§ MR. JOHN KELLYI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether any further progress has been made in the impending application of the seven-hours system to the Statistical Department of Her Majesty's Customs; and whether he will state the nature of the difficulties which have led to the continued delay in the matter?
§ *MR. JACKSONArrangements are still in progress for the application of the seven-hours system in the Statistical Office of the Customs, and that system will shortly be carried into effect as regards the Lower Division clerks and copyists. The delay which has arisen is due to the difficulty of finding places in other Government Departments for certain Lower Division clerks whose services in the Customs must be dispensed with in order to secure the necessary saving of public expense.
§ MR. CAINEI beg to ask the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if it is true that a memorial from the wives and children of subscribers to the Customs Fund asking that the matters in dispute between the Treasury and the subscribers may be referred to arbitration, has, by Her Majesty's commands, been forwarded to the Lords of the Treasury; and if he will lay the Papers on the subject upon the Table of the House?
§ MR. JACKSONThe memorial to which the hon. Member refers has been forwarded to the Treasury by the Home Office and carefully considered; it appears to contain no statements which have not already been considered by successive Boards of Treasury. The view held by the Board was stated in a letter of the Secretary of the Treasury of the 3rd of September, 1884, in reply to a former memorial, and there appears to be nothing to add to the views then expressed. If the hon. Member wishes, I will lay that letter and the memorial to which it refers upon the Table of the House. The whole case is, I think, stated in the memorial and the letter in reply.