§ Sir JOHN LONSDALEasked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) if he will state what is the amount of the weekly wage paid by the Department to the ship inspection staff at Belfast; what is the rate of wage paid to men performing similar duties in Dublin; have the Belfast staff submitted three memorials for increased pay during the last three years; and if the Department proposes to reconsider the present wages-having regard to the increase in the cost of living?
§ Mr. RUSSELLThe pay of ship inspectors, who are usually police pensioners, is governed by a fixed Treasury scale, graded according to ports. The maximum rate of this scale is £1 a week, allowed at Belfast and also at Dublin. One ship inspector in Belfast receives in addition £3 yearly for certain clerical duties, and three ship inspectors at Dublin who are non-pensioners get 30s. (instead of £1 a week). Memorials as mentioned in the question have been received from the Belfast staff. The Department do not feel, however, that there are grounds for singling out the case of the inspectors at this port for special treatment, nor do they think that the present is an opportune time for the reconsideration of ship inspection salaries generally, on account of the cost of living.