§ MR. EVELYN ASHLEYasked the President of the Board of Trade, with reference to the circular of July 1873, by which emigration officers, surveyors, and medical officers were directed under certain circumstances to inspect outward-bound vessels on Sundays so as to avoid the detention of those vessels, and extra lees for this extra work were ordered to be paid to the Mercantile Marine Fund by the owners of those vessels, On what ground the Board of Trade can justify the withholding from an emigration officer his share of those fees, long since paid to the Mercantile Marine Fund, for extra work done by him between August 1873 and February 1875?
§ VISCOUNT SANDONThe claim alluded to was raised some years ago, and disallowed by the Office. These fees for Sunday work were, am informed, placed at a high rate, with the view of discouraging such demands upon the services of the officers, except in cases of necessity. No fees for overtime 15 or for Sunday work have ever been paid by the Board of Trade to any salaried officer holding the position referred to by the Question. There are various salaried officers who have done Sunday work, and who are liable to have to do it in the future. None of these salaried officers have received the fees alluded to and it appears to me impossible to make an exception in favour of one particular officer without giving up the general rule which has been hitherto adopted, and which we see no cause for abandoning.