Mr. POINTERasked the Undersecretary for the Colonies whether, seeing the character of the Report by Mr. R. H. McCarthy, C.M.G., on the Malta Customs Department, in which he declared that there were in Malta highly-paid officials who were not rendering their country an hour's work daily, and that the department was generally overstaffed and mismanaged, any steps had 4 been taken to remedy the same; and, if not, whether any were contemplated in the immediate future?
§ Colonel SEELYSteps have been taken to remedy the defects in the organisation of the Customs Department of Malta, under the supervision of Mr. McCarthy and Mr. Marrable, an officer lent by the Imperial Customs, and, as a result of their efforts, a net saving of some £7,000 in the cost of the department is anticipated during the current year.