§ MR. HOGAN (Tipperary, Mid)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether the attendants were examined, or any evidence invited from them concerning their alleged grievances, by the Committee that recently sat at the British Museum; whether he is aware that the attendants are the only class in the Museum who have received no increase of salary for more than 40 years past, though the same reasons for a higher rate of remuneration applied in their case as in that of other officials who have received substantial increases of salary; and whether he can see his way to suggest to the Trustees a further consideration of the grievances under which the attendants allege they are labouring.
§ MR. HANBURYThe answer to the first paragraph is in the negative. The maximum salary of the attendants has remained unchanged since 1857; but in 501 the meantime their position has been improved, first by converting the three classes into two in 1867, and subsequently by reducing the numbers on the lower class while the numbers on the first class remained untouched. A large number of special allowances for special duties have been granted during the last twenty years. When the salaries of the assistants were recently increased their hours of daily attendance were also extended. That has not been the case with the attendants. The duties of the attendants, the qualifications required of them, and the mode of their appointment differ so much from those of the higher staff of the Museum as to make it impossible to admit that their remuneration should be regulated by the same considerations. It is not the business of the Treasury to make such a suggestion to the Trustees as the honourable Member recommends.