Brigadier-General PALMERasked the Minister of Health if he is aware that the officials of the Warminster Board of Guardians have made several applications to the guardians for a grant of war bonuses in accordance with the scales authorised for Civil servants and that such applications have been refused; that the Ministries of Health and Labour have urged the Warminster Guardians to consent to refer this difference between themselves and their officials to the Ministry of Labour and that the guardians have refused to consent to arbitration; what reasons they have furnished to the Ministry of Health for this treatment of their officials; and what, further action the Ministry of Health proposed to take in this matter?
§ Dr. ADDISONI am aware that officers of the Warminster Union are aggrieved at the amount of the war bonuses granted to them by the board of guardians. I have done what I can to persuade the guardians to consent to submit the difference between them and the officers to arbitration but without success, the reason for their refusal stated by the guardians being that they are of opinion that substantial justice has been done to the officers. It is not within my power to compel the guardians to alter their decision.