§ Colonel ASHLEYasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he is aware that on the 10th June last the Conciliation and Arbitration Board awarded an increase of war bonus to all writers and clerks in Government offices, bringing the total war bonus for male adults up to £1, and that, although the discharged soldiers employed in the Army Pay Office of the Royal Engineers at Chatham have repeatedly approached the regimental paymaster with a view to securing the 6s. increase to which they are entitled under the above award, they received no satisfactory reply, although the money is being paid out to the dockyard writers and clerks employed in other Government offices in the district; and what action he proposes to take to remedy this grievance?
§ Mr. FORSTERThe award referred to is an award relating to certain special classes of writers and clerks and is not applicable to the writers and clerks in the Royal Engineers and pay offices. A further bonus has recently been authorised for the clerks in question, and in the case of these paid on permanent scales the total bonus is of the same amount as that awarded by the Conciliation and Arbitration Board to Government clerical classes generally, namely 19s., and in the2328W case of those paid at special war rates of wages the further bonus varies up to a maximum of 5s. a week, according to circumstances.