§ MR. FIRTHasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether his attention has been called to the fact that, on Thursday last, the Common Council of the City of London elected a pawnbroker of advanced age to the office of collector of wine dues for the Port of London, at a salary of £400 a-year; whether it is the fact that, in order to such election, the Common Council successively suspended their 83rd standing order, which prevents the election of present or recent members of the Council to offices in the gift of that body, and the 69th standing order, which provides that no bankrupt or insolvent person shall be elected to office under the Corporation; and, whether, in the forthcoming Local Government Bill, he will consider the propriety of excluding from the pension and compensation clauses of the Bill persons hereafter ap- 1807 pointed to any offices which may be thereby modified or abolished?
§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURTSir, I have no authority over the appointments made by the Corporation of the City of London, and I ought not to express any judgment either for or against them.