9. Mr. POINTERasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the clerks employed at the Walham Green, Clapham Junction, Canning Town, Leyton, Holloway, Woolwich, Kingston, Shepherd's Bush, Tottenham, Borough High Street, and Brentford Labour Exchanges have worked, on an' average, about 350 hours each overtime from the 1st February last to the 30th June without any extra remuneration; whether it is proposed to give them any extra remuneration; and, if so, why there is so much delay?
The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. Robertson)I am aware that a considerable amount of overtime has been worked in many of the Labour Exchanges during this period, though the average for the Exchanges specified is much below the figure stated in the question. As regards the latter part of the question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave in reply to the hon. Member for Hammersmith on 17th July.
§ 10. Mr. WILLIAM THORNEasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that on the 18th and 19th instant men were being engaged-within the precincts of the Gravesend Labour Exchange for work at Leith docks,-where a dispute is in progress; that a man who applied at the Exchange was informed that there was nothing for him, but that a man 10 in the porch was engaging men for Leith; and whether he will make inquiry into the matter and give instructions that the porch or any other part of an Exchange must not be used for such a purpose?
Mr. ROBERTSONI have caused inquiry to be made into the matter, and understand that there is no foundation for the statement that an applicant was informed by an officer of the Gravesend Labour Exchange that a man in the porch of that Exchange was engaging men for Leith, nor was any such person seen or known to be there by the officers of the Exchange on the days in question. No member of the public is permitted to use the precincts of any Exchange in the manner described, and I therefore see no reason to issue special intructions on this point.