§ MR. CONYBEARE (Cornwall, Camborne)asked the Secretary to the Treasury, Whether, as the Committee of Inquiry into the Statistical Department of the Customs House recommended a special rate of pay to the writers employed therein, and several months have since elapsed, it is intended to adopt such recommendation; and, if so, when the same will be brought into operation; what is the reason for the prolonged delay in respect of the promotion of writers to the Lower Division who are employed in those Offices which have not been dealt with under the provisions of the Treasury Minute of December, 1886, and who, fulfilling all the conditions laid down in that Minute, have been accordingly recommended; and, when the writers employed in the Customs Outports (similarly situated) may expect to be informed of the decision in their ease?
§ SIR HERBERT MAXWELL (A LORD of the TREASURY) (Wigton)(who replied) said: Very considerable changes in the organization of the Customs Statistical Department have been proposed by a Committee; but we are not prepared to carry out organic changes until the Royal Commission on Civil Establishments has considered the clerical establishments of the Customs. In the meantime, we contemplate an ad interim arrangement, which we hope will be shortly ready for adoption. We are about to issue our decision in the case of copyists in the Local Government Board. The other eases outstanding are cases of appeal, in which our objections have not as yet been removed. As regards certain copyists at the out-ports who have been brought before us for favourable consideration, we are still in correspondence with the Commissioner of Customs as to the proper method of dealing with their claims. I regret there has, undoubtedly, been 816 some delay; but we hope to be able to settle it in a few days.