HC Deb 29 April 1909 vol 4 c467
Mr. WILLIAM THORNE

asked the Secretary to the Treasury why, as it is considered necessary that waterguard officers of His Majesty's Customs in London on night duty should be subjected to two disciplinary visits nightly, one before and one after midnight, an equal amount of supervision is not exercised over these officers at the outports?

Mr. HOBHOUSE

The disciplinary visits of supervising officers to the water-guard staff on duty at night are arranged according to the conditions existing at the various ports. At ports other than London occasional surprise visits are paid by supervising officers direct from their own homes. In London, where a large staff is scattered over an extensive area, and where the difficulties of communication at night are considerable, it is necessary to keep a supervising officer continuously on duty to make around of the various stations at night, but it does not necessarily follow that every station is visited twice nightly.