§ Mr. FIELDasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that, under existing circumstances, assistant clerks of the new class who have been promoted to the second division, consequent on specially meritorious service, will, after 1st April next, be placed at a considerable financial disadvantage as compared with those clerks who have not been so promoted; whether he is aware that they will be placed at a similar disadvantage as compared with assistant clerks who may be promoted subsequent to 1st April; and whether he will reconsider the terms of the 1244W recent Treasury letter, with a view to having all promoted assistant clerks of the new class who did not receive the £5 annual increment during the period prior to 1st April, 1905, similarly treated to the unpromoted clerks by granting them the additions allowed to assistant clerks by that, circular?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSESecond division clerks promoted before 1st April, 1909, from the class of assistant clerks have the advantage over assistant clerks not so promoted of the superior scale of the second division, which rises to a maximum of £300 (as compared with the assistant clerks' normal maximum of £150), besides advantages of superior prospects and status. I am aware that certain assistant clerks promoted after 1st April, 1909, to the second division will enter that class on better terms than assistant clerks promoted before that date, by reason of the bonus under paragraph 4 of the Treasury Circular of 22nd December last, but I am not prepared to extend the benefits of that paragraph beyond the persons for whom it was intended, viz., assistant clerks serving on 1st April, 1909, who come within its provisions.