§ MR. SEXTONI beg to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when does the Board of Customs intend to fill up the vacancies which have been created in the third class of surveyors in London by the promotion of seven of them to the second class; what steps have the Board taken to have the whole of the import gauging done by first class examining officers as far as possible; and whether officers of this grade are being 414 transferred to that duty from other duties on which they had hitherto been engaged, and their places filled permanently by second-class examining officers; and, if so, whether it is his intention that such duties should in future be regarded as of an inferior kind, and not requiring the services of first-class examining officers?
§ MR. GOSCHENThe hon. Member will see, on referring to the Treasury Minute of March 24, that the vacancies in the third class of surveyors were caused by the creation of three additional first-class and four additional second-class surveyorships,
Which shall remain until such time as the whole of the existing third-class surveyors who may be fit for promotion shall have been promoted.These appointments were specially created owing to circumstances which were recorded in the Minute, but it was not part of the plan to promote a corresponding number of first-class examining officers. With regard to this class, provision was made for them to receive increased emoluments under the Minute. As regards import gauging, the Board of Customs have now under active consideration a scheme for assigning the duty as far as possible to first-class examining officers. The work of those officers has been defined, and in any transfer of officers to import gauging duty from other duties care will be taken that proper provision is made for the latter duties by officers of a grade sufficient for the proper performance of the work.