40] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1817. 



"That the select committee to be 

 appointed, shouhl inquire into 

 what reductions since the year 

 1798 had taken } lace in the salaries 

 and emoluments of the different 

 persons holding public offices, and 

 to consider wliat farther measures 

 might be instituted for farther re- 

 ducing the expenditure of the 

 country." 



The Speaker having suggested 

 to Mr. r>. tliat it would be neces- 

 sary for him first to move, by way 

 of amendment, that the second 

 part of the noble lord's motion 

 should be omitted, he shaped his 

 motion accordingly. 



After a considerable number of 

 members had given their opinions, 

 Mr. Brand's motion was put, and 

 was negatived by 210 to II7. 



REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE. 



The names of the members of 

 the committee was at length ap- 

 pointed, when they stood as fol- 

 lows : Lord Castlereagh, Mr. 

 Bankes, Mr. Tierney, the Chan- 

 cellor of the Exchecpier, Lord 

 Binning, Mr. Bootle Wilbrahanij 

 Sir John Newport, Mr. Peele, 

 Mr. Hart Davis, Sir (ieorge Clerk, 

 Mr. Frankland Lewis, Mr. Hus- 

 kinson, Mr. Tremainc, Mr. Ni- 

 cholson Calvert, Mr. Davies Gil- 

 bert, Mr. Cartright, Mr. Holford, 

 Mr. F. Littleton, Lor<l Clive, IMr. 

 Gooch, Sir T. Atkland. 



On May 5th, the tiist report of 

 the Finance Committee, relating 

 to the Abolition of Sinecures, be- 

 ing laid before ihe House, Mr. 

 Davies Gilbert roae to address the 

 committee. He began with ob- 

 serving that he had uniformly con- 

 sidered the existence of sinecure 

 places as a great blot and blemish 

 in the system of this count) v, aRcJ 



had therefore repeatedly supported 

 the propositions brought forward 

 by his friend the member for Corfe 

 Castl« (Mr. Bankes). The system 

 was peculiarly liable to the charge 

 of favouritism; and another strong 

 objection to it was its being grant- 

 ed ill reversion, which always ap- 

 peared to him a great abuse. It 

 might be objected, that no great 

 savings would result to the pubUc 

 fioni the al.'olition of those offices. 

 Tlie present savings indeed could 

 not be much, because it was ne- 

 cessaiy that good faith sliould be 

 kept with those who had vested 

 interests ; but in the course of a 

 few years a material benefit would 

 be effected. When the committee 

 reconmiended that certain offices 

 should no longer be suffered to 

 exist, it was necessary that they 

 should point out some other mode 

 by which his Majesty could re- 

 ward meritorious services. \\'ith 

 this view a system was recom- 

 mended, whicli, under certain re- 

 strictions, would answer every 

 jjurpose. He alluded to the grant- 

 ing of pensions foi' services per- 

 formed, the time during which 

 individuals had occupied their 

 offices being one of the criteria by 

 which the crow n was to be guided 

 in rewarding the exerti(»ns of [tub- 

 lie officers. ]f the committee 

 agreed to the motion with which 

 he should conclude, namely, 

 "That the chairman should be 

 directed to apjdy to the House for 

 leave to bring in certain bills for 

 carrying into effect the recom- 

 mendations contained in the re- 

 port," they would then have the 

 subject introduced to them in a 

 more detailed shape. After some 

 further explanations, he moved 

 *' That the phfiirman be directed 



to 



