§ MR. CREMER (Shoreditch, Haggerston)asked the honourable Member for Staffordshire (North Western Division), as a Junior Lord of the Treasury, If he could state what were the acts of insubordination alleged as a cause of William Brightwell's dismissal from his employment as a gardener at the British Museum; what were the dates of such acts; whether any complaints in regard to idleness or insubordination had been made against him before he gave evidence at Bow Street Police Court; what was the evidence of the alleged idleness assigned as the cause of his dismissal; and, will he lay the evidence on both cases before the House?
THE LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. LEVESON GOWER) (Stafford, N.W.), in reply, said, that there had been complaints with regard to Brightwell before he had given evidence at Bow Street Police Court. The Earl of Morley had considered the case, and fully indorsed the decision of his Predecessor at the Office of First Commissioner of Works.
§ MR. HOWARD VINCENT (Sheffield, Central)asked whether William Brightwell was not several weeks out of employment after his arbitrary dismissal, and whether employment was not given to him out of compassion at the House 474 of Commons at the instance of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals?
MR. LEVESON GOWERsaid, Brightwell was now employed at the House of Commons, and might have been so employed immediately on his dismissal from the British Museum if he had chosen. The interval between his dismissal and employment at the House of Commons was due to no fault of the authorities. He was now employed at a lower rate of remuneration. The matter had been thoroughly investigated by the First Commissioner of Works, and upon that investigation he took his stand. He must ask the House to take it from him that no partiality of any kind whatever had been brought to the consideration of this question.