§ MR. AUSTIN (Limerick, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether the writers or temporary copyists who came into the service between September, 1870, and August, 1871, in reply to advertisements of the Civil Service Commissioners, and were since appointed to permanent posts, are allowed to reckon for pension purposes the temporary service rendered by them between September, 1870, and August, 1871, as equivalent to that rendered by the old class of writers who are allowed, under a Treasury Minute, to count all their temporary service for pension.
§ MR. HANBURYThe writers in question were appointed after the Order in Council of 4th June, 1870, usually on a scale rising by annual increments. In 1871 it was decided to end this system, and the men appointed under it were given their choice between (a) retiring with a gratuity, (b) continuing their service at a rate of remuneration equal to their existing emoluments, and (c) retiring with their gratuity and then entering themselves upon the ordinary register as temporary copyists at 10d. an hour. In the last case they were allowed to reckon for pension purposes their service prior to 19th August, 1871, on condition that they repaid the gratuity and that they were transferred to the 1272 Establishment without interruption of service.