§ Mr. FIELDasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that there is a number of assistant clerks in the Patent Office and other branches of the Board in receipt of from £55 to £60 per annum at the age of 21; whether the Board considers such salary constitutes a living wage for Government clerks; and if he will institute inquiries?
Mr. FIELD alsoasked the President of the Local Government Board whether there is in the Board's service a number of assistant clerks receiving at the age of 20 and 21 years only £55 per annum; and whether, seeing that such assistant clerks cannot live respectably without pecuniary assistance from relations, he will make representations on the subject?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The scales of salary authorised for these clerks were arrived at after careful consideration; and have been modified so recently as December last, and I see no2174W ground for reconsidering the conclusions then adopted.