Star.
London, England, 1831-06-29 00:00:00

SALARIES.

%Ir. S. II'ORTLEY asked whether Government had
complied, or intended to comply, with the reduction in the
office of President of the Board of Controul, proposed by
the Committee on Salaries? The Committee had proposed
to reduce the salary from 5,0001 to 3,3001. He considered
that such a reduction would throw that most important of-
fice into inferior hands. lf, therefor:, the answer of Go-
vernment was in the affirmative, he would on a future inca-
ution submat a motion to the Hausa on the subject.
Lord ALTHORP was ut•.tlerstood to answer that the de-
cision of the Committee had already been complied with.
Sir H. 11 AR DI NGE asked whether General Officers,
when occupying civil offices, were to be deprived of their re-
giments ? He considered it extremely hard that officers,
:.tier purchasing their commissions, should be deprived of
them by the casual possession of a civil office. This was the
first time since the lime of Marlborough, that a Committee
hail proposed such an innovation.
Lord ALTHORP said no decision had as yet been come
to by Government on the Committee's proposal. He de-
clined giving a pledge on one side or the other.
HUME believed no salary had been fixed after more
consideration on the part of the committee, than the salary
or the President of the Board of Controul. The patronage
attached to that office, and to the civil offices occupied by
general (Mars, amply compensated the proposed reductions.
After a few words from Mr. KENNEDY and Mr.
COU RTE NAY,
Mr. J. WOOD hoped Government would comply with
the requests of the Committee. As a member of the Com-
mittee, he could say that it had decided on both points in
question after due consideration.
Mr. GOULBURN rose merely to protest against an ar.
gument used in favour of reduction of salaries by the mem-
bers for Middlesex and Preston. They said the holders of
offices compensated themselves by distributing places to their
relatives. Now this was a most dangerous principle to lay
down. Public servants were bound to use their patronage
according to the interests of the country, and not for their
own private emolument.
Mr. C. FERGUSON said, if the Committee had reduced
the salary in question, because it supposed that little labour
was attached to the office, he was certainly mistaken. There
was no office requiring more industry, intelligence, and in.
formation than that of President of the Board of Controul.
iVith respect to the other question, if general officers were
to retain their regiments, together with their civil offices. it
was a great hardship on subalterns on half pay, that they
should be deprived in similar cases of their military al.
lowance.
Mr. WYNNE had always thought it his duty, while
President of the Board of Controul, to dispense his patron.
age, not to friends or relatives, but to persons who by their
own services, or by the services of their connections, were
entitled to its benefit. He took no merit to himself for this,
because it had been the rule of his predecessors. He feared
the redaction of this office, which he knew from experience
t. require much information and industry, would make it anl
iifenor one, and a mere step•stone to other function,.
Sir H. HARDING E would say. in answer to the re-
marks on the emoluments of the public service, that he had
vetted from it poorer than when he entered it. After thirty
years' service, he had retired with scarcely 3001. a year,
which was barely the interest of the purchase money of his
commission. (Hear.) He, therefore, had not turned his pa-
tronage much to his account. His son, whilst President of
the Board of Controul, had divested himself of a great part
of the patronage of that office, by annually giving up • ,
writership to India to the Westminster scholar who had most
distinguished himself during the year.
After a few words from :Mr. TRANI, the subject dropped.