether the out-door Customs officers employed in Ireland, particularly in Belfast, recently memorialized the Treasury to be placed on an equal footing with those of London and Liverpool, alleging that their duties were equally onerous and responsible, and the cost of living equally high; whether these statements are correct; whether a similar equality exists with reference to the pay and emoluments of all, or nearly all, the out-door out-post officers located in Ireland, as compared with those located in England; and, whether, seeing that the pay of these and other civil servants comes from the Imperial Exchequer, and not from local sources, he will consider the propriety of making their remuneration depend upon the amount and nature of their duties and responsibilities, instead of upon the country where these duties are discharged, or otherwise remedying the inequality complained of?
§ SIR HENRY SELWIN-IBBETSONSir, 0n the 12th of February this year, the out-door officers in Belfast memorialized the Treasury in the sense described by the hon. Member in his Question, and about the same time similar Memorials were received from Londonderry, Cork, and Sligo, in Ireland, and from about 20 of the outports in England. All these Memorials are word for word identical—which shows them to be the result of preconcerted arrangement. Speaking generally, I should say that it is certainly not a correct allegation that the duties of out-port officers are as onerous and responsible as those of London and Liverpool officers, or that the cost of living is as high at the out-ports as it is in those two places. There is no difference between the pay of out-door officers at the out-ports in Ireland and in the United Kingdom, therefore there is no reason for altering salaries on that account; nor do I see any other sufficient reason for altering the remuneration of the class of officers referred to, especially as their case was considered at the I time the re-organization of that class of officers took place, so recently as 1871.