§ MR. ALFRED THOMAS (Glamorganshire, E.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether the officers recently I appointed by him to superintend the transfer of Lascar seamen in the United Kingdom, and also occupying the positions of superintendents of Mercantile Marine offices, now receive no remuneration for this duty owing to the Board of Trade having given instructions that the authorised fee of 3s. for each transfer certificate shall be credited to that Department instead of being retained by the officer performing the duty; whether the sanction of the India Office was obtained to the action of the Board of Trade in thus disposing of the authorised fees still payable by shipowners to the superintendents; whether the action of the Board of Trade in this respect will apply to transfer officers who also hold the appointments of collectors of customs; whether he is aware that much discontent exists at the course pursued by the Board of Trade among the recently appointed superintendents for the transfer of Lascars as well as the prospective holders of these appointments; and if, in conjunction with the Board of Trade, he will inquire into the subject with a view of removing any grievance that may exist.
§ LORD G. HAMILTONThe arrangement made by the Board of Trade in 1896 appears to he correctly described in the first clause of the Question. The arrangement was accepted by me subject to the proviso that the work connected with Lascars should be not less satisfactorily performed than heretofore. The point raised in the third clause of the question has not, so far as I am aware, come under discussion. But I understand that the arrangement of 1896 will he applicable to all public servants who are appointed to be superintendents of Lascar transfers. I have no knowledge of the existence of discontent with the preset it arrangements, and it clearly would be outside my province to make inquiry into the arrangements of the Board of Trade with its officers.