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At the instance of Mr. Herbert, Lord Kimberley pressed it a second time on the con- sideration of the Treasury, and with a like result.

I now appeal to your Lordship against this unjust and oppressive treatment by the Treasury, the more unjust and oppressive because unmerited, as amongst the records of that Department is to be found this testimony of my "zealous and useful services " --

"My Lords, on referring to the testimonials of Mr. Woods, find the following state- ments from the Chairman of the Board of Works, Ireland, in submitting his name for promotion in 1853:

"Mr. Woods was in charge of the relief branch of this Department during the famine years of 1845-46-47, and being a junior clerk at that time was specially selected on account of his qualifications in preference to his official superiors. He conducted it and the Land Improvement Department up to the present time. In both these positions Mr. Woods acquitted himself not only to the satisfaction of the public but of the members of the Board, who on many occasions have brought his name under the notice of the Lords of the Treasury for favourable consideration."

"It further appears that this gentleman, who was employed under the immediate directions of Mr. Griffith (the Chairman of the Board) in framing and superintending the various arrangements connected with the Land Improvement Loans, discharged those duties in a manner which gave general satisfaction both to his official superiors and to the numerous country gentlemen and others with whom he was brought into communication, and that his exertions greatly contributed to the success of that

measure.

I add two statements: No. 1, showing the amount payable to me if the office promised to me as my promotion, and to which I was required to look as the recompense of my services by Lord Lytton and succeeding Secretaries of State, had not been abolished; No. 2, the amount payable under the terms proposed by Lord Kimberley if they had been sanctioned by the Treasury; if the former be approved it will besides giving me a somewhat greater advantage ensure me a better pension when I retire, which I am ready to do at any time the convenience of the office may require.

With confidence that right will be done I now place the inatter in your Lordship's

hands.

I have, &c.

(Signed) W. W. WOODS.

5

good position in the Treasury (in a class, the salary of which was subsequently raised to 5001. a year) to enter this Department as sub-librarian.

In order to effect a reduction in the staff of this Office, the situation of librarian, which MA Woods had been explicitly informed he might expect to fill, was abolished, and Mr. Woods, instead of succeeding to this place, with a salary of 6001. rising to 8007., is now, after 46 years service, in the receipt of only 4601.

The facts of this case, as comprised in the correspondence of 1870 and 1871, to which I have referred, seem so strong to Lord Carnarvon, that he would under any circum- stances feel it his duty to request the Lords Commissioners to reconsider the decision of their predecessors. But in addition to that of justice to Mr. Woods, there is another consideration of great importance to the public service, to which his Lordship would cail special attention. It was stipulated when the last reorganisation of the Colonial Office was under consideration, that the clerkship now held by Mr. Woods should not be filled up when vacated by his retirement. Mr. Woods has passed the age at which, in the ordinary course, he would retire on a pension, and the Department is fully prepared to arrange for the discharge of the duties now performed by hin without additional assistance; but it is quite impossible for the Secretary of State (feeling, as Lord Carnarvon does, in con- currence with his predecessor, that Mr. Woods is not in receipt of the salary to which he is fairly entitled) to press bim to retire upon a pension calculated upon his present salary. The consequence is, that the annual charge for the working staff of this Office is increased by the sum of 4601, which might be dispensed with if Mr. Woods' retire. ment could be arranged for on terms equitable to him.

It appears to Lord Carnarvon that Mr. Woods should be allowed to retire upon a pension computed upon the salary of 6001, which pension would, his Lordship believes, be at the rate of about 4901. per annum. By this arrangement Mr. Woods would not receive any compensation for the difference between the salary actually received by him since 1870 and that of 6001. per annum with the annual increments; this difference amounting, by his computation, to 7001. As he was not secured in the succession to the librarianship he would appear to have no strict claim to these arrears of Carnarvon trusts that their Lordships will facilitate his retirement by placing his salary,

pay,

but Lord for the purpose of calculating his pension, at the rate of 6001. per annum, which is at once the maximum of the class in which he now is, and the minimum salary of the librarianship to which be had expected to be appointed.

I have, &c.

(Signed)

ROBERT G. W, HERBERT.

PUBLIC RECORD.OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 885.

4 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON || ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

SIB,

No. 1.

No. 2.

July 1870 to July 1871

-

£ 600

£

July 1870 to July 1871

-

600

The Secretary to the Treasury.

1871

1872

620

1871

1872

-

600

ور

1872

1873

·

640

1872

1873

·

600

"

J

1873

Jan. 1874

330

1873

Jan. 1874

-

300

11

2,190

Received

1,490

Received

2,100 1,490

SIR,

700

610

No. 7.

COLONIAL OFFICE to TREASURY.

Downing Street, June 27, 1874.

I AM directed by the Earl of Carnarvon to request that the attention of the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury may be directed to the case of Mr. W. W. Woods of this Office, which has formed the subject of previous correspondence, as will be seen by reference to the letter from this Department, of the 21st July 1870, the reply from the Treasury No. 14,080 of the 30th August 1870, the further letter from this Office of the 10th July 1871, and the answer to that letter No. 11,181 of the 18th July 1871.*

After carefully examining the circumstances of Mr. Woods' case, Lord Carnarvon bas been unable to arrive at any other conclusion than that the decision of the Lords Com- missioners, as notified to his predecessor, had the effect of withholding from Mr. Woods that status and salary which he had been led to expect that he would attain to. His Lordship would request the particular attention of their Lordships to the distinct expectations of promotion which were held out to that gentleman when he relinquished a

* Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 4.

No. 8.

TREASURY to COLONIAL OFFICE.

Treasury Chambers, July 6, 1874. In reply to your letter of the 27th ultimo respecting the terms of Mr. Woods' retirement, am directed by the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury to request you to state to the Earl of Carnarvon that the proposal for calculating Mr. Woods' pension upon a larger amount than that of the salary which he has been actually receiving would be illegal.

My Lords regret they are unable to acquiesce in the suggestion of Lord Carnarvon for the reason above stated, and they do not feel at liberty to re-open this case which was decided after repeated consideration by their predecessors.

The Under Secretary of State

for the Colonies.

No. 9...

I have, &c.

(Signed) WILLIAM LAW.

W. W. WOODS, Esq., to the COLONIAL OFFICE.

MY LORD,

MAY I request the favour of your Lordship forwarding to the Treasury the

July 8, 1874. enclosed memorandum; it contains in a condensed form the case on which

• No. 7.

rely

42493.

A 3