§ MR. H. CAMPBELL (Fermanagh, S.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether the Assistant Land Commissioners first appointed under the Land Act of 1881 have been deprived since August last of the 21s. per night allowance for expenses which they received during the seven years expiring in that month, and in lieu thereof now receive an additional salary only of £50 per annum; will he state at whose suggestion this change was made; and does it apply to Commissioners Litton and Wrench, whose term of office expired also in August; if it does not apply to these two Commissioners, what are the grounds for the difference in treatment; will he inform the House what alterations have been made in the salaries and expenses allowed to the Registrars originally appointed to the Sub-Commission; and, whether he will consider the desirability of placing these Registrars on the terms promised them when appointed, considering the extra duties now imposed upon them by the additional sets of lay Commissioners added to the Sub-Commission?
THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. JACKSON)(who replied) (Leeds, N.)said, Assistant Land Commissioners were appointed in 1881 for seven years, and their appointments, therefore, ceased in September last. From that date new appointments were made, some of them being given to the holders of the lapsed offices. In making the new appointments the Treasury made a change in the scale of remuneration of the office. The appointments of 1881 were made on a salary of £750, with a subsistence allowance of £1 1s. for each night absent on duty. The scale sanctioned for the new appointment is an inclusive salary of £800 a-year. The Treasury made the change on their own responsibility, after full inquiry. I believe the new rates afford remuneration adequate to the work to be done, and I can hold out no expectation of their being altered. Commissioners Litton and Wrench are not in any way affected by the change. The Sub-Registrars appointed in 1881 received salary £250, subsistence £1 1s. The scale has now been fixed at an inclusive salary of £500.