§ 53. Mr. CHARLES DUNCANasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether, in view of his statement in March last that thirty-four of the London non-pensioner Customs watchers had received no increase in their rate of wages since 1900, since when, according to the official statement of the Board of Trade, the purchasing value of a sovereign has been reduced from 18s. 5d. to 16s. 3d., he will now favourably consider the claims of these poorly paid Government servants to an increase in their weekly wages in proportion to the increased cost of living; and whether, in lieu of their giving up their title to a bonus on retirement at sixty-five, he will favourably consider the placing of these men on the establishment, either in the waterguard branch or as established messengers, and so relieve these men, many of whom have completed over twenty-five years' service, of the necessity of having to remain at work in the Customs service until seventy in order to qualify for the old age pension?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI must refer the hon. Member to the reply given him by the hon. Member for St. George's-in-the-East on 31st March last, showing the improvements which have taken place in the remuneration and conditions of these men since 1900. They are specially retained till the age of seventy, subject to fitness and good conduct, and I fear I could not adopt the suggestion made in the last part of the question.