§ MR. MACDONALD (Tower Hamlets, Bow)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether the Customs' messengers, when called upon for overtime after 4 p.m., were paid at the rate of 8d. an hour previous to the Treasury Minute of the 4th of March, 1891; whether £5 a year was given by this Minute for an additional hour of regular service from 4 to 5 p.m.; whether this £5 is 765 withdrawn on promotion to the First Class, though previously members of this class were paid overtime when employed after 4 p.m.; and whether he would consider the case of these messengers?
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Sir J. T. HIBBERT,) OldhamCustoms' messengers, both before and since March, 1891, have been paid at the rate of 8d. per hour when required to attend beyond the number of hours constituting the official day. A personal allowance of £5 a year was sanctioned in February, 1891, to then existing First and Second Class Established Messengers in consideration of their giving seven hours instead of six daily. The Rule of the Civil Service is that such a personal allowance ceases at once on promotion, but subject to the condition that the messenger promoted carries with him his existing salary if above the minimum of the new class. It is impossible to reopen the question.