§ MR. KEIR HARDIEI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury if the Board of Customs intends to take any steps with reference to the statement of the chief inspector of waterguard that preventive officers and boatmen were unfitted to discharge their waterguard duties satisfactorily after fifty years of age; and if some new positions could be opened up to the older preventive officers in connection with the increased staff necessitated by the new sugar duty.
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN, Worcestershire, E.)No such statement has been made by the head of the waterguard, nor do the Board of Customs consider it advisable that the older pre- 57 ventive officers should be withdrawn from their waterguard duties to perform fresh duties in connection with the new sugar duty.