I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether assistant clerks in the Statistical Office of the Customs are compelled to remain on overtime duty till 8 p.m. for about six months every year; if so, will he endeavour to arrange for the reduction of this amount of overtime; what is the remuneration for such overtime; and would the overtime work afford an opportunity for the employment of some of the unemployed.

I am informed that the number of working days on which extra attendance by assistant clerks in the Statistical Office was required compulsorily during 1906, to secure the early publication of the monthly trade returns, was sixty-one, but that every effort is made to reduce the amount of such attendance. The overtime remuneration of assistant clerks is as follows:—

	Per hour
	s.	d
With salaries under £85 a year		9
With salaries of £85 and under £100		10
With salaries from £100 to £150	1	2

The necessity for compulsory overtime arises only for a few days at the beginning and end of each month, and it is impracticable to meet it by the employment of additional labour.