§ MR. COX (Clare, E.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether he has received a memorial from the Veterinary Portal Inspectors under the Privy Council of 1032 Ireland praying for an inquiry into and redress of certain grievances; whether the Irish Government have yet determined so to improve the terms of employment of the Portal Inspectors as to place them on a footing analogous to that of the Veterinary Surgeons employed by the English Privy Council; and, whether, considering that the whole time of the Irish Portal Inspectors is wholly at the disposal of the public service, the Government will consider a scheme for their superannuation?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. JOHN MORLEY) (Newcastle-on-Tyne)The Memorial in question has been before me; but, in present circumstances, I do not think the Government would be justified in considering the question of changes in the position of these officers who, I may observe, stand at present—in most, if not all, essential particulars — very much on the same footing as similar officers in England.