§ Major McLEANasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the Ministry early in 1922 requested the Rural District Council of Mitford and Launditch to put into force a general scheme of reduction of the salaries of its officials and the wages of its employés, basing such reduction on the fall in the cost of living; that the Council put such a scheme into force in June, 1922; that such scheme included a reduction in the salary of the Council's medical officer of health, and that the Ministry refused to approve of the reduction of the salary of this officer (II.c/2,250/1551, dated 26th October, 1922); and whether he will explain the reasons for this discrimination in favour pf the medical officer, in view of the fact that the reduction of salaries was understood to be general?
§ Mr. WHEATLEYI am not aware that any such request was addressed to the Rural District Council. The reason for the refusal to approve the proposed reduction of the salary of the medical officer of health was, I understand, that efficient service could not reasonably be expected from the medical officer of health of this extensive rural district at less than his existing salary.