§ MR. VILLIERS STUART (for Mr. MONK)asked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether, having regard to the 1578 fact that 357 Petitions, signed by 3,290 Inland Revenue Officials, were presented to this House during last Session praying for the appointment of a Select Committee to inquire into the inequalities and grievances complained of by the Petitioners, Her Majesty's Government is disposed to accede to the appointment of such Committee?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Mr. CHILDERS), in reply, said, that the complaints of the Inland Revenue officers had been fully considered, and such of the grievances alleged by them as appeared to be well founded had been remedied. But the Petitions to which his hon. Friend referred were really applications for larger salaries, and the inequalities complained of arose out of comparisons made by the Petitioners with salaries in other Departments. Full information on the subject was given to Parliament last Session, and the decision of the Government was communicated to the Service. He saw no reason for altering that decision; and certainly this was no time for increasing the charge for the collection of the Revenue. He could, therefore, give no encouragement to the appointment of a Committee.
§ SIR HERBERT MAXWELLasked whether the 3,290 officials who signed the Petition did not form 97 per cent of the entire employés?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Mr. CHILDERS)said, he could not tell.
§ MR. TOMLINSONasked whether the officials did not ask for an opportunity of showing to a Committee of the House how their demands could be satisfied without increasing the charge for the collection of the Revenue?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Mr. CHILDERS)said, it was not unusual for gentlemen asking for increased salaries to suggest how the money to satisfy their demands could be raised.