§ Mr. FIELDasked the Secretary to the Treasury how many assistant clerks are at present serving in the Customs Statistical Office, and how many are eligible by service for promotion; to what class is it intended to promote meritorious men; what is the method of selection for such promotion; and is the present system of depleting the Statistical Office of assistant clerks possessing the requisite merit and ability for promotion to be continued?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEThere are 212 assistant clerks (namely, thirty-two abstractors, old class, and 180 assistant clerks, new class) now serving in the Statistical Office, and of these, 130 (namely, thirty-two abstractors, old class, and ninety-eight assistant clerks, new class) are eligible by service for promotion. Promotions from the class may be made from time to time, exceptionally and solely on the ground of special merit, to junior clerkships in the Statistical Office and to Customs port clerkships outside the office, selections being based on the reports of the assistant clerks' superiors. In addition, the class of 1863W minor staff officers in the Office is wholly recruited from the body of assistant clerks in the Office. Promotions to port clerkships outside the office, being made exceptionally, do not constitute a serious drain on the resources of the Office.
§ Mr. FIELDasked the Secretary to the Treasury how long second division clerks have been employed in the Customs Statistical Office; what is the reason they have not been replaced by assistant clerks, in view of the fact that they are engaged on duties similar to those assigned to assistant clerks; and will he promise that these men will not be placed on the establishment of the Statistical Office, in view of the large number of assistant clerks in the office who are eligible by service for promotion?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEThirteen referees have already been appointed. Two more are about to be appointed. Of the thirteen already appointed, one is a fellow of the Auctioneers' Institute.
§ Mr. ASHTONasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that, owing to the present uncertainty as to the future method of recruiting the port clerical establishment in the Customs Department, serious inconvenience is caused to candidates preparing for the prospective entrance examinations for the service; and whether he can hold out hope that a settlement of the question will shortly be arrived at?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEThe settlement of this question depends on the recommendations of the Customs and Excise Amalgamation Committee, whose report, as I have already stated, is being prepared with all possible despatch.
§ Mr. JOYCEasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he was aware that Michael Kenny entered the Customs in the year 1877 as messenger, and became caretaker and housekeeper in 1883; that Kenny's wife acted as housekeeper and cleaner at a salary of £13 a year from this time until the 1st of January of this year, although her husband died in 1894, and that her salary has been reduced to 4s. a week; and, if so, will the salary be again increased to its former amount?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEMichael Kenny was an ex-soldier and the whole of his service in the Customs was in an unestablished capacity. The exact year of his first employment1864W cannot be stated, but it is the fact that he held the post of caretaker of the offices at Limerick from 1883 until his death in 1894, receiving in addition to his pay, free quarters, and an allowance of £13 a year for cleaning the Customs offices. During this time Mrs. Kenny was not employed by the Department in any way, but on her husband's death another caretaker was appointed, and Mrs. Kenny was then employed, as cleaner only, receiving the cleaning allowance of £13 formerly paid to her husband. Separate arrangements existed for cleaning the Excise offices, which are in the same building as the Customs offices. The Excise cleaner died in August last, and, in the interest of efficiency, advantage was taken of this fact to place the whole of the cleaning arrangements in the hands of the resident caretaker. Mrs. Kenny's employment by the Department was terminated and a special gratuity of £10 has been granted to her. The Board are informed that the new caretaker has since engaged her to assist in the cleaning work, and that he pays her 4s. a week for her services. This, however, is not a matter in which the Department is concerned.