§ CAPTAIN NORTON (Newington, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether, seeing that out of 327 Customs watchers employed in the Port of London 178 are not pensioners and have more than 10 years' service, and that not more than about 10 per cent. of them will derive any benefit from the promised change as regards cab allowance, he will consider the advisability of supplying the Customs watchers with uniform at Government expense, instead of these men being called upon to provide it themselves out of their scanty wage of 21s. a week?
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. R. W. HANBURY,) PrestonThere are 357, not 327, of these watchers. In practice pressure is not usually put upon them to comply with the regulation as to uniform so long as they are at all suitably dressed. The engagement is only a weekly hiring, and the number is still large of those who, for one reason or another, leave after 921 a few weeks or months. It does not, therefore, appear necessary, and it would involve great expense, to make the alteration suggested by the honourable Member.
§ CAPTAIN NORTONWill the right honourable Gentleman withdraw the regulation as to uniforms?
§ MR. HANBURYI have said it is not enforced rigidly.