§ MR. CUNINGHAME GRAHAMI beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to a case which appeared in the Daily News of the 12th instant, where a Customs officer was summoned at the Thames Police Court by a seaman for detaining twelve ounces of tobacco and a bottle of Florida water, and to the comments of the magistrate on the proceedings of the Customs authorities; whether, in the inquiry held by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1891, into the complaints of the officers of the Outdoor Department of the Customs, that while superior officers receiving large salaries were granted substantial benefits, the subordinates—namely, boatmen, receiving very low pay, were granted nothing, but sustained pecuniary loss by the abolition of classification, and that, in consequence 1527 a great deal of discontent prevails amongst the officers of this class; and whether, in view of the temptation to improper exercise of their duties which is caused by the low scale of salaries, the Treasury would grant an improvement in the position of these officers?
§ *SIR M. HICKS BEACHThe hon. Member has been good enough to postpone this question from Friday, but I have not yet completed the inquiries, and I shall be glad if he will put it down again for Thursday.
§ MR. CUNINGHAME GRAHAMI will put the question down again on Thursday.