§ CAPTAIN NORTON (Newington, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether, with a view to carrying out his promises as regards the customs watchers, he will consider the advisability of restoring the former overtime rate of 8d. per hour, if only to those who had it before 1896, since no cost is thrown upon the Crown; and whether he will draw some distinction between those watchers who have over 10 years' service, and are practically permanent, and those who come and go, as regards the question of uniform, more especially as watchers mix with the public as representatives of the Crown, and that even temporary messengers are given a uniform?
§ MR. HANBURYThe present conditions of employment have been carefully considered, and I cannot hold out any expectation that those relating to overtime payment will be altered, except in respect of attendance at 5 a.m. or earlier, for which two hours' overtime will be allowed for disturbance instead of one. The old permanent labourers cannot claim to receive all the benefits of the old system as well as of the new. The Board of Customs do not recognise any necessity for supplying watchers with uniform; and there would be strong objection to supplying it to some and not to others.