§ MR. NEVILLE (Liverpool, Exchange)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury what are the hours of employment of the first and second-class (respectively) outdoor officers of the Customs at Liverpool; how many Customs officers at that port are now doing duty as "acting officers," and at what extra rate of pay; and, how many copyists are now doing at that port the work of first-class outdoor officers?
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. JACKSON,) Leeds, N.I am informed there is no distinction as to hours of employment between the first and second class of Customs outdoor officers at Liverpool, or at any other port. The hours of attendance vary according to the kind of duty on which they are employed, being from seven or eight hours a day (according to season) on warehousing stations to (at Liverpool) 12 hours out of the 24 when boarded on vessels from foreign ports; but officers on this latter duty are now usually relieved every six hours. The number of Customs officers who do duty as acting examining officers necessarily varies from day to day, according to the exigencies of the service. At Liverpool there were yesterday employed in this capacity 46 officers, and the extra rate of pay for officers approved for that service when so employed is 2d. for each hour, not exceeding 1s. a day. I am informed that no copyists are doing at Liverpool the work of outdoor officers of either class.