§ MR. FIELDTo ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether the chief clerkship in the audit office was abolished because the duties were very light, as were also those of the Assistant Comptroller and Auditor; whether this official undertook to perform the duties of chief clerk in addition to his own, and applied to the Treasury for increased emoluments owing to increased work; whether it was found impossible to give him this increase; and whether, in consequence of this, he now delegates some of these duties to the private secretary.
(Answered by Mr. Runciman.) The Assistant-Comptroller and Auditor on appointment undertook to perform any additional duties that might devolve upon him as a result of the abolition of the chief clerkship then in contemplation. The suggestions in the latter sentences of the Question are entirely without foundation. There are similarly unfounded suggestions referring to the same officer in two other Questions of the hon. Member put down for later dates; and I desire to express my regret that the hon. Member should have thought fit to make suggestions of this character with regard to a high officer who occupies a position of peculiar responsibility towards this House.