§ MR. FIELD (Dublin, St. Patrick)To ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether he can state, with reference to the Treasury letter of May 24th, 1883, authorising the President of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries to raise the salary of eighteen civil assistants employed on the Ordnance Survey to a maximum rate of 21s., and three of these to a maximum of 25s. per diem, in view of the fact that nearly one-half of the total staff of the Ordnance Survey is at present employed in Ireland, why not one of the Board's assistants and others in charge of duties at the headquarters division at Dublin is in receipt of these maximum rates; whether he will consider the claims of these officials to any existing or future vacancies in the list of the eighteen assistants referred to in the Treasury letter; and whether he will cause such regulations to be issued as will ensure the maximum rate being attained within a reasonable period.
(Answered by Sir Edward Strachey.) The Treasury letter referred to authorises the payment of from 12s. to 21s. a day to not more than eighteen assistants, of 1234 whom three may receive from 21s. to 25s a day, but it does not provide that all these assistants should be paid the maximum rates, and various rates of pay between the authorised limits are accordingly allowed in the case of the assistants in question. Two of them are stationed at Dublin, and full consideration will be given to the claims of the staff there when any vacancies in list occur.