§ Mr. JAMES MASONasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the British Consul-General at Turin has held the rank of Consul-General for nineteen years; whether he is receiving only the pay of a Consul and has never received the pay of a Consul-General; and why he does not receive the pay of his rank?
§ Sir E. GREYThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. Major Chapman was appointed Consul-General at Florence in June, 1896, before the Consular service was reorganised, the pay of the post at that time being £600 a year. In July, 1898, he was given a personal allowance of £100, which was in-858W creased to £200 in April, 1903, his total emoluments being thus £800 a year. In January, 1912, in consequence of a redistribution of posts in Italy, Florence was reduced to an unpaid post. Major Chapman was consequently nominated to the newly-created Consulate at Turin, the salary of which was £800, but was allowed to retain his personal rank of Consul-General, which carries no special rate of pay.