§ MR. J. R. KELLYI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury if he will state the greatest number of men who have been employed in any one week during the last three months upon clerial duties in the various Government Offices and whose services have been hired from both Messrs. Waterlow and Messrs. Vacher; whether such men have been paid regular daily or weekly wages by Messrs. Waterlow and Messrs. Vacher respectively, or only for the hours during which their services may have been required in the Government Offices, and whether, if he has no information on the subject, he would cause inquiries to be made on the subject; whether he can state if it is the practice of both Messrs. Waterlow and Messrs. Vacher to make a profit of from 15 to 20 per cent, on the sums paid to them in respect of the daily services of such men, and whether, if he is unable to do so, he will cause inquiries to be made on the subject; and whether the practice of so hiring men through agents for work in Government Offices is not in direct opposition to the opinion expressed in the Report of the Play fair Commission?
§ MR. JACKSONI am unable to give the detailed information as to law stationers clerks for which the hon. Member asks. I am not aware that the 1089 Play fair Commission expressed any such general condemnation of the practice of employing these clerks as the hon. Member attributes to it; but however that may be, the Treasury have not contemplated the permanent employment of law stationers clerks in Government Departments; but assistance of this kind must be procured for temporary purposes from time to time to meet emergencies.