44. Mr. GEORGE HAMILTONasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether officers of Customs and Excise at the port of Manchester, when paying overtime visits on Sundays and public holidays, recorded in the appearance book what they believed to be the time allowed for the visit under a special Board's order, in accordance with the practice of the port; that this record was certified by the surveyor and collector, but, upon the records being questioned by the Controller-General, alterations were made excluding the time travelling between the depot and the ship, and the certificate given by the surveyor 2499 was time at ship's side; and, if so, and as the wharves in question are situated from two to four miles from the depot and half an hour is not enough allowance for such distances, will he instruct the correct officials to allow overtime payment from the time of signing on to the time of signing off, in accordance with established custom and regulations?
§ Mr. MASTERMANThe answer to the first part of the question is that the officers recorded as attendance the fixed period of time formerly allowed for a visit, although the new Regulations in General Order 54j1912, of which they were well aware, distinctly stated that the actual period of necessary attendance only was allowable. As regards the remaining parts of the question, I must refer tha hon. Member to my reply to the questions addressed to me by the hon. and gallant Member for Montgomery District on the 12th and 4th inst. on this subject.