§ MR. BRADLAUGHI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that officers of Customs on water-guard duty on the River Thames art-employed continuously for periods of 24 hours without rest, and whether there is any bedding supplied to the Harpy cutter, where these officers are stationed; whether officers, when employed in the landing and examination of free goods fully entered, arc obliged to give continuous attendance, when necessary, for 12 hours per day without any extra remuneration, during the eight months from March to October; and whether officers of the Outdoor Department are employed on clerical work at present for eight hours per day, whilst seven hours per day is the maximum for officials employed on clerical work in the Indoor Department, and what is the reason for this distinction?
§ *MR. JACKSONIt is true that officers of Customs employed upon water-guard duty on the River Thames are in attendance for duty contingent upon ships' arrivals for 24 hours continuously, being relieved from attendance for the succeeding 24 hours. In all such cases 287 of employment officers do, as a matter of fact, receive some rest in addition to the time allowed for meals, which necessarily varies according to the exigencies of the work. Beds are furnished upon request to all stations where officers of Customs are liable to give attendance on water-guard duty for 24 hours continuously. Up to the present no request, however, has been received from the Harpy cutter. Customs regulations permit of the landing and examination of free goods fully entered between the hours of 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. during the eight months from March to October. This privilege is, however, not often availed of to the full extent, and only in very exceptional cases does it happen that Customs officers are required to give 12 hours' continuous attendance upon this work. Officers of the Outdoor Department who are required to be employed on warehousing accounts are necessarily held available for such service throughout the hours during which the bonded warehouses are open, which at this season of the year are eight a day; in the winter months only seven hours a day. Officers so employed are inter-changeable with those who are actually working in the warehouses or upon landing stations for the like number of hours in each day. The hours of service for the Indoor Department are based on different requirements, and are rendered, not by outdoor officers, but by clerks appointed solely for clerical work.
§ MR. BRADLAUGHIf it is true that the officers of the Harpy are employed continuously for 24 hours, will the hon. Gentleman see that beds are supplied?
§ *MR. JACKSONBeds are supplied whenever a request is made for them. No request has been made in this case. If the men think it more for their comfort that beds should be supplied, I am sure that any wish on their part to that effect will be complied with