§ MR. MCKEANTo ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether, in connection with the Customs there are what are called preventive officers, whose appointment is in the gift of the Treasury; and he will furnish a Return showing the number of persons of Irish birth who hive obtained such appointments within the past five years.
302 (Answered by Mr. Hobhouse.) Preventive men are nominated by the Patronage Secretary to the Treasury, but no inquiry is made or record kept of the birthplace of persons so nominated, and the labour involved in procuring the information would not be justified.