§ MR. BLANE(for Mr. P. O'BRIEN,) Monaghan, N.I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he has any objection to give the names of ports in Great Britain and Ireland in which the officers of the Mercantile Marine are required to work seven hours per day, and those in which the hours are six 1231 per day; what are the special grounds for the two sets of working hours; and are the officers who work seven hours paid better, and how much; and, if not, whether he can arrange for an all round six hours per day?
§ * THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Sir M. HICKS BEACH,) Bristol, W.The whole question of the hours of attendance at the Mercantile Marine Offices is now under consideration, and I am endeavouring to assimilate as far as possible the conditions of service at all the ports.