The Committee which sat last session on the salaries of
the Officers of the House of Commons have in their report recommended the fol- lowing changes.
The Speaker—Previously to the passing of the 30th Geo. HI. the emolu- ments of the Speaker, excluding plate and outfit, did not exceed 3,000/. per an- num. By that act a salary of 6,000/. was attached to the office of Speaker. Besides this salary, the Speaker has an official residence, and receives an allow- ance for coals and candles costing 500/. per annum. On every new election of a Speaker, it has been the practice to allow him 4,000 ounces of pLite or about 1,400/. in Ike of it), and 1,000/. by way of outfit, both being allowed as often as he may he reelected ! As the chief officers of state receive only 5,000/. per annum, the Committee recommend that the salary of the Speaker should he re- duced to that sum—that he should nave no allowance for coals and candles, and no grant for plate, but that he should have an outfit of 1,000/. and an official residence, tax free. Instead of a service of plate being allowed to each Speaker, it is recommended that 6,000/. should be laid out in plate, which should belong to the public, each successive Speaker having the use of it. The Speaker's Secretary.—The Speaker's Secretary is recommended to be paid a salary of 5001., instead of being allowed, in the shape of salary and fees, 993/.
The Chaplain.—The duty of this gentleman consists in reading prayers at the sitting of the House, for which he has hitherto been remunerated by the House requesting his Majesty to bestow upon him some preferment in the -.church, and after having said prayers at the table of the House for three half years, it has been usual to give him a prebendal stall at Windsor, Westminster, or Canterbury. The Committee consider this an improper practice, and re- commend the payment of a salary of 2001. per annum. The Clerk of the House—The Clerk of the House of Commons formerly ...received from one source or another, 10,000/. a year, but late in the reign of George the Third, a salary of 3,500/. was attached to it, as also an official resi- -dence worth 5,000/. per annum. The Comffiittee propose to reduce this to -2,000/. The other clerks of the Muse are recommended to be reduced in a cor- responding manner. The Messengers.—Among the messengers very great changes are suggested. - Persons who have heretofore been in the receipt of 8004 or 900/. for opening doors, serving notices, and other not very arduous duties, are likely to be re- duced to 300/. and 250/. The total saving which will be made in the House of :Commons offices, if the recommendations of the Committee be adopted, will be - 18,459/.
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