§ 43. Mr. BARNESasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that the Board of Customs and Excise has stopped the payment to preventive men employed in the Landing Department of the temporary allowance granted to preventive men; if he will state the reason for this action; and whether he will have the payment restored to these few men, who are feeling the financial loss in this period of high prices?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. McKinnon Wood)The men in question, being physically unfit for waterguard duty, have as a, special indulgence being retained in the Department on routine shore duties instead of being compulsorily retired, and they are not performing any of the special war duties in respect of which the allowance in question was granted to their colleagues on water-guard duty. They have, therefore, no claim to it.