§ MR. M. FOWLER (Durham, City)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury what, board and lodging allowance per diem has the Treasury approved for clerks sent from their own prison to another on temporary duty; and whether the Treasury has sanctioned the reduction of the Commissioners of Prisons of this allowance by one-half after the first three weeks; and, if so, upon what grounds, seeing that the clerks expenses must necessarily be about the same as during the first three weeks?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. ASQUITH, Fife, E.)The allowance is 8s. for each day and night, during the first three weeks. The rule of the Department was to reduce the allowance by one-half after the first week, and the extension to three weeks, conferred a considerable benefit on the officers. The 322 reduction is made, on the ground that during the period allowed, an officer would reasonably expect to make arrangements for board and lodging on better terms than at first.