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question for 5 Gas, during which nothing was said by any member in the direction of suggesting that salary was too low. The question was next brought main under the consideration of their Department in connection with the Secretariat.
In 1889, on their first application, they were put off by the statement that Unofficial members of Council had expressed themselves in favour of a 25 per cent all-round increase. But even then the Secretary of State abstained from committing himself to any expression of opinion in favour of a general increase, but instead called for information on certain questions which he set forth in a fresh despatch of a non-committal character, which questions he suggested should be the object of investigation by a Committee composed partly of officials and partly of non-officials.
The Government went further than the Secretary of State suggested in the direction of impartiality by referring the subject to a Committee wholly of unofficial members of Council with the exception of its President, the present Chief Justice. This Commission was, in its opinion, not only on rates but on the cost of living since 1875,
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