§ MR. JAMES (Gateshead)asked the President of the Local Government Board, Whether, in the past 12 months, during the audits of the Gateshead School Board and Union, the Newcastle-on-Tyne School Board and Union, and the Tynemouth Union, it has been the habit of the auditor to remain over night during his audits; and, if so, whether he charged £1 per night for each night he so stayed in addition to his salary and expenses, and on what ground he was entitled to do so?
THE PRESIDENT (Mr. RITCHIE) (Tower Hamlets, St. George's)The auditor of the district which includes the places named resides at Darlington, and during the period mentioned it has 706 been his usual practice, when auditing the accounts of the Gateshead School Board and Union and the Tynemouth Union, to remain overnight at the audit, and he has received the usual allowance of £1 per night when so absent from home. The railway journey to and from Gateshead would involve travelling 80 miles each day; while the difference between the allowance for personal expenses when absent from home at night and the travelling expenses would be 2s. 10d. Similar observations apply to the Tynemouth audit, except that North Shields, where the audit is held, is at a greater distance from Darlington than Gateshead, and a longer time would be occupied in travelling. Long journeys must necessarily seriously interfere with the time available for audit and correspondence and preparation of Reports; and I am satisfied that the arrangement to which attention is drawn was in the public interest.