§ MR. ATKINSON (Boston)asked the Secretary to the Treasury, If his attention has been called to the fact that owing to the high charges for attend 561 ance of Custom House Officers at hours winch were called "overtime," in connection with the loading and discharge of cargoes of vessels, a sum of £23,288 13s. 5d. has been so levied at four Ports in 1887—namely, London, Liverpool, Hull, and Glasgow; if he has observed that in this way salaries of Custom House Officers have been increased in such instances as the following:—namely, £445 made into £611 4s.; £380 made into £581 2s.10d.; £320 made into £518 7s. 6d.; £300 made into £436 0s.. 8d.; £250 made into £355 6s. 4d.; £ 192 10s. made into £297 3s. 5d.; £185 made into £294 12s. 9d.; and, if, in the face of these facts, he will say what he is doing to alter the system by which such, excessive pressure of charges comes upon the shipping and mercantile interests of the country?
§ SIR HERBERT MAXWELL (A LORD of the TREASURY)(who replied) said (Wigton)The important and difficult subject referred to in this Question has engaged the personal attention of my hon. Friend the Secretary to the Treasury before now, and has received much consideration from the Hoard of Customs. Without giving any definite pledge, I can assure my hon. Friend that we will use our best endeavours to arrive at some solution which will increase the facilities to trade without injury to the public interests involved.