§ MR. FORREST FULTON (West Ham, N.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether a claim to compensation, made under the Local Government Act of 1888, by W. S. Foulsham, an Inspector of Weights and Measures for the old County of Middlesex, has been rejected by the Treasury on the ground that Mr. Foulsham held office subject to annual re-appointment; whether the Clerk of the Assessment Sessions, many of the Justices' Clerks of old Middlesex and other "transferred" officers, who, with the Inspectors of Weights and Measures, are declared by the Act to be entitled to compensation, hold their offices upon the same tenure; and whether the annual re-appointment was a mere formality, the office being practically tenable for life during good behaviour, Mr. Foulsham's two predecessors having in fact (though re-appointed annually) held the office for periods of between 30 and 40 years respectively?
§ MR. JACKSONI fan informed that Mr. Foulsham on the appointed day held an office for one year ending November 12, 1889. On the termination of that period he was not re-appointed. In this case the Treasury did not consider that they were empowered by the provisions of the Local Government Act, Section 120, to require the County 1644 Council to pay any compensation. I may mention that the Treasury are informed that on the termination of his appointment Mr. Foulsham was offered by the County Council and declined other employment. There is no information at the Treasury which will enable me to answer my hon. Friend's question contained in the two last paragraphs.